Creating the Right Leadership Opportunity Before the Role Existed

Since joining Blakely Brown in 2025, Joe Fitzgerald has quickly established himself within the Heavy Industrial market, building strong relationships with both clients and candidates.

Following his promotion earlier this summer, Joe has continued to deliver results, with one of his latest placements highlighting the value of understanding both sides of the market and identifying opportunities before they formally exist.

The Challenge

Joe was working with a senior leader at a multinational EPC who was ready for his next career move.

Although the candidate had significant industry experience, he had limited authority and autonomy in his current position. He was looking to step into a VP-level leadership role where he could have greater influence and make a lasting impact on an organization.

At the same time, Joe had developed a strong relationship with a client in South Carolina. The company was preparing for a significant increase in workload, with several incoming projects that were larger than anything they had delivered previously.

The challenge was that the client wasn't actively looking to hire.

Identifying the Opportunity

Rather than focusing solely on open positions, Joe looked at the client's wider business plans and considered where additional leadership could add value.

Given the scale of the upcoming projects, Joe recognized that the candidate's experience could be particularly valuable to the organization. His background, leadership experience and understanding of large-scale EPC projects aligned closely with what the client would need as its workload increased.

Joe introduced the candidate to the client, creating an opportunity that hadn't previously existed.

What started as a conversation around future requirements quickly developed into a strong fit for both sides.

The Result

The client secured an experienced leader ahead of a significant increase in workload, giving the organization additional leadership capability as it prepared to take on larger projects.

For the candidate, the move provided the opportunity to step into a VP-level position with greater authority and autonomy, alongside a 17% increase in compensation.

The placement demonstrates the value of taking a proactive approach to executive search. By understanding where a client's business is heading, rather than simply responding to an existing vacancy, Joe was able to connect the right candidate with an opportunity that had not yet been formally defined.

Joe's approach is a strong example of how understanding both clients and candidates can create opportunities that wouldn't necessarily exist through a traditional hiring process.

For companies preparing for growth in the Heavy Industrial market, or senior professionals considering their next leadership move, get in touch with Joe at Joe@blakelybrowngroup.com.