The situation
Take the operational helm, from day one
A leadership gap, or a situation that needs an accountable operator right now while a permanent search runs its course. That is what I step into — at the level the mandate requires, from production or plant manager to head of operations, operations director or COO — embedded and accountable from day one, and I build the operating model so it outlasts me.
An operator in the seat, not a name on a search list
Interim leadership means someone experienced steps in for a defined period and takes real responsibility for delivery, as COO, operations director, plant manager or production manager. Not advice from the side: the decisions, the follow-up and the results.
I create alignment across functions, establish the operating rhythm and drive delivery from the first week, with a search for permanent leadership running in parallel if that is the route you take. You bring someone like me in because the situation demands seniority now — a ramp mid-flight, a transfer that has to land, delivery slipping — not to keep a seat warm. I have led at every level on this ladder, usually under a bigger title with a wider scope, and I still take whichever one the situation calls for, from production management to COO, with board work alongside when that is the right lever. The title is not the point; the mandate is.
What I own
- The mandate: objectives and decision authority, agreed up front
- Embedded leadership inside daily operations, close to the floor
- The operating cadence: daily, weekly and monthly governance
- Fast, fact-based decisions as the numbers come in
- A clean handover: the capability transferred, not just the results
I have led every level from production management to COO, often under a bigger title with a wider scope, and I build the operating model to outlast the mandate, not just the assignment.
The method
How I run an interim mandate, from day one
Every mandate is different; the way I take control of one is not. This is the sequence from the first call to the day the operation no longer needs me in the room.
Scope the mandate
We agree what the mandate actually is before anything else: the objectives, the decision authority that comes with them, and where the role sits relative to the board or the owner. I decline mandates where responsibility comes without the authority to act, so this step is not a formality.
Done when the objectives and decision authority are agreed and written down.
Mobilise fast
For urgent situations I can usually be on site within days. The mandate starts when the operation needs it, not when a recruitment process happens to finish.
Done when I am on site, briefed and introduced to the organisation.
Take operational control
I take charge inside daily operations, close to line managers and operators, not a report from the sidelines. Decisions, follow-up and results run through the role from the first week.
Done when decisions run through the mandate and the organisation knows it.
Build the operating model
Daily management meetings, a KPI cadence that runs from shift to site, and owners trained to run each part themselves: the rhythm that makes performance visible to everyone responsible for it.
Done when the cadence runs on its own structure, not on me chairing it.
Deliver the numbers
Fast, fact-based decisions: prioritise what actually moves delivery, cost or the transition, act on it, and adjust as the numbers come in, not once a quarter.
Done when the numbers hold to plan, not just for one good month.
Structured handover
I transfer the capability, not just the results, so both outlast the assignment: to permanent leadership, to the next phase, or back to the owner.
Done when the numbers no longer depend on me being in the building.
Across all six steps, the same test applies: the operating model must survive without me — that is the goal from day one, not a promise saved for the handover.
Where I step in
Typical mandates
The accountability for delivery is constant; only the title, the scope and the term change. This is the range I am usually asked to fill.
These mandates run directly with my company, LeadOps, or through the interim provider or executive-search firm you already use: same person, same accountability, either way. Board work and expert calls sit alongside them, for situations that call for judgement rather than a seat in the building.
- Interim COO or Operations Director
- Plant or site management
- Head of Operations
- Operations, production or engineering management
- Bridging a sudden leadership gap
- Structured handover to permanent leadership
- Operational excellence (OpEx) — production systems, lean programmes and daily management that holds
60+ specialists and operators recruited during a single ramp-up, in a fiercely competitive talent market. The first wave of 50 was approved in the meeting where I presented the case — three weeks into the mandate.
Common questions
An interim mandate, answered
How quickly can you start?
For urgent operational situations I can usually be on site within days. A short first call is enough to scope the mandate and confirm whether I am the right fit — and if I am not, I will tell you.
At what level do you step in?
At the level the situation requires. I have led every level from production management to COO, often with a bigger title and a wider scope than the level itself, and I still take whichever one fits — plus board work and expert calls. The title is not the point; the mandate is.
What happens when you leave?
The structure stays. I build the operating model so the organisation owns it — daily management meetings, KPI cadence from shift to site, trained owners — and close with a structured handover. The goal is simple: the numbers must not depend on me being in the building.
Do we contract directly or through a provider?
Both routes work. You can contract directly with my company, or bring me in through the interim provider or executive-search firm you already use. The person, the mandate and the accountability are the same either way — the route is a procurement choice, not a difference in commitment.
Related situations: Production turnaround · Factory relocation & transfer · Operating partnerAll services · About Soheil
Let’s talk
Need an operator in the seat now?
If you are facing a leadership gap or a situation that needs an accountable operator, let’s have a conversation. Fifteen minutes is usually enough to see whether I can help.
I reply within 24 hours.