Volta Executive, home
Volta Executive
Guides

Illustration photo

Volta Executive

Client case · circular economy

A sales director hired in 30 days

Vesto was entering a phase of industrialisation and commercial structuring. It needed a strategist and a field hunter in the same person : a rare profile, found through direct search.

The case in 30 seconds

  • 30days

    executive search timeline

  • 100%

    direct search, passive candidates

  • 360°

    Sales Leader profile hired

01 · The case in 30 seconds

The assignment brief

A start-up that is industrialising,a sales force to build

The assignment as it was entrusted to us, and its thirty days.

Assignment briefVesto × Volta Executive
Client
Vesto, a circular economy and decarbonisation start-up
Activity
Energy recovery from industrial waste
Moment
Phase of industrialisation and commercial structuring, sales force to be built from scratch
Role
Sales director, 360° Sales Leader profile
Method
Executive search, direct search, passive candidates only
Result
Julien Nyczak hired, August 2024

Thirty days, four steps

  1. 01MappingSales executives from industrial sectors, the energy transition and complex B2B
  2. 02QualificationReal execution: opening accounts, closing projects, structuring processes
  3. 03AssessmentManagement situations, steering of sales cycles, cross-functional coordination
  4. 04SignatureSales director hired, August 2024

From mapping to signature: 30 days, from July to August 2024.

02 · The challenge

The challenge

A strategistand a field hunter

The market generally offers one or the other, rarely both. Vesto needed both.

  1. Strategic vision

    Define the commercial strategy from scratch, structure the methods, lay the foundations of the future team.

  2. Operational field power

    Open accounts, steer long sales cycles in complex B2B, close deals, support clients.

  3. A rare profile

    Strategists structure but stay remote from the field; hunters close but are poorly equipped to build a sales machine.

Industrial waste sorting and recovery platform
Industrial waste recovery · illustrative photo

03 · The assignment

The role

Build the sales functionand take it into the field

A single role, at the heart of Vesto's industrialisation.

  1. Sales director

    Vesto · circular economy and energy transition

    Filled · August 2024

    The scope

    • Define the commercial strategy and structure the methods
    • Open accounts and close projects in complex B2B, on long sales cycles
    • Set up processes between sales and operations functions
    • Manage teams and take part in steering bodies (executive committee)

    The profile

    A sales executive from a technical environment: industrial sectors, energy transition or complex B2B. Strategic vision and ability to execute in the field, and the ability to operate in a start-up that is industrialising: ambiguity, speed, building.

    Executive search · Sales Leader · Energy transition · Circular economy · Executive committee

Our ruleA deliberately narrow shortlist: quality always outweighs volume in an executive search.

04 · The result

The result

Julien Nyczak,sales director of Vesto

A 360° Sales Leader: sales management and measurable customer satisfaction, growth through development and upselling, processes between sales and operations functions, team management and participation in the executive committee.

  • 30days

    from mapping to signature

  • 2,5years

    after the hire, we stay in touch

The executive we placed talks about it

Florian helped me find my current role! Very relevant, very caring, he showed enormous professionalism. Two and a half years after my hire, Florian still takes the time to catch up and ask how I am. I highly recommend him!

Julien NyczakSales director, Vesto · hired in August 2024 · Google review

A mapping of sales executives

Sales Leaders from technical environments, approached directly. No conventional active candidates.

Real execution, not the CV

Each candidate assessed on concrete achievements: opening accounts, closing projects, structuring processes.

The right context

Beyond skills, the ability to operate in a start-up that is industrialising: ambiguity, speed, building.

05 · The method

The Volta Executive method

Four stages,held for the Vesto role

A 1-hour scoping session and a scorecard, the mapping of the search ecosystem, a shortlist within 10 days, a hire within 3 weeks. The 3 weeks run from scoping to the chosen candidate with the offer accepted, when the five key success factors are in place. The candidate’s notice period, often three months for a manager in post, comes on top.

  1. Day 1

    A 1-hour scoping session and a scorecard

    One hour with the future manager, not just HR. We come out with the three results expected at twelve months, the real budget including variable pay, and a scorecard ranking each skill: essential, necessary, useful, bonus.

  2. Days 1 to 3

    Map the search ecosystem

    The companies, sites and roles where the profile really exists: competitors, suppliers, customers, neighbouring sectors doing the same job under another name. We know how many people fit the scorecard before writing the first message.

  3. Within 10 days

    A shortlist within 10 days

    Three to five candidates approached directly, met, assessed against the scorecard by an engineer, presented with their motivations and real salary expectations. Not a pile of CVs.

  4. Within 3 weeks

    A hire within 3 weeks by direct search

    Two interview rounds at most, with the direct manager. The package and the counter-offer are prepared before the final interview: the offer goes out within 24 hours and the chosen candidate says yes.

First confidential conversation

A sales leaderto hire?

In industry and energy, hiring leaders is not a support function: it is a strategic lever. Sales leaders, rare profiles, confidential direct search. Thirty minutes to scope the role, no commitment.

Our full track record

Reply within 48 hours · shortlist within 10 days · hire within 3 weeks

On the same ground