Accountancy AgeThe latest Top 50 survey by Accountancy Age revealed that the average number of female partners in the Top 50 firms is around 12%. And although this year’s figures show an upward trend, the number of female partners still lags way behind their male counterparts.
How can we encourage women who have already reached a senior position in their field to stay and grow in this sector? One of the options that many women are embracing is interim management - an area where they can combine the best of working at a senior level in finance with a flexible lifestyle.
We define interim managers as ‘experienced, hands-on executives and senior managers, who have a proven track record and operate at all levels, from the chairman of the board to the line manager, from programme director to senior project manager’.
Charles Russam, chairman of the longest established mainstream interim management provider, Russam GMS, explains. ‘When a company needs a finance professional immediately, by taking on an interim manager they will most often get an over-qualified professional. This gives them peace of mind that they are getting a safe pair of hands’.
Stephen Park, director general of finance at the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (which regularly employs financial interims), agrees.
‘Interims - with their wider experience and well-practised skills - add real value from day one. They provide breathing space to allow a more considered permanent recruitment process or help get wayward projects back on track - in both cases taking the pressure off more senior colleagues.’
Russam has seen a rise in the number of women turning to interim management, with over 25% of the total number of women on the company database having been registered since January 2008.
Urvashi Bhagat has extensive experience within the public sector - working as an interim financial professional for the last five years. ‘I wanted to get to a senior position in the public sector, particularly in central government and its bodies, and saw interim working as a fast-track to developing the necessary skills and experience,’ she says.
Diane Gray-Smith, an experienced interim manager, saw interim management as a way to work on the most exciting aspects of finance away from more traditional accountancy roles.
‘I relish having tough targets in a short period of time along with a variety of work,” she says.
‘Interim working is not the most natural path to follow and there are many demands.
To succeed, it is important that you build a fan base around you of contacts who can point you in the direction of your next assignment.’
While interim management used to be predominantly about filling in recruitment gaps, interims today are being used far more strategically by organisations.
Change management or major restructuring projects are common as well as handling acquisitions or turnarounds, or developing new projects or businesses.
As Charles Russam says: ‘Many interim managers also have board-level experience and can contribute an independent view and a fresh set of eyes when looking critically at all areas of the business.
‘This can be invaluable in a project when an interim manager has been called in to work on a “distressed” company.’
Gray-Smith believes that her varied interim experiences have allowed her to rapidly assess business performance. This cross-sector knowledge does not make her feel constrained by typical business models often used in a particular sector.
Russam GMS, together with CEDAR Talent Management, has set up a resource for women working as interims, Interim Women (www.interimwomen.com). The forum invites women who work in all sectors to join.
‘We want more women to embrace the exciting opportunities that exist for interims in the current business climate,’ says Marta Matajz, chair of Interim Women.
‘One of the key goals of this initiative is to encourage networking and provide a level of support for interims who come across similar daily challenges although they work in very different roles,’ she added.
In June last year, Russam GMS conducted a survey of 700 female interim managers and found that 66% of women became interim managers to enjoy a better work-life balance.
However, it is not for everyone. A jump into interim management could be viewed as risky without the perceived security of a permanent contract of employment interims are only paid for each day that they work.
Constant challenge
Celia Adams is an interim turnaround finance director with an extensive track record in mergers and acquisitions in the private and public sectors, including change management in blue-chip companies, AIM-listed organisations, SME’s and Non-Departmental Public Bodies. She first qualified as an accountant and has since worked across a number of industries as a finance director.
‘Interim working has given me lots of different experiences rather than the same calendar of events in a permanent role. It allows me to keep up my skill-set through constant exposure to new technologies and working with different management styles from one contract to the next.’
The nature of interim management means that professionals are propelled into an organisation at a higher level, with the sole aim of bringing about a solution to a specific problem in a short space of time.
‘Your skills and position as in interim mean that you can often facilitate a result by cutting across any barriers that may be there for people who work for the organisation full-time,’ Adams added.
Jason Atkinson is deputy chairman of the Interim Management Association.
