Who is an interim manager?

Successful management is a measure of a company's competitive advantage. However, there are situations when a management position becomes temporarily vacant. The interim service offers a solution for exactly these situations: interim managers help you through the transition period and take over until the new manager takes over. Quality of service is also key in interim management. What determines quality and how do you know who is the best interim manager for your company? In our current article we answer these questions!

Interim management is the temporary replacement of a manager or a senior professional or the temporary management of a shortage of resources within an organisation. This service is needed in situations where the company is changing, there is a shortage of middle or senior management or the right skills are not available within the company to carry out a task. This could be a reorganisation, a merger, an acquisition, a crisis, the introduction of new processes, the ramp-up of relocated production, or the permanent or temporary loss of a senior member of staff.

In some cases, replacing a manager can be done with an internal person, but there may be no one suitable for the job, or the company may prefer to bring in an external "eye", an external perspective.

In such situations, an interim manager comes in, who is a highly qualified freelance manager and specialised in dealing with such transitional situations. An interim manager is typically a senior manager who has already worked successfully in his or her field, and who can quickly assess the situation, identify opportunities and challenges, and develop a plan of action to achieve the goals of the organisation or the area.

There are several types of interim managers, depending on the field they are coming from. For example, they may be an operations manager, an HR manager, a finance manager, a service quality manager, or a production manager.

The importance of interim managers is huge, especially as the recruitment process for specific management positions can take up to six months. During this uncertain, transitional period, a problem-solving interim manager can provide immediate support and guidance to the organisation.

The benefits of interim management

Hiring an interim manager has several advantages, from which the client can benefit greatly. It gives the company greater flexibility, whether it is for a specific project or to cover the absence of a permanent manager. Not to mention the fact that it can provide an immediate solution, given its many years of experience in the industry or functional area in question.

The advantage is that the temporary manager can be on the job within a short time, so there is no need to calculate downtime, which can save significant costs. The interim manager can be employed on a part-time or full-time basis, for periods of up to 3-9 months, depending on the business objectives. Thanks to the high level of efficiency, the return on investment of projects will be faster, which also contributes to cost savings.

Many companies choose interim managers because they want to bring in a fresh perspective. A non-insider manager can provide an independent, unbiased opinion, which makes them more efficient and effective in finding and implementing solutions.

It's a misconception that interim managers are already half-way to retirement, but they can't let go of the job. The fact is that interim roles require the right skills and experience, and these will naturally grow over time. But there should be no doubt that all interim professionals are professional executors with a single objective: to complete the tasks set. For this, a flexible and open-minded approach and the ability to adapt to a new environment and workplace culture in a short space of time are essential.

The interim managers under the Interim Ltd umbrella have gained a wealth of experience in their previous jobs and assignments, and bring this continuous improvement mindset to each new venture they support. Professional challenge and variety are what motivate our colleagues.

These are things to look out for when choosing an interim manager!

To know whether the quality of the interim manager's service is adequate, it is worth setting clear objectives from the outset regarding the expected results and reviewing them from time to time. Periodic evaluation of performance should take into account targets, indicators, and progress of tasks.

The following factors may affect the quality of the interim service and should be given priority when selecting the appropriate interim manager.

1. Experience and expertise

The experience of the interim manager is a key factor in determining the quality of the service. Interim managers are likely to have worked in a variety of roles and industries, so they have a unique insight into the challenges that organisations face in different situations.

This diversity of experience enables them to quickly assess a situation, identify risks and opportunities, develop effective strategies, and implement action.

Knowledgeable interim managers can also provide valuable insights into best practices, emerging trends, and industry benchmarks. They can share their knowledge and expertise with the organization to help it evolve and remain competitive in its industry or successfully open up to new industries. In addition, they have built up a network of contacts in the field that they can use to the benefit of their clients.

Expertise is another important factor in judging the quality of an interim management service. Interim managers must have a thorough knowledge of the industry or sector in which they work. They should be able to provide a comprehensive view of the challenges facing the organisation and offer innovative solutions to overcome them. Depending on their specialisation, they may have extensive experience in areas such as strategy development, organisational design, change management, restructuring, company building, change management, gap management, and project management.

For example, there is considerable overlap in the literature between the TOP 10 project management skills and the important skills for interim managers. According to a 2018 study by PMI, 9.9% of every dollar is lost due to inadequate project management. The knowledge and experience of the professional therefore has a significant impact on effectiveness.

2. Communication skills

Interim managers must have excellent communication skills to build strong relationships with companies, understand their needs and concerns, and effectively communicate their ideas, strategies, and plans.

They need to communicate clearly and concisely, whether verbally, in writing, in person, or online. They must be able to adapt their communication style to the needs of different audiences, including employees, customers, investors, and others.

They must listen carefully to all stakeholders to understand their concerns and perspectives. During the consultation, they should ask the right questions to gather relevant information and clarify misunderstandings.

The smoothness of conflict resolution is also an important factor in determining the quality of the interim management service. Conflicts are inevitable in organisations and interim managers need to navigate these conflicts effectively. They must identify the root cause of the conflict, listen to the parties involved, and seek to work together to find a mutually acceptable solution.

