The Challenge
An Ontario-based automotive parts manufacturer that had built their business on integrated North American supply chains faced a strategic crisis as uncertainty around US-Canada trade policy threatened to disrupt their operating model. The company urgently needed a Supply Chain Director who could restructure supplier networks to build resilience against potential tariff scenarios while maintaining the cost efficiency essential for automotive industry competitiveness. The position required expertise in multiple domains: automotive supply chain management including just-in-time manufacturing and tier supplier relationships; trade compliance and customs procedures including rules of origin calculations critical for automotive tariff treatment; risk management and scenario planning capability; and supplier development including the ability to qualify new vendors quickly if supply chain restructuring became necessary. The challenge was compounded by the rapidly evolving trade policy environment, meaning the company needed someone who could not only execute current restructuring plans but also continuously adapt strategy as political developments unfolded. The ideal candidate also needed the diplomatic skills to manage relationships with existing suppliers, some of whom might be displaced by restructuring decisions, without damaging the company’s reputation in the tightly-knit automotive supplier community.
The Solution
Lock Search Group implemented a cross-border search strategy leveraging our Toronto headquarters’ deep automotive industry expertise and our Chicago office’s access to US automotive supply chain talent. We recognized that candidates with direct experience navigating trade policy disruption would be rare, so we developed a broader profile emphasizing supply chain agility and scenario planning capability alongside automotive experience. Our search targeted four candidate pools: supply chain leaders from automotive OEMs and tier-one suppliers who had managed through previous trade disruptions including the 2018 steel tariffs; logistics and supply chain professionals from industries with significant cross-border operations who possessed customs and trade compliance expertise; management consultants specializing in supply chain risk who were seeking operating roles; and supply chain leaders from non-automotive industries who had demonstrated adaptability in volatile environments. Our assessment approach included scenario-based interviews exploring how candidates would approach specific tariff situations, customs compliance evaluations, and stakeholder management discussions exploring how they would maintain supplier relationships during potential restructuring. Given the cross-border nature of the role, candidates from both sides of the border were evaluated with attention to their understanding of both Canadian and US regulatory environments.
The Outcome
The cross-border search engaged 41 candidates across the North American automotive supply chain ecosystem. Through our comprehensive assessment including trade compliance evaluations and scenario planning exercises, we presented five finalists representing diverse backgrounds and approaches. The selected candidate was a former Senior Manager of Supply Chain Strategy from a tier-one automotive supplier headquartered in Michigan who had led their supply chain response to the 2018 steel and aluminum tariffs, including executing a partial reshoring program under tight timelines. His direct experience navigating previous trade disruptions, combined with established relationships with customs brokers and trade compliance attorneys on both sides of the border, made him uniquely prepared for the challenges ahead. His US citizenship was actually advantageous as he maintained relationships with US suppliers that would be critical regardless of policy outcomes. Within his first six months, he completed a comprehensive supply chain risk assessment identifying the company’s exposure across various tariff scenarios, qualified three alternative Canadian suppliers for components currently sourced from the US, and implemented enhanced country-of-origin tracking systems to optimize tariff treatment under any policy outcome. The placement demonstrated Lock Search Group’s ability to source leadership talent capable of navigating complex cross-border business challenges.