Process Industries Executive Search

Our Approach to Process Industries Executive Search

As a leading executive search firm, Keller knows that procuring a new executive can be stressful, costly, and time-consuming. We aim to reduce the strain this puts on in-house teams, allowing them to focus on core business activities. Our firm also understands that no two businesses are alike, so we adjust our search strategy for every engagement. This enables us to make stronger placements that are perfectly suited to our partners’ needs.

Whenever we begin a search, we schedule a meeting with our partner and the key leaders and stakeholders at their firm to learn about their expectations for the search. This allows us to make informed decisions regarding candidates, ensuring we find ones that are a good fit for our client’s culture and leadership requirements without delay. Aiding us in our search is our advanced candidate tracking technology and vast network of industry experts whom we rely on for recommendations and referrals.

Diversity and inclusion underscore our candidate selection process at Keller. Our team is well-versed in inclusive hiring techniques and is dedicated to pinpointing highly-qualified leaders without discriminating against their age, gender, or ethnic background.

When we have gathered the resumes of suitable prospects, we connect with each one to gauge whether they are interested in the role and, if so, when they are available for an interview. We then validate their employment history, professional references, and criminal record. This results in a list of finalists who have been thoroughly pre-screened that we submit to our partner’s hiring team for final consideration.

Behind Our Recruitment Process

When Keller was still a young company, we relied on a one-size-fits-all hiring method. While this approach worked for staffing ordinary roles, its limitations were too great for conducting high-level executive searches.

One particular placement drove the point home, making it clear we would need to reevaluate our search approach if we hoped to improve our placement success rates. A major client hired us to find a senior leader for their team, and we opted to follow the same route we had for every other assignment.

Although we delivered a qualified hire, the new executive struggled to gel with the client’s existing leadership team. Conflict ensued, collaboration suffered, and the placement ultimately failed. This setback prompted us to rethink our process.

The result was an entirely new approach that could be built around each client’s specific needs. This customer-focused method helped power our growth and is still the one we use today. Thanks to it, our placement numbers have skyrocketed, and Keller is now widely recognized for stellar executive search solutions. Companies trust our streamlined procedure to secure talented professionals for even the most complex leadership roles.

Yet, despite our achievements, we understand that progress should never stop. Continuous learning remains a core tenet of our firm, and we welcome every form of client feedback.

Take a look at Keller’s Insights and Thought Leadership content for practical tips on enhancing the employee experience, improving retention rates, and streamlining HR systems and processes.

Areas We Specialize In

Keller helps connect employers in the process industries with skilled individuals who can boost their companies’ performance both now and in the foreseeable future. Our seasoned consultants are capable of sourcing top executive leaders across a range of industries within the industrial sector, such as:

• Adhesives and Sealants
• Agrochemicals
• Basic Chemicals
• Batteries and Electro-Chemicals
• Biotechnology Processing
• Breweries and Distilleries
• Cement and Lime
• Dairy Processing
• Fertilizers
• Food and Beverage Processing
• Glass Manufacturing
• Non-Ferrous Metals
• Oil and Gas Refining
• Paints and Coatings
• Petrochemicals
• Pharmaceuticals
• Plastics and Resins
• Power Generation
• Pulp and Paper
• Rubber and Elastomers
• Specialty Chemicals
• Steel and Ironmaking
• Sugar and Ethanol
• Textiles
• Water and Wastewater Treatment

Positions We Fill

Keller can meet the distinct needs of companies in the chemical and process industries due to our profound industry insights, giving our partners confidence that their most critical roles will be filled by experts. Our searches regularly secure Chief Operating Officers, Vice Presidents of Manufacturing, and Plant Managers. We also place Heads of R&D, Directors of HSE, and Supply Chain Executives.

In addition to core operations, Keller sources strategic leaders who can propel their organizations to new heights. These include, but are not limited to, Chief Sustainability Officers, Quality Assurance Directors, and Chiefs of Finance.

In essence, our talent acquisition abilities extend to every senior function required for profitable and compliant production. Our history of precise, high-impact placements makes Keller the number-one choice for companies seeking to strengthen their talent bench and remain competitive.

Why Choose Keller as your Process Industries Executive Search Partner?

The chemical and process industry presents several recruitment challenges, especially when it comes to staffing roles at the higher end of the employment spectrum. These include a shortage of qualified candidates and a highly competitive talent landscape. Furthermore, a successful executive must be able to balance technological innovation with sustainability while prioritizing product quality, regulatory compliance, and customer needs.

Fortunately, Keller can secure top-tier professionals who fit the bill. We accomplish this by putting our partner’s goals first for the entire duration of the search and sticking to the parameters that were decided on at the outset.

Our recruiters also bring a wealth of knowledge and hands-on experience that our clients can rely on for making better hiring decisions. Our extensive network opens doors to high-performing individuals that our clients may not have been able to access by themselves. Finally, our tailored search approach helps us build lasting relationships forged in mutual understanding and success.

Our Promise – The Right Hire

Working with Keller allows you to grow your company’s leadership team discreetly. We support you throughout our engagement and uphold strict non-disclosure agreements that guarantee the confidentiality of your search. We also comply with the data-protection laws and regulations in your region, ensuring both your company’s safety and security and that of the candidates we present.

Most importantly, we are concerned with finding candidates who perfectly align with our clients’ values and goals. We always put quality before speed during our searches, and rigorously assess every individual who crosses our path to ensure a perfect match.

Reinforcing this commitment is our placement guarantee that pledges to replace any candidate who fails to meet expectations or resigns within the first 90 days of joining your company. Should this occur, we will perform a new search at no additional cost to you.

Ally with Keller as your executive search partner and get the talent your organization needs to outpace the competition.