Interim Management · Logistics · Project case

Lead recruiting.
Staff the next shift.

When additional shifts are planned, hiring becomes an operational priority. I took interim responsibility for the recruiting function in a large e-commerce logistics operation, combining urgent hiring with processes designed to last beyond the mandate.

Environment: E-commerce logistics
My role: Interim recruiting management
Mandate duration: 15 months

120+

hires per month – previously 60

600+

prequalified candidates in the talent pool

< 7

days time-to-hire – previously 30+

01 · The starting point

Growing demand.
Not a growing backlog.

Short-notice requirements and additional shifts met an existing recruiting backlog. Applications did not always match the required language, working pattern, mobility or shift availability. Fragmented information and paper-based referrals made collaboration harder. More applications alone would not have resolved these constraints.

My contribution

My mandate covered prioritising hiring needs, leading the recruiting team and improving selection and HR handoffs. Alongside day-to-day hiring, I worked towards a shared process that the team could continue to operate reliably.

02 · The work

Three changes.
One clear direction.

Build a pool that can be put to work.

I structured a talent pool of more than 600 prequalified candidates. Shift availability, working patterns, language and mobility were clarified early. New requirements could be matched to suitable profiles rather than restarting every search.

Make selection a shared process.

Recruitment days, clear assessment steps and shared information in the applicant tracking system connected recruiting with hiring teams. SmartRecruiters supported applicant management and Workday the handoff to HR. A digital referral process replaced paper-based recommendations.

Hand over responsibility, not just results.

I developed standards and handoffs with the team and supported the incoming manager’s onboarding. Knowledge needed to be shared rather than held by individuals. Continuity after my assignment was part of the mandate from the outset.

03 · The result

Ready to respond.
Even at high volume.

Monthly hiring increased from 60 to 120+ hires. Time-to-hire fell from more than 30 to fewer than seven days. More than 200 hires for an additional shift were achieved within six weeks. Beyond the volume, recruiting regained a structured way to receive and respond to new requirements.

1,184 hires in total including extrapolation: 1,040 recorded in the ATS plus 144 estimated. The 15 months refer to mandate duration, not the recording period for this total.

A closer look

What matters in practice.

When is a talent pool more than a list of applicants?

When essential requirements are prequalified and profiles can be matched to actual hiring needs. In this project, those included shift availability, language, working patterns and mobility.

What remains after an interim mandate?

Here, shared selection standards, clearer information and handoffs, and a supported transition to the incoming manager. Operational continuity should not depend on the interim role remaining in place.