The real question you should ask is "why is he still in this role after X years?" It is possible that he loves that role and doesn't want to transition out of

The real question you should ask is "why is he still in this role after X years?" It is possible that he loves that role and doesn't want to transition out of it, in which case he could be a great hire. Or maybe he just doesn't want increased responsibility. Of course, it is also possible he just isn't competent enough to move up the ladder, and has been stuck as a result. See if there are other areas in his life (hobbies, activities, etc) where he really excels. If he isn't fantastic at anything, you can probably assume limited competence.