Case Study

Critical hire replacement for a 10-year MES leadership veteran

VP Product & Technical Leadership

Days to Fill

Under 42 days

Roles Filled

“

Replacing a long-tenured MES leader requires finding candidates with immediate domain expertise who can manage complex leadership transitions. MITREC delivered VP-calibre Life Sciences MES leaders for POMS within 42 days, ensuring continuity of product roadmap, customer confidence, and team stability.

Challenge

Solution

Results

The Challenge

POMS (now Intrakraft) faced one of the most difficult hiring challenges in the MES space: replacing a leader who had held their position for over a decade. This individual had accumulated deep institutional knowledge, customer relationships, and technical expertise that was woven into every aspect of the company's product and technical operations. The departure created a leadership vacuum that threatened product roadmap continuity, customer confidence, and team stability in a highly competitive Life Sciences MES market.

MITREC was retained to find a VP-level leader who could step into a role shaped by a decade of institutional knowledge and immediately add value. The candidate needed deep Life Sciences MES domain expertise, a track record of leading product and technical teams, and the gravitas to maintain confidence among enterprise customers during a leadership transition. This was not a role where a learning curve was acceptable; the new hire needed to be productive from week one.

The Solution

We conducted a focused search targeting senior product and technical leaders at Life Sciences MES vendors, pharmaceutical software companies, and related enterprise software businesses. Our research mapped the complete landscape of VP and Director-level leaders with direct experience in MES for pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device manufacturing. Each candidate was assessed not only on their technical and product management credentials but on their ability to manage a complex leadership transition, retain key team members, and maintain customer relationships during a period of change.

The Results

We delivered a shortlist of exceptional VP-calibre leaders, each capable of stepping into this demanding role. The quality of the shortlist gave POMS genuine choice and confidence in their decision-making. The successful hire brought deep Life Sciences MES expertise and immediately stabilised the product and technical organisation, maintaining customer confidence and team cohesion throughout the transition. The search was completed in under 42 days from mandate to shortlist presentation.

“

Replacing someone who had been with us for over ten years felt impossible. MITREC understood the weight of that challenge and delivered candidates who could genuinely step into the role without missing a beat. The person we hired has been exceptional, and the transition was far smoother than we had any right to expect.

Patrick Nazzaro

President, POMS

Frequently asked questions

Why is replacing a long-tenured MES leader so difficult?

A leader who has been in role for 10+ years accumulates knowledge that goes far beyond what any job description captures. They understand the product architecture, the customer base, the team dynamics, and the competitive landscape at an institutional level. Finding someone who can absorb this quickly while also bringing fresh leadership perspective is one of the hardest searches in our field.

How did MITREC assess candidates' ability to manage a leadership transition?

We specifically probed candidates' experience navigating organisational change, inheriting established teams, and building trust with customers during periods of uncertainty. We looked for leaders who had successfully stepped into existing organisations rather than only building from scratch, as the skills required are meaningfully different.

What is POMS's position in the Life Sciences MES market?

POMS, now operating as Intrakraft, is a specialist MES provider focused on pharmaceutical and life sciences manufacturing. Their platform supports GxP-regulated production environments where compliance, data integrity, and batch record management are critical. The niche focus of the business made domain expertise a non-negotiable requirement for this hire.

How many candidates were on the shortlist?

We presented a focused shortlist of candidates who each met every requirement in the brief. Our approach is to present fewer, higher-quality candidates rather than overwhelming clients with volume. Every candidate on the POMS shortlist was a genuine contender for the role, giving the leadership team confidence in their options.

Was there a risk of the hire failing due to the predecessor's long tenure?

This is a real risk in any long-tenured replacement. We mitigated it by specifically seeking candidates who had experience inheriting complex roles and managing transitions. The successful candidate demonstrated the self-awareness and interpersonal skills needed to earn the respect of a team accustomed to a very different leadership style.

How quickly did the new hire become productive?

The successful candidate was productive from the first weeks, which was a direct result of their deep Life Sciences MES domain knowledge. There was no need for a lengthy onboarding period to learn the industry, the regulatory landscape, or the competitive dynamics. They could focus immediately on understanding POMS's specific product and customer base.

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