3. Adaptability and flexibility

Agile methodologies help interim managers to respond more easily to the challenges and opportunities that the company faces.

They need to be flexible in their approach to problem-solving, as they often work with limited resources and tight deadlines. They need to be committed and adapt to new situations, remain calm under pressure, and make quick and effective decisions. They must also be open and receptive to new ideas.

4. Striving for compliance

Interim managers need to understand and meet their clients' expectations, which include providing high-quality services, meeting deadlines and budgets, and providing exceptional customer care.

To meet client expectations, interim managers must first understand their clients' needs and requirements. This involves a thorough analysis and due diligence of the organisation, identifying key challenges and opportunities and developing a clear and actionable plan.

There can be a discrepancy between the way the CEO and the interim manager identify problems and opportunities in the life of the company. The interim manager's role is to share his or her insights with the CEO and to draw the CEO's attention to specific risks, as he or she has to keep the client's interests in mind. Ultimately, however, it is the client's expectations that determine the quality of service.

5. Accuracy

Punctuality refers to the ability of interim managers to complete tasks and deliver results on time. They must be able to set realistic goals and deadlines, prioritise their work effectively, and manage their time appropriately to deliver their services on time. This includes strong time and project management skills.

6. Reliability and discretion

In their interim leadership role, interim managers have access to a wide range of sensitive information within the company. The interim manager is responsible for the protection and confidentiality of the information received. He or she must protect company secrets and must be discreet about sensitive information.

Reliability is an important yardstick. The interim manager must inspire confidence among employees and partners. Reliability and discretion enhance the professional credibility of interim managers and help to build long-term client relationships.

7. Data-driven decision-making

Data-driven decision-making is essential in today's business world and can significantly improve a company's business performance. Therefore, an interim manager must be able to assess the company's situation based on data and data analysis and make effective decisions to improve the company's performance and increase its competitiveness, and product or service quality.

Data-driven decision-making can also help the interim manager to optimise the organization's operations. By analysing and interpreting data, the interim manager can identify the strengths and weaknesses of the company. This will enable him to develop and implement more efficient processes within the company.

For Interim Ltd, it is of paramount importance that the quality of service is outstanding. We therefore place great emphasis on data-driven decision-making when selecting the right interim manager. In practice, this means that we not only look at skills when selecting the interim manager best suited to the client's needs but also at the results the professional has achieved in the field and the projects he or she has contributed to the success of.

How can Interim Ltd. help you find the right interim manager?

Interim Ltd has an experienced and expert team to assist clients in the selection of an interim manager. We assess your company's needs beforehand and then select relevant professionals from our database who have the specific skills and experience your company needs.

On average it takes 2-3 days to find the right interim manager, while finding a permanent manager with the help of a headhunter can take up to 6 months.

We sign a confidentiality agreement with our interim managers from step zero, so your company's search intentions remain hidden. Of course, a specific confidentiality agreement applies for the entire duration of the cooperation, including the project manager.

What do we do to ensure that the quality of service is excellent?

• We respond quickly to requests as they arise. In many cases, it can take minutes to find the right expert for your company.
• We carefully assess our clients' needs and help them identify the most urgent and important areas of work, the missing tasks, and the missing roles, and then immediately start looking for the right candidates.
• Our database of more than 1,000 interim managers includes a fine-grained filtering system to select the right candidates based on the business area, responsibilities, specific experience, and business language skills.
• Interim Ltd. also provides each client with a project manager to manage the progress of the project and ensure quality of service. Importantly, this project manager is also an expert in the field.

What should you look out for to succeed?

In addition to the factors listed above, here are some tips to consider. Let's look at them!

Be aware of why you need an interim manager!

Why is this a better way for your business than giving an internal employee the opportunity? Perhaps you lack specific experience? Industry knowledge? Is the company looking to expand into a new market? Need an outside perspective? Do you need crisis management? The key is to be clear about why and what role the interim manager will have.

Prepare clearly defined objectives with milestones!

At the beginning of the assignment, clear targets should be set for the quality of service and expected results. The targets set should be reviewed throughout the assignment to ensure they remain relevant and achievable. To be able to track results, you need specific KPIs. For an HR manager, for example, a KPI could be the roll-out of a training system or an increase in the number of people attending training.

Be open to suggestions from the interim manager!

In many cases, company leaders have a clear vision of the path to reach the goals they have set. However, an outside observer, in this case the interim manager, may identify other ways. It is advisable to keep an open mind to suggestions, as they can help the company to move forward.

It should be understood that the basis for successful interim management is good communication between the company and the interim manager and a common will to implement the agreement.

Interim managers have many years of experience and expertise, communicate effectively, handle conflict situations well, and are flexible and adaptable. They ensure that the quality of the service meets the client's expectations. At Interim Ltd., to ensure quality, we have project managers who work alongside our interim managers and are responsible for the progress of the project, and our staff work in the spirit of a professional code of ethics.

Get to know Interim Ltd. and how we work!