HR Circles
Original Article
Charity sector | skills shortage boosts interims 8 out of 10 interim managers, specialising in the UK Charity sector believe there is a major skills shortage at all levels in third sector organisations, according to a new survey of over 100 interim managers, polled recently by Russam GMS. Other pressures for charities were a lack of budget which was highlighted by a third of interims;
... Interim management | trends and daily rate comparisons The demand for interim managers in the UK is continuing to grow to record levels according to a six month snapshot survey from interim provider, Russam GMS, who polled its database of over 7,500 in December 2007. The poll revealed that demand had eased slightly in December perhaps indicating the beginning of a market ...
Times Online
Original Article
You've cleared your desk, donated your “Best Wife in the World!” mug to a soon-to-be-ex-colleague and are ready to tell your boss exactly what you think of her before shooting out of the door to freedom. However, if you are one of the 18 per cent of employees who leave their organisation, voluntarily or otherwise, each year, pause before you say something rash. Here, some senior managers explain why burning your bridges can be a very bad move.
The hauntings. “I’ve left one company twice,” says Peter Nicholson, the group head of human resources at John Wood Group, an energy services company. He thought that he had seen the last of his old organisation, but it ended up acquiring the company he later joined. “It was quite challenging. I left the first organisation because I didn’t agree with its ethics, although it had cleaned up its act by the time I worked for it again.”
At least Nicholson had a clean slate with his former employers. Dave Butler, the head of financial services at Russam, an interim management company, recalls an employee at a company he used to work for who was “a nice chap generally, but we fell out and at the end we had to march him off site. He turned up three years later as a supplier to me.” Butler describes the man as “sheepish” during this awkward encounter. Nicholson says that these scenarios can be avoided by maintaining personal dignity and not getting carried away.
Exit strategy. Some 90 per cent of employers use exit interviews. But they don’t always do them well, in Butler’s experience. “The worst was with the finance director of a FTSE 250 company I worked for,” he says. “He was . . . a hopeless manager of people. He did my exit interview so badly and kept saying how sorry he was to lose me that at the end of it I thought I’d been offered another job. I had to check with someone else that this wasn’t the case.” In another organisation that Butler left, his boss felt so betrayed that he had quit that he hid in his office and refused to do an exit interview. But Butler was determined to give his reasons for leaving. “I [went] to his office and told him the things about the values of the organisation that I felt I had to say,” he says, adding that the self-initiated exit interview ended up being useful to both of them. The lesson here is that if you are going to conduct exit interviews, have a procedure, be mature about it and do it properly.
Revenge is not so sweet. “The worst way to leave is a bust-up,” Butler says, recalling an exit interview - not his own -in which punches were thrown over the departing employee’s affair with the boss’s secretary. “People can be in an emotional state.” In this instance the burly ex-employee was restrained and there was no call for police involvement, but Nicholson remembers an instance when just the threat of violence led to a former employee being charged with threatening behaviour. “A chap we fired for failing to wear his safety footwear threatened to cut up his supervisor,” he says. “We called in the police.”
This is serious. The last thing you want is for your prospective employer to be referred to newspaper articles about your tribunal rather than references from your former boss. It’s happened to Nicholson. “If you decide to pursue your employer, make sure you’ve exhausted all other formal options first,” he says.
E-mail is not your friend. “Technology has brought on the ability to self-destruct,” says Hamish Davidson, the chairman of Rockpools, a recruitment company. “I have seen organisations pull records on what has been sent by individuals and destroy them completely.” An employee at an old workplace had been sending out sensitive and valuable information to the company’s competitors, then left to join one of those competitors. An investigation of e-mails at her former workplace singled her out as the culprit. “[Then] the other organisation found out about what she had been doing and it changed their perspective on the trustworthiness of that individual. She started on the wrong foot and lasted six months there.” E-mails are traceable, so badmouthing the employer you are leaving could backfire.
Departing shot. Davidson has one last piece of advice for leavers: “With your leaving event, the most sensible thing is not to invite specific people, but to send a general invitation, and people will self-select.” Then you’ll know who your friends really are and whom it’s worth keeping in touch with. If no one comes, perhaps that says more about you than your company.
