SEARCH: Production Director – Aachen, Germany

Search overview

The company

Lindt & Sprüngli is one of the world’s most iconic premium chocolate manufacturers, with a long-standing heritage built on quality, craftsmanship, and operational excellence.

Lindt & Sprüngli Germany operates one of the Group’s largest and most complex manufacturing footprints in Aachen.

The site spans over 104,000 m², employs 2,900 FTE, and produces more than 65,000 tons of premium chocolate annually, including some of the most technically complex products.

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The search

The brief was clear and uncompromising: full ownership of production at scale, with accountability for safety, quality, cost, delivery,people, and long-term site competitiveness. This role sits at the intersection of industrial scale and premium complexity.

With over 1,800 FTE under direct influence, the Head of Production is expected to lead through TPM, embed the Lindt Performance Way,and act as a trusted sparring partner to Works Council, HR, the Management Board, and Group Operations.

From our initial consultation, it was evident that success required more than technical production expertise. The site needed a leader capable of balancing operational rigor with cultural credibility, and decisive change with employee-oriented leadership.

Melium Consulting invested heavily upfront to define theAS-IS and TO-BE states, focusing on the following critical dimensions:

• Historic leadership style, decision-making, and delivery at scale
• Current production culture, safety mindset, and operational discipline
• Workforce dynamics, Works Council interface, and micropolitical complexity
• Growth, efficiency, digitalization, and performance ambitions
• Alignment with Lindt’s values-driven, people-first operating model

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^{‍S-SCAP Tools Deployed}

• Operational Maturity Assessment (TPM, AM, PCS depth)
• Cultural & Values Alignment Assessment
• Leadership Dynamics & Micropolitical Effectiveness
• Definition of critical success factors and future-state outcomes
• Bespoke competency matrix (technical, leadership, cultural)
• Tailored executive evaluation framework derived from S-CAP inputs
• Compelling value proposition to engage high-calibre, passive production leaders
• Fully governed project plan covering stakeholders, cadence, and decision gates

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^{Mutually agreed Search approach}

• Critical success factors and desired future state outcomes
• Competency matrix definition (Technical and Behavioural)
• Designed bespoke evaluation assessment from S-CAP inputs
• Value proposition creation to attract passive candidates.
• Project plan the process, stakeholder accountability, and route to success

Execution

^{Research & Outreach}

• Mapped     FMCG and food manufacturers operating at comparable scale, complexity, and     regulatory intensity
• Focused     on leaders with exposure to multi-line, high-mix, seasonal production     environments
• Strong     bias toward organisations with mature TPM, MES, SAP S/4HANA, and     continuous improvement systems
• Assessed     how peer organisations structure production leadership across processing,     molding, enrobing, and packaging
• Deep     sensitivity to German industrial relations, Works Council dynamics, and     cultural expectations
• Identified     and aligned on a clearly defined NORTH STAR production leadership profile

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The longlist was refined using a combination of data-led market intelligence, direct headhunting, and confidential peer referencing.

A defined candidate universe was taken through a 4-tier confidential outreach, headhunt, and evaluation campaign.

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Evaluation Criteria

• Phase     1 – Value proposition delivery and leadership stress test
• Phase     2 – Confidential exchange under NDA and operational depth validation
• Phase     3 – Structured competency-based interviews aligned to production KPIs     and transformation mandate
• Phase     4 – Behavioural and leadership assessment, including cultural fit,     leadership style, EQ/IQ, and change readiness

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A shortlist of six candidates was delivered within the agreed timeframe, supported by a detailed search report and individual SWOT analyses mapped against the technical and behavioural competency matrix.

Result

The successful outcome came from outside the expected competitive set.

By challenging traditional industry boundaries, Melium Consulting created a clear “lightbulb moment” for the client, demonstrating how transferable excellence in complex FMCG production systems could accelerate performance at Lindt Aachen.

We successfully identified and attracted a Head of Production fully aligned to the agreed leadership profile, with proven experience in:

• Leading 1,000+ FTE production organisations
• Delivering measurable improvements across safety, OEE, cost, and service levels
• Embedding TPM and continuous improvement systems at scale
• Navigating Works Council relationships with credibility and trust
• Driving digital enablement through MES and SAP S/4HANA

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Melium Consulting provided end-to-end advisory support,including:

• Guidance to narrow focus to the final three candidates
• Client-side support to design and run the internal interview and assessment process
• Commercial negotiation support to secure a right first-time offer

The appointed leader now holds full production accountability for one of Lindt’s most critical European sites, acting as a key contributor to site strategy, group manufacturing alignment, and long-term operational competitiveness.