Jörg Tuschling

Interim Operations Management

Mastering crises as an opportunity.
Strategically shaping the future.

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When processes stall.
And when operational excellence combined with change management is required.

My professional passion lies in manufacturing organisations and their interplay of logistics, quality, and operational HR management. Outside of work, I'm fascinated by diving and the maritime world. Interestingly, all of this follows the same fundamental principles, because:

  • Without operational excellence in the engine room, any system will loose momentum.
  • Without the competence and consistency of the captain, effective leadership cannot be achieved.
  • And without a well-trained, motivated and enduring crew, no vessel can withstand rough seas over time.

For me, operational and technical interim management means bringing these levels together, keeping them aligned, and actively leading them. My mandates have taken me across Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, as well as to China and Japan—cultures in which I feel at ease and which have given me valuable and diverse perspectives. One thing is very important to me in all structures: systems must support people at the center – never the other way around.

Developing international competitive advantages together

Process dominance as a key to modern organisational development

Today, competitive advantages arise from the system-supported dominance of organisational processes within and between all departments. Strategically shaping the future therefore means thinking ahead and acting in time – in a structured, systematic, and methodologically sound manner. What ist decisive is the consistent alignment of vision, mission, strategy, tactics, and operational execution, as well as the measurable networking of the organisation across clearly defined requirements. The core challenge is not a lack of KPIs, but rather their inadequate integration into stringent, requirements-based control loops. Only a foundation-driven focus on the single, end-to-end value-creating process generates true and sustainable value.

Consistently apply requirements management and benefit sixfold

Waste, chaos, and frustration should be a thing of the past. By applying six consistent principles of requirements management, operational leadership becomes controllable and effective – whether in a manufacturing organisation or on the open sea.

1

Clear orientation before blind action
Every measure begins with clarity: clarity about objectives, priorities, roles, and decision paths. Requirements are defined precisely and serve as a binding framework. This creates focus instead of mere activism – leadership becomes effective at this very point.

2

modern systems instead of chaos
Operational excellence requires a consistent system landscape. Instead of isolated solutions, processes and data are integrated across departmental boundaries. This creates transparency, comparability, and a robust foundation for effective management and decision-making.

3

resources and preventing frustration
Performance emerges only where requirements and available resources are properly aligned. This also means making capacities transparent and identifying bottlenecks at an early stage. The result is reduced overload, less frustration, and increased operational stability.

4

CONFIDENCE AND capability INSTEAD OF FEAR
Change requires empowerment. Employees are deliberately qualified and actively integrated into new requirements. Transparent expectations and comprehensible control logics create confidence – and enable personal accountability in day-to-day operations.

5

driving change with pace – and motivating along the way
Change does not emerge from announcements, but from consistent, hands-on leadership in daily operations. Theoretical methods are translated into practical, workable measures. Progress becomes measurable. Decisions are made transparently and can be understood. This is how slow change is avoided and how transformation is actively shaped rather than postponed.

6

COMMUNICATION WITH PURPOSE – AND NAVIGATING WITH CONFIDENCE
Information only becomes effective when it flows in a structured way and is tailored to its audience. Clearly defined communication pathways prevent confusion and ensure that relevant content reaches those who make decisions. Trust-based navigation creates orientation and commitment.

What I stand for.
Operational and technical excellence – structured by design.
Delivered hands-on.

As a graduate engineer with more than 30 years of management experience in the automotive industry, the supplier sector, and industrial manufacturing, I combine technical seniority, a strong lean mindset, and modern leadership. My ambition is to structure operational systems in a way that ensures their resilience – both in day-to-day business and in times of crisis.

I create clear frameworks in which people can perform effectively and improvement initiatives take sustainable root. Much like preparing a vessel before casting off, the launch of new corporate processes requires a methodical captain and trainer: someone who makes all technical and operational systems seaworthy together with the team, clarifies procedures, and brings the crew safely into alignment. Once sheltered coastal waters are left behind, the real voyage begins. Only then does it become clear whether team structures, processes, leadership, and technology can withstand rough seas.

