The Chief of Staff: a key role in transforming an SME into a mid-sized industrial company
In an industrial SME undergoing a transformation into a mid-sized company, the Chief of Staff (COS) plays a strategic role. As the CEO's right-hand person, they act as a true conductor, coordinating priority projects, structuring management, and preparing the organization to face the challenges of growth. Between optimizing processes and supporting change, the COS is a discreet but decisive strategist in the success of this transition.
As ManOrga, an industrial SME specializing in the design and manufacture of shelving and storage solutions, begins its transition to mid-market status, its CEO Philippe Sadowski has made a decisive choice: to bring Quentin Audibet on board as Chief of Staff (COS) to smoothly lead this transformation. This position, still rare in the industry, has played a decisive role in the structuring and transformation of the company. Here we take a look at a multifaceted role that is set to become pivotal.
COS: playing a decisive role in the transformation of an industrial SME
The industrial sector is characterized by complex processes and long production cycles, requiring rigorous management of raw materials, machinery, and employees. In this context, companies such as ManOrga, based in the Hauts-de-France region, face many challenges: accelerating growth, launching strategic projects, structuring and supporting teams, transforming processes, while ensuring smooth production.
Philippe SADOWSKI explains: " As in a start-up, an SME manager must simultaneously manage the 'build' (strategic projects, such as the implementation of an ERP system) and the 'run' (day-to-day operations). The workload was becoming unsustainable, and I felt the urgent need to recruit a right-hand man to structure and coordinate our efforts. I decided to focus on an external candidate so that I could benefit from the support of a CoS within a fortnight. As this was a new role within the organization, flexibility was also an asset. "
ManOrga's transformation had to encompass the entire value chain, from design to distribution, including production. Each project took this overall aspect into account. " Organizational, commercial, and internal transformation requires strong involvement from management, which is not always possible. Hiring a COS allowed me to be supported in these key tasks," explains Philippe SADOWSKI.
Quentin AUDIBERT confirms: " Moving from an SME to a mid-sized company requires prior structuring to support all these transformations. To achieve this, it was essential to set up overall management of the company, covering both the "run" and the monitoring of projects. Once this foundation was in place, the CEO was able to free up time to focus on his priorities and remain present in the field, close to the teams. The COO is then able to more easily deputize for the CEO. "
Varied and strategic missions
The COS's missions in this industrial environment focused on three main areas:
Structuring management for executives: leading the Executive Committee and implementing a project portfolio review have given executives greater visibility and enabled more effective coordination of efforts. " Before I arrived, some monitoring rituals were informal and not very focused on figures. I introduced new team rituals and tools to offer the CEO greater transparency and better project monitoring , " emphasizes Quentin AUDIBERT.
Integrating COMEX and teams: understanding the constraints faced by teams was essential in supporting the change in tools and processes, while encouraging their buy-in.
On-the-ground support: when the new ManOrga Solar brand and its innovative energy transition products were launched, Quentin AUDIBERT was seconded from his role as COS for nearly six months to set up a task force. His goal? To structure and implement the operational and organizational foundations of this new unit. " My experience as COS with Philippe SADOWSKI was an asset for this project. I had integrated his vision and understood the value chain, while being fully integrated with the employees. This enabled a rapid response, which turned into a comprehensive and coordinated rollout , " he explains.
The essential skills of a COS for success in an industrial environment
In an industrial environment, the COS must combine technical and interpersonal skills. Philippe SADOWSKI explains: " Interpersonal skills are essential. If there is no personal compatibility with the manager, the assignment cannot work. " He explains that he favored an industrial profile over a business school background: " A COS in an SME must understand both the operational and financial challenges, because these two dimensions are inseparable when it comes to making the right decisions."
Quentin AUDIBERT adds: " My versatile profile, forged by experience in interim management and consulting, combined with an engineer's sensibility, has been an asset at ManOrga. However, listening and adaptability remain essential in order to respond effectively to the needs of managers and teams."
A transitional role... not without challenges
Nevertheless, Philippe Sadowski considers the COS to be an evolving position: " It has been a fundamental role in laying the foundations for transformation. But after six months, certain tasks have been internalized, allowing Quentin AUDIBERT to focus on other projects. " His role therefore evolved throughout his time with the company, which was supposed to last four months but ultimately lasted nearly 18 months: " That's also the advantage of a COS in a small, growing company: being able to quickly detach yourself from the manager to take the reins of a strategic project with their full confidence, over a given period of time. With this role of internal super consultant, I found a support formula that was much more suited to our needs than traditional consulting. Much more flexible, operational, and less expensive, " insists the CEO.
If the CEO has decided to focus more on the run in 2025 and to continue everything that has been put in place over the last 18 months by distributing the workload within the Executive Committee, the question arises as to whether to internalize the function within a year.
Despite its obvious importance, COS's role has not been without its challenges. " Not all of COS's proposals were accepted outright, which is why his interpersonal skills were so important in quickly winning people over and bringing them together," says Philippe SADOWSKI. " Being integrated as the CEO's right-hand man within a newly formed executive committee in an industrial SME was a real challenge. I had to find my place and demonstrate the relevance of the tools and changes needed to structure the industrial SME, "corroborates Quentin AUDIBERT.
Three tips for successful integration into an SME undergoing transformation
1. Build a relationship of trust with the manager: the relationship with the manager is essential to forming a win-win partnership and sharing a common vision for the company in order to better implement it. " The key is to quickly build this relationship by trying to understand how they work and their implicit needs in order to respond as quickly as possible. In this specific case, I immediately identified a need for visibility. So I took charge of the management rituals , " explains Quentin AUDIBERT.
2. Collaborate with the executive committee and teams: clear communication about the expectations and scope of the position is essential to facilitate buy-in from the executive committee and teams.
" Since the scope of a COS is sometimes unclear because it is constantly changing, it must be clarified from the outset to reinforce its legitimacy. This is especially true when this role is new to the company , " explains Quentin AUDIBERT .
3. Immerse yourself in the business, culture, and values of the company: spending time with all departments in the field to understand the entire value chain and their constraints is essential in an industrial SME.
The role of Chief of Staff, although still rare in the industrial sector, is gradually establishing itself as a strategic lever to support the transformation of an SME into a mid-sized company. Combining vision, structuring, and proximity to teams, it plays a transitional but decisive role in the success of this evolution.
