From HR to facility: another chapter in the greenfield

The summer at our company brought several organizational changes and with them a new chapter for me personally. In addition to HR, I also took responsibility for facility a back office - two areas I've known more from the outside than the inside. And I honestly would never have guessed how many things go into making a building come alive, work and stay in shape every day.

Facility is a completely new discipline for me from the beginning. While HR deals with people, relationships and culture, Facility means cleaning, utilities, insurance, security, building claims, as well as benches in the smoking area and sufficient sanitary supplies. Every day is different and often full of things that can't be planned. From an HR perspective, it's a great reality school - you have a building instead of people, but the principle is actually pretty similar: systems, reliability and good communication make all the difference.

A greenfield facility is definitely not just about operations. It's also about thinking ahead - how to prevent problems, where to look for savings, how to set up suppliers efficiently or what processes to bring in-house. Right now we have facilities outsourced through the company, but given the volume of activities that await us, this option no longer makes sense to me at this stage of the project.

Facility Technician - newly opened position

And that's why I'm looking for a new colleague now - Facility technology, to join our internal NOBO team. This is not a normal management of a finished building - we are still in the nascent stage.

We deal with approvals, complaints procedures, various permits, hall maintenance setup, energy suppliers, cleaning, insurance and many other things. So I'm looking for project-minded person, who is not afraid of a wide range of tasks and has the desire to see things through to the end. As our Managing Director is Jack from China, who does not speak Czech, he is a good fit for this position. Fluent English essential.

The Facility Technician position will gradually move from the project phase to the day-to-day management of the site. Future tasks will include maintaining a plant that is reliable, safe and efficient in the long term. The new person will be part of NOBO, not an external support. And he will work directly with me. If you are interested in this position, drop me a message and we will arrange a personal meeting at our plant.

Dinner for the HR team and the CEO of NOBO Automotive

Visit of NOBO Automotive Chairman

In August, after more than a year, we welcomed in České Budějovice Chairman of NOBO, the highest ranking member of the group. He came to see how far we've come since his last visit. He saw, among other things. column, who signed the first column raising ceremony, on what was then an empty lot. The pillar still stands in the middle of the production and reminds us of our beginnings.

I had the honor of presenting him with a project training zones, reception and canteens - the premises that form the heart of the company outside of production. The presentation was on-site and we received very positive feedback, which was encouraging for the whole team.

On such visits, one realizes how quickly things move. A year ago there was an empty hall, today there is production preparation, technology is being fine-tuned, energy, insurance and hundreds of details that are invisible from the outside. But time is running out - and the start of mass production is only about one year.

Presentation for Chairman NOBO

Column signed at the ceremony of the erection of the first column, now placed in the middle of the production

Plans for the future

Two years ago, the company didn't even exist. In October 2023, I signed the offer letter and became the first employee of a non-existent company.

In October 2024, there were 29 of us - mostly managers and key specialists. Today we are over 120 core employees and we have every level of the organization staffed. The youngest employee is 20 years old, the oldest 67. We already have eight different nationalities - mostly Czechs, followed by colleagues from Ukraine and China.

In a year's time, we will be approximately 250, and in another year it looks like we'll be a little over 400. We must first find and then employ these employees. And judging by everything we have been through in the last two years, I have a gut feeling that we will definitely not be bored in the next two either.

Every day you have to learn something new. I've had the last two years to the fullest.

David Havelec

HR Manager in Nobo Automotive Czech Republic

17 October 2025