I master crises with sound expertise, long-standing international experience, and a sharpened focus on what truly matters. Numerous mandates and consistently positive feedback shape my work today as an interim manager. As an operational and technical captain for a defined period of time, I teach practical methods that are understood, accepted, and successfully adopted in daily operations.

Always on course. Even when conditions turn rough.

Disciplined planning, process and equipment management, and the ability to solve problems under pressure are skills I have further developed through my passion for technical and freediving. These capabilities enable me to remain calm and composed in operational extreme situations and to guide projects through stabilised processes, guided by a reliable North Star. My goal is to help organisations return to course in turbulent times, hold it with confidence, and steer forward into a stronger future.

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Ein glatzköpfiger Mann mit Brille und gestutztem Bart, der ein schwarzes Hemd und eine Armbanduhr trägt, steht mit verschränkten Armen und lächelt in die Kamera. Jörg Tuschling - Interim Operations Management

What I can deliver for an organisation

Operational excellence is no longer just an optimization issue, but the foundation for long-term innovation and competitiveness. Companies in Germany and across Europe are under immense cost pressure and face direct competition from markets with significantly lower production costs. To remain competitive in this environment, organisations must consistently eliminate waste, safeguard quality, reduce lead times, and rigorously align value streams with customer benefit. This is precisely what I offer. I stabilise operational systems, develop processes toward controllable excellence, and enable organisations to perform sustainably – so they can succeed even under increasingly challenging global competitive conditions. Below is an excerpt from my portfolio.

Operational stabilization in
heavy seas

When processes start to tilt and pressure rises, I dive deep below the surface. I stabilize the situation, create transparency, and restore operational performance in the short term. Typical triggers can include supplier or OEM escalations, unstable series ramp-ups, or severe quality and delivery performance issues.

Interim plant, production and site management

In times of uncertainty, I take the helm where it is needed – present on deck with a compass, and fully operational in the engine room. My focus areas are: leading operational departments with binding accountability for results, creating precise and reliable structures, and actively supporting managers and teams to ensure a trustworthy and consistent direction.

Building operational excellence and system process dominance

Building operational excellence that isn't dependent on fair-weather conditions and that makes processes truly controllable – that's my core competence. My focus: developing organisational process dominance within and between all departments, including across multiple sites; designing and progressing through all levels of process maturity within the House of Excellence.

Series ramp-up and industrialization

Mastering risks before they become critical – because improvisation is never an option. I support projects such as the industrialisation of new products with meticulous planning, clearly defined fallback levels, double safeguarding, and the required operational resilience. Typical scenarios include: SOPs under severe time pressure, new technologies like e-mobility, and unstable ramp-up phases.

De-escalation and supply chain

Is the countercurrent becoming too strong? When escalations loom or the supply chain turns unstable, I analyse root causes, bottlenecks, and critical interfaces. I stabilise supply, communication, and, most importantly, trust across the entire value chain. Typical fields of engagement include OEM de-escalation, supplier enablement, and securing JIT/JIS supply chains.

Empowering leaders
and teams

Sustainable success requires competent and motivated people. Leaders and crews do not learn with me in seminar rooms, but directly on the high seas, in the thick of things. My key focus areas include coaching plant, production, and shift managers; building modern operational HR structures; strengthening accountability and decision-making capability at all levels.
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Pioneering interim mandates

Strategic De-Escalation & Quality Support in a High-Pressure Situation

Timeframe
05/2016 – 11/2016

Industry | Countries
Automotive Supplier Industry | Seating Systems | Czech Republic and Germany

Focus | Role
Quality Support | Turnaround & De-Escalation Management

Initial Situation
A US-based automotive supplier in the Czech Republic was on the verge of being placed on Business on Hold. Severe quality issues had led to escalation level 2 at Porsche, with an imminent risk of further escalation at Group level (Volkswagen Wolfsburg). The relationship between OEM and supplier was heavily strained, with trust effectively exhausted. 

