Frequently asked questions

An interim manager can help organisations through periods of change, including when your permanent employees are unable to provide the skills; an unforeseen situation- sickness/ leaver, the interim can fill the gap and hit the ground running from the moment they start; A planned situation where your permanent team have been seconded such as a system implementation or maternity.

Our expert interim management consultants offer support and guidance on when to hire an interim manager and preparing for the assignment.

Interim managers provide a bridging or interim solution that ensures business continuity, combatting disruptions to the usual daily business processes. They can also be part of your continuous improvement programmes to upskill other team members, driving business performance and ROI.

It’s an effective way of ensuring business continuity and allows other Executives to do their job without being pulled into non-essential activities. The interim manager can upskill the overall team and advise the company on a short-term basis in order to drive and manage increased workload in business-critical functions, providing a long-lasting solution.

During times of crisis, for example COVID-19 pandemic, an interim subject matter expert is appointed to inject strategic advice on spikes in demand 

This varies depending on the desired outcome. We operate across 3-18-month interim assignments, although some assignments may go on for longer.

We maintain consistent and clear communication with the hiring manager to ensure full success of the assignment and track measurable KPIs to ensure full satisfaction upon completion.

We will partner with you to assist in the decision-making process. Sometimes we will suggest a combination of interim and permanent solutions as its certainly on a case-by-case basis.

Interim hires can help reduce business risk during unstable periods or gap fill to allow business as usual. Both interim and permanent executive hires have their benefits and deciding which one is suitable depends on the desired outcome of the project at hand.

We are partnering with Qdos, a UK leader in insurance and advise for UK-based contractors, freelancers and consultants. Our combined expertise and collaborative approach to working with leading businesses across the UK, we provide pragmatic solutions and consultancy services to determine if the assignment will be in or out of Ir35.

Download our guide to prepare for IR35 changes

We offer a cost-effective solution and consistently track market rates in partnership with a UK-leading data supplier to provide accurate and reliable interim insights. We are able to discuss this on a bespoke basis after a consultation.

For accurate and reliable interim market rates, download the Robert Walters European Interim Management Pay Guide here. 

In short, yes you can change sectors, but you must be aware that some sectors are more challenging to switch to than others. For example, if you were an accountant looking to switch to financial services, and specifically insurance you may have to improve your knowledge of FCA and PRA regulations. 

As an interim manager moving across sector can be one of the more interesting parts of the role and increasingly high growth sectors, such as cybersecurity, are attracting high quality interim managers from multiple sectors.

Sectors where there are clear regulatory requirements are often more difficult to switch to, but not impossible.

The recruitment process can be rigorous but often is quicker than a like-for-like permanent process due to the potential immediate needs of the role. Typically, there will be an application phase, followed by interviews, then offer management including pre-employment screening and onboarding processes carried out by the Robert Walters in-house legal team.

The Pre- Employment Screening Process is similar for interim and permanent roles so we would advise that you are clear from the outset on the requirements of the role.

As an interim manager during the Covid-19 pandemic, much of the onboarding has been remote and we work extremely close with our client to ensure the process is as professional as possible.

Robert Walters provides market leading intelligence and knowledge to identify suitable, credible c-suite interim professionals to help you enter new markets, identify skills gaps and recruit exceptional interim executives.

With a dedicated market and data analyst team and our own expert interim consultants, we offer comprehensive and unrivalled insights into the market to help shape and inform your decision making.