8 out of 10 Interim Managers believe skills shortage is top challenge in Charity sector
6 May 2008 – 8 out of 10 (82%) Interim Managers, specialising in the UK Charity sector believe there is a major skills shortage at all levels in Third Sector organisations, according to a new survey of over 100 Interim Managers, polled in April 2008 by Russam GMS.
Other pressures for Charities were a lack of budget which was highlighted by a third of Interims (33%); whilst a quarter thought that fund raising was a major challenge. 19% of Interims stated that the pressure to deliver services for central and local government as part of the Government’s commissioning debate was also proving difficult.
In light of the skills shortage, Interim Managers are being hired increasingly by Charities to provide senior business expertise. It is not surprising then that 8 out of 10 Interims feel as confident or more confident about their employment prospects in the Third Sector this year, compared with 2007.
According to 40% of Interims polled, the job roles most in demand were turnaround business experts and general managers, followed by fundraisers (18%) and project mangers (14%). Interims are also being hired for an increasingly diverse range of assignments. The most popular assignments in recent months were change management and turnaround projects according to 42% of the poll; whilst 14% of Interims were called upon to help raise funds and 11% to bid for government funding and negotiate contracts.
The variety of roles on offer however, is welcomed by the majority of Interim Managers - 43% feel that the stimulating nature of the work is the top benefit of working as an Interim, with 19% stating that working in a caring industry with people who share their values is the biggest attraction of working in the Third Sector.
Almost half the Interims polled (49%) feel that the biggest drawbacks of life as an Interim is working away from home and having to stay in B&Bs, while others complained about the lack of acceptance from team members.
So what makes a successful Interim Manager in the Third Sector? Well, according to the poll, the top three attributes needed most by Interims to ensure successful assignments were having people-focused skills, the ability to lead and to project manage.
Stephen Brooker, chairman of the Charities Practice for Russam GMS states, “Third sector organisations in the UK are under increased pressure to become more commercial; to raise additional funds and deliver new services as part of the Government’s commissioning debate. However, one of the major barriers to achieving these goals is an overwhelming skills shortage at all levels, as highlighted in the research.”
“Given the shortage of skills, many more organisations than in previous years are turning to Interim Management as a solution. Interims have the commercial know-how and experience to drive turnaround projects, manage change, bid for funding or negotiate complex contracts – the very experience that is often missing. They can also be hired on a part-time basis and for short-term projects so they can be the ideal solution for charities on small budgets. We are confident that there will be no let up in demand for Interims in the sector this year,” he concluded.
About Russam GMS
• Russam GMS is the longest established mainstream provider of interim managers in the UK with a 26 year track record.
• Russam GMS is a Founder Member of the Interim Management Association and of the international Taplow Group.
• Russam GMS has a specialist Charities business division
• Russam GMS has the most comprehensive database of Interim Managers in the UK.
• Russam GMS is ISO 9001:2000 registered and hold Investors in People status – the whole team is committed to process improvement and striving for excellence.
Contact
Katrina Walker/Caroline Wiggins
Russam GMS Ltd.
Tel: (0)20 8543 6582
Email: Katrina@russam-gms.co.uk or Caroline@russam-gms.co.uk
Recruitment - March 2008
8 out of 10 (82%) Interim Managers, specialising in the UK Charity sector believe there is a major skills shortage at all levels in Third Sector organisations, according to a new survey of over 100 Interim Managers, polled in April 2008 by Russam GMS.”
Grapevine
March 2008
8 out of 10 interim managers, specialising in the UK Charity sector believe there is a major skills shortage at all levels in third sector organisations, according to a new survey of over 100 interim managers, polled recently by Russam GMS.
Other pressures for charities were a lack of budget which was highlighted by a third of interims; while a quarter thought that fundraising was a major challenge. 19% of interims stated that the pressure to deliver services for central and local government as part of the government’s commissioning debate was also proving difficult.
In light of the skills shortage, interim managers are being hired increasingly by charities to provide senior business expertise. It's not surprising then that 8 out of 10 interims feel as confident or more confident about their employment prospects in the third sector this year, compared with 2007.