Mandate and Objectives
My mandate was the sustainable de-escalation of the supplier vis-à-vis Porsche and the Volkswagen Group. The objective was to rapidly restore quality and process stability, rebuild OEM trust, and establish a durable KPI-based control logic within the plant to ensure long-term operational steering.

What Truly Works in Critical Situations
Sustainable de-escalation is not achieved through pressure, but through rigorous methodology, clear communication, and the consistent involvement of people on site. KPI-based control loops are the key – carried by trust and hands-on operational presence in the engine room.

Strategic Approach in This Mandate
At the core there was a strictly data-driven de-escalation strategy:

  • Systematic root-cause analysis based on the 5M logic (Man, Machine, Material, Method, Milieu) as the foundation for all actions
  • Establishment of transparent KPI-based quality and process control loops (QRK Levels 1 & 2)
  • Strong operational presence on site (“hands-on in the engine room”)
  • Synchronisation of data and communication structures between supplier and OEM
  • Coaching of local leadership and production teams
  • Intercultural stabilisation of a multinational workforce

Measurable Results and Sustainability

  • Downgrade from escalation level 2 to level 1 within five months
  • Full de-escalation shortly after project completion
  • Sustainable reduction of internal and external PPM rates
  • Accelerated root-cause resolution through real-time feedback
  • Long-term trust-building: multi-year recommendation by Porsche

Indirect Customer Feedback
The collaboration resulted in a sustainable foundation of trust and long-term recommendations by Porsche’s quality management organisation.

Strategic Turnaround & International Site Stabilisation

Timeframe
01/2025 – 10/2025

Industry | Countries
Automotive Supplier Industry | E-Mobility (Battery Protection Components) | Poland, Hungary, Germany

Focus | Role
International Site Stabilisation | Supply Chain & Turnaround Management

Initial Situation
A German supplier of e-mobility components came under severe pressure due to quality and delivery deficits at its sites in Poland and Hungary. Volkswagen and Škoda placed the company into the PKL programme (Critical Supplier Programme). The entire supply chain – including Magna and Gestamp – was at acute risk.

Mandate and Objectives
My mandate was the short-term stabilisation of the international sites in Poland and Hungary, as well as the sustainable de-escalation vis-à-vis Volkswagen, Škoda, and the Tier-1 partners. The objective was to restore delivery capability across the entire supply chain, methodically enable the organisation, and anchor the foundations for long-term stable performance.

What This Mandate Clearly Demonstrated
Culture outperforms cost control. Transparency creates trust. Sustainable turnaround emerges where people are placed at the centre – and where methodological discipline and cultural enablement work together.

Strategic Approach in This Mandate 

  • Holistic analysis based on the 5M logic
  • Lean-based stabilisation of international production and logistics processes across the entire supply chain
  • Introduction of KPI-based control loops for production, logistics, quality, and HR
  • Establishment of shopfloor management and standardised visual management
  • SMED, CIP/KVP, and a structured corrective-action process
  • Coaching and stabilisation of local leadership teams
  • Cross-border rollout of a unified control system (“Auditomat”)

Measurable Results and Sustainability

  • Successful exit from PKL status at Volkswagen and Magna
  • Delivery performance stabilised consistently above 95%
  • Scrap rate sustainably reduced to below 3%
  • Productivity increase enabling the elimination of one complete shift in Poland
  • Sustainable anchoring of methodological competence within local teams

Change Management & HR Modernisation in a 24/7 Operation

Timeframe
02/2021 – 09/2021

Industry | Country
Foil Industry | Food and Steel Sheet Processing | Germany

Focus | Role
Change Management | Operational HR & OPEX Build-Up

Initial Situation
“Something is not right here” – this was the unfiltered assessment of both the Managing Director and the Site Manager of a medium-sized company. The foil production operation was suffering from a heavily strained working climate, high employee turnover, and outdated leadership structures. Fact-based operational steering was largely absent, and the loss of critical know-how posed a serious risk.

