Ralph Strobel-Executive Consultant / Project Management - Corporate Development

Process architect and transformation driver for company-wide excellence initiatives (interim cover) Setup and management of a company-wide process and governance framework to strengthen structure, leadership, and impact in an internationally growing family-owned company. Responsibility for the global process house, end-to-end governance, the process role architecture, and the further development of the integrated management system - including international implementation (Romania, USA).

Scope:

• Leading the Business Excellence department with 6 employees and functional leadership of 20+ Process Owners
• Building a global process operating system (architecture, roles, governance, global-local logic)
• Developing a group-wide steering and KPI system for processes (transparency, KPIs, maturity level)
• Introducing mechanisms to increase effectiveness in day-to-day operations (role enablement, communities, feedback)
• Governance and role framework for new production sites in Romania and the USA (mandates, roles, decision logic)
• Stabilizing and further developing the integrated management system (IMS)

Sustainable results:

• Global process operating system established - structure, roles, governance, and global-local rules defined as a binding framework and anchored in the management system — foundation for consistent control and scalability.
• End-to-end process responsibility strengthened - Process Owner roles globally defined, qualified, and anchored in communities of practice — clear ownership structures across all sites for the first time.
• KPI and steering logic for processes built - unified KPI system, maturity model, and reporting principles developed — basis for fact-based decisions, prioritization, and transparency across the entire company.
• Effectiveness in day-to-day operations increased - enablement architecture, onboarding mechanisms, jour fixe formats, and feedback loops introduced — the process system is applied in everyday work and continuously improved.
• Governance framework for new site implemented - mandates, roles, decision paths, and escalation logic developed for the new production site in Romania — clear structure for setup, control, and integration.

• Functional and budgetary leadership of Global Project Management, Engineering Data Management, and Product Documentation with 6 direct reports and 36 employees, budget responsibility of €2.6 million
• Leadership and coaching of managers and staff in leadership, ownership, and lean
• Organizational development from a functional to an international process-oriented structure
• Process Owner in Product Lifecycle Management: introduction of Clarity, development of hybrid project portfolio management, innovation and funding management
• Setup of a central product information management system and data governance workflows with 70 companies
• Technical documentation including installation instructions, drawings, and master data management
• Pilot project Digital Product Passport: conception and company-wide implementation
• Member of the core team for the board project Target Operating Model 2030 stream processes

Sustainable results:

• Introduction and training of the E2E innovation and product development process
• Setup of a global master data team with governance structure
• Successful introduction of Clarity
• Department win in the company-wide lean team competition
• Implementation of the Digital Product Passport
• Definition of strategy house and roadmap up to 2030
• Realization of 90 TEU efficiency improvement

• Development of a new collaboration model to increase value creation and optimize PEP & organizational model
• Qualification of the core project team as change agents and trainers for the rollout (~750 participants)
• Site-wide culture change workshops to improve collaboration and culture
• Development of a new leadership guideline and establishment of department-specific leadership and project routines including standards
• Delivery of leadership trainings LVL 1-3 with focus on leading through change (150 participants, avg. rating 1.3)
• Design and implementation of communication formats (events, media, online)
• Coaching of leaders in goal setting, planning, meetings, team building, and moderation training

Sustainable results:

• Introduction and establishment of the reorganization as an agile, customer-oriented organization with a focus on efficiency
• Structural anchoring of the leadership program

• Setting up and further developing a strategic PMO to coordinate 16 projects in Sales & Marketing, HR, Supply Chain, ContactCenter 2.0, among others
• Identifying optimization potential and creating decision templates
• Training and coaching project managers in methodology and PM tools
• Establishing structured change management with a training program for sales and the second management level
• Translating strategic goals into action at employee level through workshops, staff development, and controlling
• Project management for a market entry concept as a blueprint for Sales 2.0: go-to-market strategy, marketing strategy, territory planning, sales and service offensive, qualification of managers and field sales

Sustainable results:

• Stabilization and handover of the strategic PMO to line managers
• Development of a holistic market entry strategy based on the 7Ps as a blueprint for omnichannel sales

• Agile workshop-based approach with best-practice concepts, task structure analysis, and process documentation
• Aligning the organization with optimized processes (CRM system ADITO) incl. international interfaces
• Defining future processes, transparency of the customer journey, and integration of application-based sales
• Improving communication and information flows, concept for data maintenance in the CRM
• Defining roles, task profiles, decision structures, regular communication, and meeting organization
• Developing org charts, role descriptions, checklists, guides, and training
• Managing 33 sub-projects such as complaints, CRM data maintenance, campaign management, and sales training

Sustainable results:

• Clearly improved internal collaboration and interface management
• Greater security and reliability through transparent processes and supporting tools
• Cross-area transparent structures with international adaptation
• Development and monitoring of a stabilization concept incl. training and KPIs

• PMO for three international product launches in 37 markets (volume: €210m)
• Re-branding and re-positioning of a care range and two incontinence products
• Management of regulatory requirements (FDA readiness) and implementation of the new development process incl. training on PRO
• Assortment planning, product positioning, and value creation process for strategic pricing
• Development of launch manual on SharePoint and e-learning concept
• International sales training concept ‘System Selling’ and project coordination with markets
• Business development: new cooperation model between HQ and markets
• Concept for a new role model for international marketing HQ
• Coaching and training of project managers in product and project management

Sustainable results:

• Successful handover of the products for rollout on time and within budget
• Integration of business development into the department strategy

• Concept, organization, and execution of an international sales training for two B2B product ranges in 27 markets (approx. 750 participants, 10 languages, volume €300m)
• Creation of training content: strategy, positioning, sales stories, conversation guides, pricing, and value selling
• Concept for an e-learning tool with gamification for measurement and incentives as well as community building
• Implementation of an international marketing & sales cockpit for follow-up success tracking with KPIs
• Management of external and internal service providers

Sustainable results:

• Significant margin and gross profit increases in 80% of the trained sales organizations
• Increased competitive advantages in price-driven markets
• Adoption of the concept as a benchmark for further business areas

• Creation of the brand positioning through analysis and workshops and internal communication
• Trainings and coaching for managers and employees
• Execution of workshops and integration into sales and marketing measures
• Implementation controlling

• Leading a 4-person marketing team
• Optimizing the marketing planning process
• Project management and implementation of marketing projects (direct communication, print, catalog)

• Building up European marketing in the newly established Sales & Marketing Europe division
• Creating and implementing the European sales & marketing strategy including a product development roadmap
• Brand positioning and rollout of brand communication across business units and markets
• Planning and delivery of central marketing activities: trade fairs, conferences, online, press
• Sales support with KAM and CRM materials
• Market analyses, controlling and reporting for 16 European markets
• Introduction of European sales & marketing processes and the market management model
• Team leadership (4 employees) and deputy department head (12 employees), budget responsibility of EUR 500k

• Marketing of the audio and auxiliary heating product lines, including product management, pricing, and sales promotion (+10% revenue)
• Implementation of the marketing strategy for the launch of the first commercial vehicle telematics system
• Trade fair organization (IAA Frankfurt, Hanover) and sales support with sales promotion materials

• Press spokesperson and organization of press conferences, press events, and press trips
• Organization and execution of trade fairs
• Preparation of board and advisory board meetings