According to 40% of interims polled, the job roles most in demand were turnaround business experts and general managers, followed by fundraisers (18%) and project mangers (14%). Interims are also being hired for an increasingly diverse range of assignments. The most popular assignments in recent months were change management and turnaround projects according to 42% of the poll; while 14% of interims were called upon to help raise funds and 11% to bid for government funding and negotiate contracts.
The variety of roles on offer however, is welcomed by the majority of interim managers - 43% feel that the stimulating nature of the work is the top benefit of working as an interim, with 19% stating that working in a caring industry with people who share their values is the biggest attraction of working in the third sector.
Almost half the interims polled (49%) feel that the biggest drawbacks of life as an interim is working away from home and having to stay in B&Bs, while others complained about the lack of acceptance from team members.
So what makes a successful interim manager in the third sector?
According to the poll, the top three attributes needed most by interims to ensure successful assignments were having:
· people-focused skills
· the ability to lead
· the ability to project manage.
Stephen Brooker, chairman of the Charities Practice for Russam GMS, states:
“Third sector organisations in the UK are under increased pressure to become more commercial; to raise additional funds and deliver new services as part of the government’s commissioning debate. However, one of the major barriers to achieving these goals is an overwhelming skills shortage at all levels, as highlighted in the research.
“Given the shortage of skills, many more organisations than in previous years are turning to interim management as a solution. Interims have the commercial know-how and experience to drive turnaround projects, manage change, bid for funding or negotiate complex contracts – the very experience that is often missing. They can also be hired on a part-time basis and for short-term projects so they can be the ideal solution for charities on small budgets. We are confident that there will be no let up in demand for Interims in the sector this year,” he concludes.
About Russam GMS
Russam GMS is the longest established mainstream provider of interim managers in the UK, is a founder member of the Interim Management Association and of the international Taplow Group.Russam and has a specialist Charities business division.
Charity sector turns to interims as skills shortage takes hold - 05/14/2008
Interim managers are receiving an increasing amount of work from the charity sector as a result of limited budgets and a lack of senior business expertise.
Research performed by interim services provider Russam GMS shows that 82% of interim managers believe there is a major skills shortage in third sector organisations. Unsurprisingly, a similar proportion are as confident or more confident about their job prospects in this sector in 2008, compared to last year. Interims are most in demand as business experts and general managers, and their most common recent projects are change management and turnaround assignments.
Stephen Brooker, Chairman of the Charities Practice for Russam GMS, states: “Given the shortage of skills, many more organisations than in previous years are turning to Interim Management as a solution. Interims have the commercial know-how and experience to drive turnaround projects, manage change, bid for funding or negotiate complex contracts – the very experience that is often missing. They can also be hired on a part-time basis and for short-term projects, so they can be the ideal solution for charities on small budgets. We are confident that there will be no let up in demand for interims in the sector this year.”
Mentoring Service for New Interim Managers Launched by InterimWomen
25/04/2008 09:19:00
A new, free of charge mentoring service for women starting out as Interim Managers is being launched today by InterimWomen www.interimwomen.co.uk – a new business forum, sponsored by Russam GMS and Cedar TM, which promotes women into Interim Management and Interim Management to Women.
Interim Managers can apply online for a mentor through the Interim Women website www.interimwomen.com. They simply need to contact: editor@interimwomen.co.uk stating that they are new to Interim Management and the area in which they live. They will be sent the details of an experienced Interim Manager who they can contact for guidance, advice and support, either face-to-face or by email and telephone. Their mentors will be able to talk them through how to get started in their own careers, provide tips and advice on marketing and networking and also provide invaluable insight into their experiences of working as an Interim Manager.
Marta Matajz, Chair of InterimWomen says, “Mentoring is an essential part of career development in any business, but it is particularly useful in Interim Management. Starting out as an Interim is a big step – leaving behind any permanent role can be a big risk and new Interim Managers need guidance about how to get started and to learn about the realities of working as an Interim Manager. Our experienced mentors will provide advice and a great sounding board for new Interims to ensure that the leap into the Interim world is not too daunting.”
