A position open for over a year
The client is a major international player in the retail sector, with operations in Quebec and a challenge that many logistics directors will recognize: finding a genuine senior import-export team leader is nothing like filling a standard position.
The role had been open for more than a year. A first recruitment process had been run - and had failed. The person hired didn't last, due to insufficient alignment between the selected profile and the actual demands of the role.
It was in this context of accumulated frustration that the mandate was handed over to Leila.
A three-dimensional profile - and that's where it gets complicated
What makes this type of search so difficult is the layering of requirements that would each be challenging on their own. Combined into a single profile, they dramatically shrink the available candidate pool.
The company needed someone with genuine senior-level technical expertise in import-export operations - customs regulations, international flow management, intermodal coordination, documentary compliance. But that wasn't enough. The role also demanded proven leadership - someone capable of uniting a logistics team through a period of organizational transformation. And on top of that, the company had a strong cultural fit requirement: the candidate had to match the company's DNA, its way of operating, its values.
Three dimensions. None of them negotiable.
Direct search: a method, not a gamble
Facing this profile, Leila ruled out traditional channels from the start. No job posting. No waiting. A proactive, targeted approach on LinkedIn - where the right professionals can be found even when they're not actively looking, but might consider the right opportunity.
Executive search in this context goes well beyond sending InMail messages. It's a careful reading of career paths, an understanding of professional trajectories, and an ability to identify the subtle signals that distinguish a solid technician from a true logistics leader. It also means knowing how to present an opportunity in a way that resonates with someone who isn't browsing job boards.
The profile Leila identified was aligned on both fronts: technically strong, and a genuine cultural fit for this team and this organization.
Recruiting in the middle of a tariff storm
This mandate didn't unfold in a vacuum. It was conducted in the midst of significant international trade turbulence - at a time when U.S. tariffs imposed by the Trump administration reshuffled the deck for many Canadian companies active in cross-border import-export.
For logistics teams, this context carries real weight. It puts additional pressure on import-export departments, raises the stakes for profiles capable of navigating unstable regulatory environments, and pushes organizations to secure key talent rather than let critical positions sit empty indefinitely.
Recruiting an import-export team leader in this environment means finding someone who can absorb uncertainty and keep operations moving. A strategic hire, not just an operational one.
The outcome: a successful integration
The candidate was hired. And this time, the integration was a success.
That's not a minor point. In senior recruitment, the quality of the integration is the true measure of whether the right choice was made. A technically brilliant profile who doesn't fit the culture can leave within months - as happened during the first recruitment attempt. A well-aligned profile settles in, contributes, and creates lasting value.
That's exactly what Fed Supply's approach delivered here.
What this mandate tells us about specialized supply chain recruitment
This case illustrates a reality that many organizations discover at a cost: in international logistics and supply chain, complex senior profiles are not found - they are hunted.
Posting a job ad, however well-crafted, won't reach an import-export team leader who's already managing a high-performing team elsewhere and has no reason to open a job board. Direct, targeted, qualitative executive search - led by a consultant who genuinely understands the operational stakes - is the only approach that can reach this type of profile.
That is the value Fed Supply brings: real sector expertise, a proactive method, and the ability to assess both technical competency and organizational fit - the two sides of a successful hire.
Do you have a hard-to-fill logistics or supply chain position in Montreal?
Fed Supply supports companies across Greater Montreal and Quebec with specialized recruitment in supply chain, logistics, procurement, and transportation. Whether through executive search or a traditional recruitment process, our team offers a tailored approach built around the realities of the Quebec market.
Frequently asked questions about import-export logistics recruitment in Montreal
Why is it so difficult to recruit a senior import-export team leader in Montreal?
Senior import-export profiles combine a rare set of skills: deep knowledge of customs regulations, international flow management, team leadership, and the ability to adapt to shifting regulatory environments. In Quebec, the available talent pool is structurally limited, and the strongest candidates are typically already employed. A direct search approach is often the only way to reach them.
What is executive search and why is it more effective for this type of role?
Executive search - or direct sourcing - involves proactively identifying and approaching candidates who are not actively job hunting. Unlike traditional job postings, it provides access to profiles that are invisible on the open market, allows for thorough pre-qualification of each candidate, and makes it possible to assess cultural fit before the first interview. For senior supply chain and logistics positions, it is often the only approach that produces lasting results.
How are U.S. tariffs affecting logistics recruitment in Canada?
The tariffs introduced by the U.S. administration have put new pressure on Canadian import-export teams. Companies are now looking for profiles capable of managing disrupted flows, adapting quickly to regulatory changes, and maintaining operational performance under conditions of commercial uncertainty. This reinforces the strategic importance of senior logistics roles and raises the bar for the calibre of candidate required.
Why can a first recruitment attempt fail, even with a structured process?
A senior hire can fall short for several reasons: an insufficiently precise profile definition, a selection process too focused on technical skills at the expense of cultural fit, or inadequate onboarding support. In logistics leadership roles, alignment with the company's culture and actual role expectations is just as decisive as domain expertise. This is where a specialized recruitment firm - one that understands both the technical and human dimensions - makes a concrete difference.
How long does an executive search take for a senior logistics position in Montreal?
Timelines vary depending on the profile's rarity and the complexity of the mandate, but a well-managed direct search process can typically surface qualified candidates within three to six weeks. This is often faster than a traditional recruitment process that stalls for lack of relevant applications - as illustrated by mandates that remained open for over a year before being entrusted to a specialized firm.
Who told us this story ?
Leila Chanteau, Fed Supply's Team Lead Manager in Canada. You may take a look at her LinkedIn profile here.
