The Strategic Power of Interim Leadership

By Alexis Soudoplatoff, Senior Partner at Page Executive

In an era marked by rapid change and market turbulence, organisations are looking for agile solutions to address growing recruitment complexities faster and more efficiently. With the post-pandemic hiring rush tapering off and the need for flexibility more prominent than ever, interim management has come to the fore as a strategic move for businesses looking to navigate uncertainty and drive sustainable growth.

Interim leadership fills a crucial need in today's business landscape, providing a temporary solution for pressing organisational challenges. A role that can be summed up as a temporary solution for a big issue - whether it’s covering key executive positions, bringing in a specific skill set needed for a fixed period, or managing a company restructure, including merger and acquisitions, divestitures, carve outs, and new activities like greenfield or brownfield projects.

This recruitment style prioritises issue resolution, temporarily placing an experienced project specialist at the top end of a workplace hierarchy, where they’re expected to hit the ground running. When done correctly it provides stability, issue resolution, and pays for itself in savings, offering organisations a dynamic approach to talent management. 

Agility from the outset

One of the advantages of interim leadership placements is that they can fill senior-level gaps quickly and effectively. Interim hires are selected based on their project experience, meaning that they tend to be incredibly quick to onboard, providing continuity and stability as soon as they are in place. This can be particularly beneficial when they are covering a role the company needs to fill permanently further down the line.

In this scenario, having the interim leader steer the ship of their project or department can reduce the urgency for the permanent role to be filled, meaning less pressure for the company to compromise on the profile of the person they’re looking for long-term. With so many sectors being candidate-driven in senior leadership recruitment, this ability to wait for the right permanent appointment is particularly vital.

Often, an interim manager can prove to be such a good fit that the company decides to offer them a permanent role. This is the case for a significant number of Page Executive interim manager placements – in some regions it happens with around one in three positions.

A project-focused truth-teller

One of the most significant benefits of interim leadership can be the perspective it brings to the table.  Successful candidates often have strong convictions and decision-making skills, based on their built-up project management experience, empowering them to make bold business decisions and challenge the status quo.

It's this focused view, where their priority is the main project and task rather than internal progression, that so often leads them to be open and honest about business decisions and recommendations.

To find an effective interim leader, organisations should take a strategic approach. Partnering with a specialised recruitment agency like Page Executive can streamline the process and ensure access to top-tier interim talent. Here are a few key considerations to keep in mind when working with an agency:

Ready to deploy

Seek out agencies with a proactive mindset. Look for a partner who has someone ready to step into a role before the need for that job even arrives. Agencies that analyse potential roles for interim managers across multiple sectors can swiftly deploy the right candidate when the need arises. This proactive approach minimises downtime and enables organisations to address critical leadership gaps without delay.

Classification

The most important element of an interim manager’s work profile is their experience with, and ability to manage, specific types of projects. The recruitment agency should classify candidates not only on their sector experience but also on their project expertise. This ensures the specific function of the placement is always at the forefront of the recruitment process.

Streamlined approach

Organisations may feel it’s logical to search separately for interim and permanent positions, however, the agency you partner with should provide an integrated approach to recruitment where interim and permanent recruitment consultants work closely together to simultaneously search for both positions.  By having a more in-depth understanding of both the short- and long-term requirements, it’s more likely that successful candidates will be found and placed.

Global reach

An agency with a broad international network has access to interim managers with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Working with a global agency ensures that your organisation can find the best talent, regardless of geographical boundaries.

With more companies looking for more flexibility when managing big business projects and scenarios, interim hiring is set to become even more popular as a solution.

For more information, please reach out to myself or one of our global Page Executive team.