A supplier of equipment company Kriotrade Engineering is looking for a CEO.
Kriotrade Engineering was founded in 2015 and is involved in the supply of equipment and consumables in the fields of applied cryogenics and superconductivity, as well as measuring and analytical equipment for various modifications of scientific research.
What the company does in practice:
- Develops and produces cryostats, superconducting magnets, gas liquefaction systems, and other cryogenic equipment for scientific research
- Creates measuring stands and unique solutions for specific tasks of Russian research institutes, universities, and laboratories
- Works as a distributor for leading manufacturers of scientific and cryogenic equipment
- Supplies cryogenic storage equipment and cryogenic fluids (liquid nitrogen, liquid helium)
Clients include leading research organizations in Russia.
Office and production are located in Moscow.
The company has a strong engineering and scientific team. The current task is to transform this into an equally strong, structured, and clearly managed company.
Why an Executive Director is needed:
- At the owner level, there is an understanding of where the business should move
- Sales growth, small-batch production, new markets, automation
We need someone who will:
- Take over the operational management of the entire Company
- Together with the Founders' Council, form and implement a development strategy
- Transform the "company of experts" into a "company with a clear management and growth system" without sacrificing our scientific depth
You will report to the Founders' Council.
Key goals for the next 2-3 years:
Formulate and implement a strategy in which:
- Revenue and sales volume grow, rather than "fluctuate around the average"
- The market expands: new regions, new types of customers, new niches
- Production volumes grow in a manageable and structured way
- The company transitions from individual projects to small-batch production where it is justified
- The company operates not in "manual control" mode, but based on transparent processes, systems, and KPIs
What you will be doing:
Strategy:
- Together with the Founders' Council, form a development strategy: by product, markets, and operations
- Break it down into clear goals, plans, and figures by department
- Regularly review what is working/not working and adjust the course
Operational Management:
- Lead all key departments: R&D, design department, production, sales, service, procurement and logistics, finance, and administration
- Ensure the achievement of plans for revenue, margin, project deadlines, and quality
Production and Batching:
- Organize the transition from single items to serial/small-batch production: unification of components and solutions, creation of a standard product line, capacity planning
- Reduce and optimize the production cycle
Automation and Processes:
- Develop ERP, management accounting, and CRM systems
- Describe and build key processes: sales, project management, production, procurement, warehousing, service
- Set up KPIs for departments and clear management reporting for the Founders' Council
Finance and Efficiency:
- Work with budgeting and management accounting in conjunction with the finance department
- Keep track of costs, margins of projects, and business lines
- Make decisions based on data, not just expert intuition
Team:
- Strengthen and develop the management team: heads of departments, production unit, commercial unit
- Establish a motivation system tied to results (sales, deadlines, quality, margin)
- Personally participate in the recruitment and retention of key personnel
Who is a good fit:
Experience:
- You have worked as an Executive Director / General Director / Production Director in a manufacturing or manufacturing/trading company for at least 3–5 years
- Managed a company or department of 50+ people, handling multiple functions simultaneously
- Have practical knowledge of 223 and 44-FZ (Federal Laws on Public Procurement)
Familiarity with industries such as:
- Instrument engineering, scientific equipment, medical technology, mechanical engineering, microelectronics, other science-intensive production
- Project-based or small-batch custom manufacturing
- Experience interacting with Skolkovo and the Ministry of Industry and Trade (including in the area of obtaining grants) will be a significant advantage
Competencies:
- Built and optimized business processes, not just "managed people"
- Implemented ERP/CRM and management accounting systems (and brought them to actual use)
- Able to work with P&L, budgets, costs, and margins
Background:
- Higher education, preferably technical / engineering / physics and technology
- Business education (MBA, Executive programs, etc.) will be a plus
Personal qualities:
- You are equally comfortable: on the production floor and in the design bureau, in conversations with scientists/engineers, in meetings with owners, and discussing finances
- You are genuinely interested in building a system, not just "holding the reins"
- You are prepared that some things will have to be done "manually" at the start, while simultaneously building the system
The company offers:
- The opportunity to genuinely influence the strategy and operations of a high-tech business that works with real science, not with "fancy presentations"
- Direct access to owners, short decision-making chain
- A strong engineering and scientific team that values not only business results but also the substance of what we do
Compensation:
- Salary 300,000 – 400,000 ₽ after tax deduction
- Annual bonus up to 2–3 salaries upon achievement of goals
- Official employment according to the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, flexible options possible by agreement
- Office and production in Moscow, business trips within Russia as needed