Mandate and Objectives
My mandate was to stabilise day-to-day operations and to build a modern, high-performance leadership and corporate culture across production and logistics. The objective was to establish transparency and controllability, secure operational know-how, and create the foundation for sustainable operational excellence through the methodical enablement of leaders.

A Key Insight I Took from This Project
A cultural turnaround is open-heart surgery. Sustainability requires time, methodological discipline, and patience – yet when done properly, its impact is deep and long-lasting.

Strategic Approach in This Mandate 

  • In-depth analysis across all shifts and operational interfaces
  • Introduction of a KPI-based instrument to measure employee satisfaction
  • Intensive coaching of operational leaders
  • Establishment of a cross-departmental CIP / Kaizen structure
  • Implementation of modern operational HR management

Measurable Results and Sustainability

  • Verifiable improvement in the working climate
  • Significant reduction in employee turnover
  • Securing know-how through structured training and development frameworks
  • Process optimisation through stronger cross-functional integration and improved information flows
  • Handover of an OPEX guideline enabling self-driven, continuous improvement

Client Feedback
“We achieved more than we originally expected – thank you for the competent and consistent leadership throughout this transformation.”

Securing Supply Through Data-Driven Process Optimisation

Timeframe
08/2022 – 01/2023

Industry | Country
Automotive Supplier Industry | Aluminium Die Casting / Chassis Components | Germany

Focus | Role
Task Force Management | System-Based Process Optimisation

Initial Situation
A Canadian Tier-1 supplier had lost control over critical production processes. Several OEMs were facing imminent line stoppages. BMW initiated a task force to stabilise supply and restore operational control.

Mandate and Objectives
My mandate was the short-term safeguarding of OEM supply by resolving critical production and planning bottlenecks at the Tier-1 supplier. The objective was to create data-based decision foundations together with the BMW task force, eliminate systemic root causes, and sustainably stabilise delivery capability.

What This Project Once Again Demonstrated
The combination of KPI-based control loops and modern system support is the decisive lever in highly complex crisis scenarios.

Strategic Approach in This Mandate 

  • Combination of hands-on crisis management and high-tech analytics (Celonis /
  • Identification and resolution of critical production bottlenecks
  • Close integration of OEM and supplier expertise
  • Coaching of operational leadership teams
  • Data-driven decision-making to enable investment approvals

Measurable Results and Sustainability

  • Fulfilment of delivery commitments to all BMW plants
  • Release of required investments based on fact-based analyses
  • Establishment of sustainable, system-level process maturity
  • Reintegration of experienced specialists to stabilise operational performance

Interim Management and Stabilisation in a Family-Owned Business

Timeframe
04/2024 – 11/2024

Industry | Country
Technical Building and Home Equipment | Door Closing Systems | Germany 

Focus | Role
Interim Plant Leadership | Change & Crisis Management

Initial Situation
A medium-sized family-owned company was in the process of transitioning to a modern plant management structure. Unexpected personnel absences and severe tensions with the works council put delivery capability and site stability at risk.

Mandate and Objectives
My mandate was to safeguard day-to-day operations during a highly sensitive leadership and transition phase. The objective was to ensure uninterrupted delivery performance, stabilise and de-escalate the organisation, bridge leadership gaps, and deliberately prepare the plant structure for handover to a permanent plant manager.

Why People at the Centre Truly Matter
In complex change situations, stability is the first tangible success. People remain the decisive factor – always.

Strategic Approach in This Mandate 

  • Ensuring core operational performance at all times
  • Establishing robust communication and shopfloor structures
  • Mediation and trust-building with the works council
  • Hands-on leadership and coaching of department heads
  • Preparing the organisation for a structured handover to permanent plant leadership

Measurable Results and Sustainability

  • 100% delivery reliability throughout the entire transition phase
  • Sustainable stabilisation of the social and organisational architecture
  • Structured and stable handover to the new plant manager

For many years, I have been working as an interim manager primarily in the automotive and supplier industries, as well as in international manufacturing organisations – preferably in environments characterised by high dynamics and pressure. My work and guiding principles are transferable across industries and deliver impact equally in mechanical and plant engineering, defence, pharmaceuticals, and aerospace. My professional journey has taken me, among other places, to Japan, China, the United Kingdom, Italy, Ukraine, Romania, Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, Bosnia and Herzegovina, France, Sweden – and, of course, Germany.