Other Interim Managers will be able to meet and network with fellow Interims at the InterimWomen events, which are scheduled throughout the year. To date, they have been held in London, but it hoped that regional events will be added to the programme soon. It is also hoped that regional support networks will develop from the mentoring service. A full programme of forthcoming events is available at www.interimwomen.com.
“Interim Managers work at a very senior level; they are often the only Interim working in a company and are sometimes expected to know all the answers. They can feel isolated and under pressure. We also know from our research that they relish the opportunity to talk to other Interim professionals who understand their challenges and with whom they can share ideas and best practice – our mentoring service aims to connect these women,” Marta added.
Third sector
Study shows charities use more senior interim staff. By Andy Ricketts
16 April 2008
Charities are increasingly drafting in senior staff on short-term contracts to manage specific projects and rescue struggling initiatives, research suggests.
In a survey of 110 interim managers working in the voluntary sector, carried out by recruitment consultancy Russam GMS, 24 per cent said the roles most demanded by charities were to "turn around projects".
A further 14 per cent said "project management" was most in demand and 18 per cent named fundraising as the most called-for. Eighty-two per cent said there was a skills shortage in the sector.
Stephen Brooker, chair of the charities practice at Russam, said charities were increasingly taking on short-term staff in high-level roles. "It means the charities can employ somebody they could not otherwise afford or be able to attract," he said.
Tom Hamilton, a self-employed interim manager based in Glasgow, said he was getting more enquiries from charities. "I've done a few bits and pieces, but charities still don't get interim managers in nearly as much as private sector companies do," he said. "I feel they're a bit frightened of the private sector approach. Charities take things a bit slower." Hamilton said cost was still a barrier for charities. "I think it's likely that people involved in charity work will actually use interim managers more because they're starting to realise that the job gets done faster," he said. "The problem is that people just don't like the price - the cost per day of an interim manager is pretty expensive, so that can be an issue."
New networking site launched for female interim managers
Published: Monday, 31st March 2008
A website aimed at promoting women working as interim managers has been launched.
InterimWomen, at www.interimwomen.com, hopes to support women already working in such positions, as well as encourage more female executives to become interim managers.
Industry news, tips from those working in the industry, research, event listings and success stories, will be some of the topics included on the site.
According to interim management provider Russam GMS, who are sponsoring the website, there are far fewer women than men in the profession at present.
Marta Matajz, the chair of Interim Women, said: "[There is] still a large imbalance between the numbers of male and female interims and this is something we want to change through InterimWomen. We want more women to embrace the exciting opportunities that exist for Interims in the current business climate."
She went on to add that one of the key goals was to encourage networking and provide a level of support for Interims, "as it can be a lonely profession".
Charity Times
April 2008 - The long and the short of it CHARITY-TIMES
While interim managers may traditionally be seen as temporary replacement, often operating in extenuating circumstances, their potential goes far beyond this. Emily Ford finds out how these short-term experts could provide long-term benefits
It is sometimes hard to admit that you can’t do everything yourself, but charities ignore a skills gap at their peril. Public service delivery is a case in point. It’s no secret that the government wants to involve more charities at a local and national level: Gordon Brown’s recent £515 million settlement was the biggest of its kind. As a result, many charities are considering bidding for contracts for the first time.
But becoming commission-ready is not always straightforward. The language is confusing and the funding landscape constantly changing. It’s also fiercely competitive.
“Charities need to put themselves in the moccasins of understanding what commissioners want, as opposed to what they want to give them,” says Peter Maple, a senior lecturer in marketing and strategy at London South Bank University (LSBU) who specialises in charities. If you haven’t got the skills to do this in-house, you may need to look outside.
What is an interim?
Step forward, the interim manager. As the name indicates, these are temporary experts who come in for three to six months on average. Traditionally brought in to cover high level absence such as maternity leave, surprise resignations or sackings, they are increasingly being used to deliver special projects, according to Stephen Brooker, head of charities practice at Russam GMS, an interim provider to the third sector.
So could interim managers be used to prepare bids for funding contracts? Most interims share certain characteristics: extensive management experience, good communication skills and the ability to pick things up extremely quickly. Going in as part of the management team, they are usually overqualified and can be expected to perform from day one, get the job done, then leave. “We’re not maintenance managers, we’re problem solvers,” says Tom Hamilton, an interim finance director.
