Even in tumultuous global trade environments, the demand for A-players remains strong. Below is a brief overview of the Operations leadership roles we filled in Q1 2025:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

[New London, N.H., March 10, 2025] – A new manufacturing survey from executive search firm Stiles Associates highlights the significant impact of the recently implemented tariffs on manufacturers operating in the United States., Canada, China and Mexico – and how they’re on adjusting.

The survey of over 100 senior manufacturing executives found that 84% manufacture in the United States. Additionally, nearly 30% of respondents indicated they manufacture outside of the U.S. equally spread between Mexico, China and Canada.  

In January, Stiles Associates released its annual full-year compensation study that shares data from a sampling of searches we filled on behalf of client organizations in 2024. Both hiring authorities and candidates alike routinely use this information to better understand current market trends when it comes to compensation packages for various roles in different sectors.

The holiday season, often seen as a time for relaxation and celebration, can also be an opportunity for significant life changes, including relocation for a new role. While many might hesitate to make a move during this festive period, there are compelling reasons why it can be the perfect time to take the plunge.

Need a CEO for your private equity portfolio company? The data suggests bringing in someone from the outside is the popular choice.

In 2023, Stiles Associates successfully positioned A-level leaders in pivotal roles across the nation. To enhance market awareness regarding the latest compensation trends, we incorporated information to the 2023 Stiles Associates Offer Report on whether the roles encompassed equity / LTIP, along with the hiring organization's approximate annual revenue.

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by David Portney, Marketing Manager
Stiles Associates

There are fewer more important responsibilities for a company than having the right senior leadership. Ideally, this would be accomplished by developing employees and promoting from within, but that’s not always feasible. In situations where top executive talent must be brought in from the outside, organizations can tap into their own talent acquisition abilities or partner with an executive recruiter to achieve the same goals. Making the right decision here could be the difference between a company bailing out a ship or reaching their destination ahead of schedule.

Here are the five considerations needed to make that decision:

When a company is looking to hire an executive recruiting partner, it's essential to ask the right questions to ensure they find a transformation leader who not only has the experience and credentials on paper, but matches the company’s culture and fit.

Here are some important questions a company can ask an executive recruiter before partnering on a search:

Stiles Associates placed a number of A-level leaders in mission-critical roles located across the country in the first quarter of 2023. In order to better inform the marketplace on the latest compensation data, we added first-year bonus numbers and whether or not the placed candidate received a sign-on bonus. 

by David Portney, Marketing Manager
Stiles Associates

Finding and bringing in the industry’s top leadership talent is one of the most important responsibilities companies have, yet they often struggle to define the best methods to secure those individuals. Many turn to their own internal human resources departments to spearhead the searches, but they can easily overwhelm a staff and prevent them from performing their many other responsibilities. If companies even have specialized talent acquisition employees, they often don’t have the network that’s required to truly access the A-players.