What Are the Benefits of Using an Interim Manager?
14 May, 20251-2 minutes
In this blog, you will learn:
- What interim management is.
- The benefits of using an interim manager.
- Discover more about our interim recruitment services.
From the speed at which they integrate into a team to the cost-effectiveness for a local authority or public sector organisation, there are many benefits to using an interim manager. Thanks to their specialised skill set and ability to hit the ground running in any organisation or local authority, interim managers are highly sought after throughout the public sector and in our latest blog, we’re exploring why.
What is interim management?
Interim management refers to the temporary onboarding of a senior leader in order to support an organisation over a short period of time. Interim managers are typically used to help a local authority or public sector organisation overcome a challenge, tackle a period of change, fill a skills gap or implement a new system.
Often sought for their specialised skill set, interim managers are expected to join an organisation and hit the ground running with little to no training required throughout their employment.
Strategic management is crucial within the interim market to allow interim managers to effectively lead a team to success, achieve desired outcomes, improve service delivery and increase accountability.
Whether it’s an interim HR Director hired to guide an organisation through a period of team transition or an interim Head of Transformation recruited to assist a local authority with digitalisation, interim managers often play a crucial role in public sector service delivery.
What are the benefits of using an interim manager?
There are a number of reasons as to why a public sector organisation or local authority may decide to employ an interim manager, including:
- They provide an objective, fresh perspective.
- They can be employed promptly.
- They possess a specialised skill set.
- They are cost-effective for business.
- They enhance accountability.
They provide an objective, fresh perspective
Interim managers work independently from the local authority or public organisation in which they are temporarily employed. This means that not only are they objective when it comes to decision-making, they are also able to implement fresh ideas and an outsider's perspective.
Interim recruitment specialist, John Shorrock, says, “The ability to be objective and make challenging decisions that a permanent member of staff may be too emotionally tied to, is a great skill of an interim.”
John continues, “This can be really important for helping an organisation achieve the desired goals of a project without biased or emotional distractions swaying decisions.”
With interim professionals moving from contract to contract, they are a great source of fresh ideas and might even implement a process that was proven to be highly effective at a previous organisation.
Not only do interim managers provide fresh perspectives, they are not tied to any pre-existing politics within an organisation. This means they are able to focus on outcomes without being distracted by how their decisions may affect internal dynamics.
They can be employed promptly
A major benefit of hiring an interim manager is the speed in which they can be integrated into an existing team. It can take weeks to onboard permanent employees, however, the process of employing an interim manager can take just a matter of days.
This is highly beneficial to a local authority or public sector organisation who are facing a time critical challenge or need a skills gap filling urgently.
As well as helping a business remain on track, the prompt employment of an interim manager helps to minimise disruption to an existing team and provides a local authority or public organisation with time to find a more permanent hire. Pressure to find a permanent member of staff under tight time constraints might lead to a mishire and therefore employing an interim manager allows an organisation to conduct a thorough job search for a permanent leader.
They possess a specialised skill set
Interim managers are often employed to fill a specific skills gap within a team to ensure that a high level of public service delivery is maintained. Thanks to their specific skills, such as change management or digital expertise, interim managers are highly sought after within teams that lack certain skills or experience in a particular field.
The fact that interim managers will bring a wealth of expertise with them means that local authorities and public sector organisations do not need to spend time training them up. Instead, an interim manager will join an existing team, spend a short amount of time getting to grips with their specific processes and then be able to dive head first into implementing their skills.
A specialised skill set also provides organisations with access to niche skills, such as GDPR compliance and because interim managers have often utilised these skills elsewhere, organisations can trust that they are less likely to make costly mistakes.
They are cost-effective for business
Should a local authority or public sector organisation face a challenge putting them at financial loss, the employment of an interim manager to assist can outweigh this risk.
Interim managers are hired for a specific period of time, usually a 3-6 month contract and therefore there are no long-term financial implications for an organisation. They also help to minimise the risk of costly recruitment mistakes that can occur when a local authority or organisation is under pressure to hire on a permanent basis.
The employment of an interim manager who already possesses a specialised skill set will also save an organisation on costs associated with onboarding, training and professional development.
They enhance accountability
Interim managers are responsible for helping an existing team achieve their desired goals, whether this be across education, healthcare, housing or any other public service. Therefore once employed, no matter how long for, they are accountable for any changes that are made or results that are achieved.
Interim managers must remain unbiased throughout all decision-making and ensure that the best interests of the public are always at the core of their actions. This means they should not be influenced by internal politics and whilst integrating into an existing team, they must not lose sight of the fact that they are an independent professional.
Accountability within the public sector ensures efficient decision-making, high standards and successful service delivery.
Interim recruitment services
As interim recruitment specialists, we support local authorities nationwide with their temporary and interim recruitment needs.
We operate across a number of specialisms including Health & Social Care, Nursing, IT and Corporate Functions.
If you’re struggling to fill a vacancy, why not get in touch with Lead Consultant, John Shorrock on 01772 954200 to see how we can help?
Interim jobs
If you’re searching for your next interim job, why not take a look at the latest vacancies, or simply upload your CV to be notified when a relevant position becomes available.
Who is Spencer Clarke Group?
Established in 2017, we’re an award winning and progressive recruitment agency based in the heart of the North West. Our reputation is built on trust, expertise and an unwavering commitment to exceed expectations.
In 2024, we were named Recruitment Agency of the Year at the prestigious Recruiter Awards, an accolade we are extremely proud of.
We operate in two sectors:
In eleven specialisms:
Healthcare, Social Care & Nursing
Corporate Functions & Business Support
