WHAT DOES AN INTERIM MANAGER DO?
An interim manager is engaged by a business on a short-term basis for a range of circumstances and business needs.
Some examples:
- Managing a change project – operating processes, layouts or for the preparation or implementation of a new system environment
- Rectifying issues that have arisen when the existing team are not sufficiently resourced to resolve
- Providing operational management to support peak demand
- Providing operational management support as a temporary measure
WHAT SHOULD I CONSIDER BEFORE BECOMING AN INTERIM MANAGER?
Typically Interim Managers are self employed and operate through a limited company or as a sole trading business to invoice their clients. Please take independent advice on how best to approach this.
If you are considering this avenue as a future career path, below are a few pointers to help you make your decision.
- It is worth stress testing the realities of being a career interim manager before deciding to embark on pursuing this path. Whilst the lifestyle and challenges can be rewarding it is not for everybody. Despite the many positives, there are other elements to being an interim which might not suit an individual’s appetite for risk and their ability to offer flexibility of working locations and time.
- It is commonly perceived to be highly lucrative – this is not necessarily the case. The flexibility of not having an employer and often working on change projects are probably the elements that appeal most to interims.
- Being an interim can be well remunerated but once the absence of a package and the inevitable downtime between assignments is factored in, for most the financial attraction is outweighed by the choice of lifestyle.
- In order to be considered for assignments it is highly desirable that an Interim Manager is able to travel at short notice, possibly to another part of the country, with an overnight bag. When a client has a problem that needs fixing this is not an uncommon required level of urgency.
Becoming an interim manager is a choice that many don’t look back from, they enjoy the freedom and professional challenges it can offer. But if there is a requirement to maintain a high stable income or to be based at home during the working week, it is less likely to be something you can consider. When on an assignment, the workload can be significantly more demanding than in a permanent role, but many do enjoy the interesting work, downtime between assignments and freedom that being an Interim Manager can offer.