By contrast, permanent fundraisers are difficult to recruit. Consultants, while also short term, are less hands-on and better suited to giving advice than managing a project. “Consultants are more worried about keeping the client happy,” Hamilton says. The injection of an interim’s expertise is a way to kick-start a new process, he says, whether in finance, business development or HR. “Whatever the job is, there should be no question about whether they can do it.”
Why use an interim?
For small and medium-sized charities, securing funding is “like the search for the Holy Grail,” says Rachel Youngman, an interim chief executive. Many lack the commercial or finance skills needed to prepare contracts within budget.
Interims, meanwhile, often hail from the private sector. “Someone commercially minded can bring that missing dynamic. It’s an investment that can reap huge rewards,” Youngman says. Most have several elements to their portfolio.
“Get them to write the bid but use them to think about future strategy working with the board, who may not have business experience.”
Russam’s Brooker says interims can often put together a template for future bids. “The methodology of the costing and the way you respond to a tender will stay with the charity. Picking up those skills as an organisation is never going to be a waste of time.”
These skills are difficult to acquire alone. “Everyone gets bamboozled by overhead costs,” Brooker says. “The arithmetic can be tricky – some contracting bodies allow overheads, others don’t. A good finance director will test what can be charged to which contract.” He advises getting an interim in before deciding whether to bid. In the case of a shortfall, charities need to work out whether they can sustain a loss before they dip into reserves. “Charities come to us in a muddle because they can’t understand why it’s costing so much,” he says.
Learning to bid properly can require a charity to redefine its mission, LSBU’s Maple says. Many charities have trouble espousing the case for support in a way that the funder understands.
Organisations with experience of bidding mistakenly presume that they know how to do it. “They may have been preparing statutory allocations for years but still not understand the case for support – they trot out something that ticks the boxes.” Interims, on the other hand, ask the awkward questions. The new perspective often turns up unexpected savings, he says.
Of course, interims don’t come cheap – day rates at Russam range from £300 to £600 plus, more than twice the price of a regular employee. But a badly prepared bid wastes time and resources. A more expensive interim can also be worth the extra cost. “The work will be higher level, faster and with better insight and experience,” Brooker says. And, it is worth noting, that many will negotiate below commercial rates for charities.
Avoiding pitfalls
“The voluntary sector is not good at using interims,” says Maple. He cites a failure to capitalise on the experience or sustain the benefits. “The danger is that people are employed to prepare a big bid, they get it, but there’s no one to manage the process and report back. Two years later the charity’s back in the same situation,” he says.
Being risk averse can be a problem. If an interim isn’t seen to deliver, charities become nervous and pull the plug, Youngman says. “They want to see cheques rolling in straight away. But it’s unrealistic to think interims will bring in vast sums of money in a very short space of time.”
Not every bid can be won, so see attempts as part of a portfolio, says Maple. “You need to invest in order to build capacity and expertise.” He is currently interim head of major gifts at Crisis, the homelessness charity, hired to help put together a £60 million capital project with a large statutory element. It was unsuccessful, but he remained with the charity to integrate what was learned.
Other pitfalls include a poorly defined brief, reluctance to work with interims, and overlooking practicalities such as desk space, Youngman says. While interims do occasionally turn out to be unsuitable, a good agency will vet candidates and replace them if it’s not working.
Using interims effectively
Rainbow Trust, a charity that provides support for children with terminal or life threatening illnesses, wants to deliver more public services. “We need statutory funding if we are going to expand,” says Anne Harris, the charity’s director of care services. Futurebuilders, the government backed fund, turned down a bid for full investment but awarded a development grant to look at which services they could deliver. The charity was aware that it didn’t have the expertise to do this and called in an interim.
“It was more cost effective to bring in someone short-term than muddling around in the dark or going on training courses,” Harris says. The interim is turning services into ‘packages of care’ that they can sell, based on numbers and outcomes. “Local authorities and primary care trusts need to purchase a measurable package. Historically we have never described our care like that.”