Jörg Tuschling – OES international GmbH
Operational Excellence on assignment. Impact that endures.

OES stands for Operational Excellence Solutions. My clients and business partners value my extensive technical expertise, my consistent approach to day-to-day operations, and my strategic foresight. For me, cultivating a positive corporate culture and fostering employee motivation represent the most powerful levers for sustainable profitability. Within this framework, I align leadership levels, processes, and people so that organisations regain their course – and keep it, even in rough seas. My objectives are reliable operational stability, continuously growing employee competence, and steadily advancing levels of process maturity. Making organisations seaworthy for the future – that is my mission.

Is an organisation in distress at sea?

In operational day-to-day work, unsteady organisations often display the same recurring patterns:

  • OPEX initiatives run aground or lose momentum along the way.
  • Leadership is operationally overloaded or not credibly anchored within the organisation.
  • KPIs exist – but they do not steer.
  • Improvements remain isolated islands and fail to carry through the next wave.
  • Performance depends on individuals rather than on the system.
  • Employees disengage because their contribution in the engine room goes unseen.
Together with leaders and teams, I build robust and resilient structures that enable organisations to regain stable forward motion – with greater agility, a precise compass, and confident navigation.
Ein großes, verziertes Segelschiff mit Zahnrädern und Uhrwerkdetails steuert während eines Gewitters durch die raue See, während im Hintergrund Blitze zucken. Jörg Tuschling - Interim Operations Management

Where I, as the OPEX captain, intervene when the course is lost

Operational excellence is led, structured and measurably implemented – not from the dock, but hands-on on board:

  • The production company consistently focuses on the single, end-to-end value-creating process.
  • Clear leadership and decision-making structures provide orientation – even in headwinds.
  • KPI-based control loops ensure that deviations are detected early and corrected properly.
  • Targeted empowerment of managers and teams strengthens personal responsibility and motivation.
  • Methods are chosen deliberately – as navigation instruments, not as ballast.
  • A vibrant performance culture enables continuous improvement and restores posture, identity, and purpose to the organisation.

What organizations gain through professional OPEX management

Once all measures have been successfully implemented, organisations reach their destination harbour with benefits such as:

  • Sustainable processes and increased delivery reliability
  • Increased productivity and improved OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness)
  • Lower costs through efficient use of resources
  • Higher quality through clear standards and effective error prevention
  • Improved adaptability to changing market conditions
  • Transparent control instead of permanent crisis mode
  • Tangible relief for leadership through systems that truly work
  • Sustainable Return on Continuous Improvement (ROCI) – because operational excellence must pay off

Operational excellence means doing the right things – reliably and continuously better. Let us jointly assess in which organisational context I can support a company as an operational and technical interim manager.

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Interim Operations Management
Methods for sustainable corporate success

The following methods form the structured foundation I use to holistically stabilise and further develop production, logistics, quality, and human resources. I deliberately combine classical principles of operational excellence with modern, system- and AI-supported analysis. Artificial intelligence acts as a sparring partner – while decision accountability remains consistently with people, in line with a clear Human-in-the-Loop approach. This creates robust structures, strengthened leadership, and operational excellence that is sustainably anchored in the daily business.

  • KPI-based control loops, embedded in clear requirements management, as an accelerator for achieving competitive advantage

  • Lean and change management in industrial transformation scenarios

  • System-supported process analysis and simulation

  • Gemba walks and structured shopfloor formats: CIP / KVP / Kaizen, 5M / 5 Why / 5S

  • Methodical operational and technical coaching

  • JIT / JIS, SMED

  • Training, coaching, and leadership development of operational and technical managers and teams

  • Moderation and communication techniques for critical situations