Client Overview

In May 2021, Schneider Electric embarked on a transformative journey to restructure its global supply chain operations across Europe. This required building high-performing teams across multiple countries, from regional supply planning and demand forecasting to fulfilment and e-commerce.

At the heart of this strategy was the creation of a Supply Chain Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Budapest, Hungary, but equally critical was the wider recruitment of specialist professionals across Germany, France, the UK, Spain, Belgium and beyond.

Schneider Electric’s ambition was clear: establish highly skilled, local teams capable of delivering operational excellence at scale while supporting the broader European region. Achieving this required attracting a rare combination of technical expertise and leadership capability, a challenge given the competitive talent market across Europe.

The Challenge

Schneider Electric faced several interlinked challenges:

• Accessing Niche Talent: The company needed highly specialised professionals in functions including upstream and downstream flow supervision, regional supply and demand planning, lean operations, manufacturing supervision, sustainability sales and more. The talent required was scarce and often already embedded within established companies.

• Local Market Complexity: Each European market presented unique dynamics. Recruiting in Hungary required deep local insight, while placements in Germany, France, the UK and Spain demanded broader regional reach and adaptability.

• Speed and Quality: Schneider Electric had aggressive timelines to staff key roles across Europe in line with operational goals. They needed a partner who could deliver high-calibre candidates efficiently while ensuring strong cultural and strategic alignment with the organisation.

• Long-Term Partnership: Beyond immediate hires, Schneider Electric sought a recruitment partner who could provide consistent support across EMEA, helping the company scale effectively as its European operations grew.

Our Approach

Impel Talent approached the challenge as a strategic, long-term partnership rather than a transactional recruitment assignment. Our strategy was built on three key pillars:

1. Market Intelligence & Targeted Search
   We conducted a deep dive into the European supply chain talent landscape, mapping the availability of high-quality professionals and identifying both active and passive candidates across multiple geographies.

2. Tailored Candidate Engagement
   Recognising the competitive and risk-sensitive market, we designed tailored outreach strategies to communicate the unique opportunities at Schneider Electric, highlighting the company’s broader vision, career progression opportunities, and commitment to operational excellence.

3. End-to-End Recruitment Partnership
   From initial engagement to offer management, Impel Talent supported Schneider Electric at every stage. This included:

   • Conducting in-depth candidate interviews and assessments

   • Presenting curated shortlists for leadership and technical roles

   • Managing offer negotiations to ensure acceptance and alignment

   • Maintaining open communication to adapt to evolving business needs

Key Placements

Through this approach, we successfully filled critical roles across Europe, including:

• Tooling and Auto Assembly Professionals — Germany

• Inventory & Flow Control Specialists — Hungary

• Upstream and Downstream Flow Supervisors — Hungary

• Central Upstream Flow Supervisors — Hungary

• Senior Demand Planners and Regional Supply Planners — Across Europe

• Lean Leaders and Manufacturing Supervisors — France & Germany

• Sustainability Sales Leaders — UK, Belgium, Spain & Germany

• Lead Power Electronics System Architects and Solutions Architects — France

• Quality Engineer Leads, Methods and Maintenance Engineers — France & Germany

• Project Managers — Across Europe

These hires provided Schneider Electric with a robust, highly capable team ready to support European supply chain operations.

The Impact

The partnership with Impel Talent had a measurable and lasting impact:

• Rapid Operational Scale-Up: Schneider Electric quickly staffed key supply chain functions across Europe, meeting ambitious operational timelines.

• Strategic Talent Advantage: Schneider Electric now has specialised technical expertise and leadership capabilities embedded across multiple regions, strengthening supply chain operations end-to-end.

• Long-Term Recruitment Success: This initial collaboration evolved into a strategic partnership, with Impel Talent completing over 50+ technical searches across EMEA, including Germany, Netherlands, UK, France, Hungary, Estonia, and Spain.

Client Testimonial

“It is a pleasure to work with Impel thanks to their ability to recruit very quickly strong profiles in Supply Chain. Their reactivity and understanding of EU markets have made the difference. They have taken the time to really understand our needs and challenges. They are real partners in whom we can trust, which contributes to reducing the level of stress within our teams. The team are open to feedback and very flexible to adapt themselves when necessary.

For me, they are strong partners rather than providers. Based on my experience with them, I would warmly recommend them.”
— Isabelle Villedieu, Talent Management Director, GSC Europe, Schneider Electric

Our Expertise in Action

Impel Talent’s success with Schneider Electric demonstrates our ability to combine international search experience, local market knowledge, and partnership-driven delivery to provide scalable talent solutions. By embedding ourselves within our clients’ teams, we don’t just fill roles, we create long-term talent strategies that support growth, operational excellence, and competitive advantage across Europe.