Interims are not caught up in the history of the organisation. “It’s refreshing to have somebody say “I don’t care if this is how you’ve always done it,” she says. A tight, time-limited brief set clear goals. “Whether we win the statutory bid or not, we are going to be in a better position. It can only strengthen our confidence in presenting to different providers.”
Last year the Neurofibromatosis Association (NFA), which helps those with the genetic disorder, met to discuss whether the charity had a future. It is the only service of its kind and helps fund NHS advisers, but goodwill donations were proving unsustainable, so it advertised for an interim with experience of bringing charities back from the brink. “It was a risk that was proper to take in the circumstances,” says Maria Toman, the charity’s chair.
Within two weeks the interim had secured £20,000 in emergency funding. “She knows how to walk the walk, use the right language in bid applications, use persuasive arguments,” Toman says.
Integrating an interim requires careful management. “Staff quickly pick up that things are not running ideally and feel de-motivated wondering what is going to happen.” Toman says. She made a point of keeping everyone informed at each stage and says the interim has generated renewed enthusiasm among employees.
While private sector knowledge is useful, the NFA chose an interim with a charity background. “It’s not about being sympathetic, it’s about being aware of the challenges that the new commissioning framework presents for those working in the public sector,” Toman says.
She hopes the interim will provide a foundation for future bids. “A good interim manager will leave a legacy that the charity can build on and change the way it works for the better.”
InterimWomen
The first Network for Women Working as
Interim Managers Launches
28/03/2008 09:40:00
InterimWomen, www.interimwomen.com, a new forum promoting women working as Interim Managers, sponsored by Interim Management Provider Russam GMS and Talent Management specialist, Cedar TM is launching today.
The first of its kind in the Interim Management industry; InterimWomen will support women working as Interim Managers and aims to encourage more female executives to become Interim Managers.
Russam GMS believes there is a real gap in the market for a support network for women working as Interim Managers. There are far fewer women than men in the profession at present and it hopes that the forum will not only promote the benefits of working as an Interim, but help readdress this issue and achieve a more equal gender balance in the industry.
The website will provide a resource for women working as Interim Managers and those who are starting out in the profession. It will include industry news, tips from those working in the industry, research, event listings, guides for getting ahead in Interim Management, as well as success stories.
A new mentoring service will also be central to the InterimWomen initiative. Those new to the profession will be able to apply online at www.interimwomen.com for an ‘interim buddy’ and will be put in touch with up to three experienced Interim Managers in their area. Practice will vary but Mentors will provide advice and a great sounding board to ensure that the leap into the Interim world is not too daunting. This service is free, but Interims should bear in mind that Mentors would be helping because they want to and for no financial reward.
Marta Matajz, the Chair of Interim Women and Director of Client Liaison for CEDAR Talent Management states, “More women than ever before are becoming Interim managers, seeing it as a great way of combining a stimulating and challenging career with a better work/life balance. But, there still a large imbalance between the numbers of male and female interims and this is something we want to change through InterimWomen. We want more women to embrace the exciting opportunities that exist for Interims in the current business climate.”
“One of the key goals is to encourage networking and provide a level of support for Interims as it can be a lonely profession. We will host a series of networking events - the next one being a breakfast seminar on 10th April at The Athenæum club in London so that women in the profession can meet and share their ideas and exchange experiences.”
At the event on 10th April 2008, board level Interim Manager, Carole Harden will be sharing her experiences of life as an Interim working in diverse organisations such as HM Revenue and Customs, Thales Aerospace, Laura Ashley and Metlife/Citgroup.
Carole will provide advice on how Interims can start out successfully and tips on how to switch seamlessly from the private sector into the public sector or vice versa. She will talk candidly about the major challenges that Interims face on assignment and how to overcome them, as well as advising on how to successfully jump on the ‘moving train’ that sums up life as an Interim Manager.
InterimWomen
T
he first Network for Women Working as
Interim Managers Launches
27th March 2008
InterimWomen, www.interimwomen.com, a new forum promoting women working as Interim Managers, sponsored by Interim Management Provider Russam GMS and Talent Management specialist, Cedar TM is launching today.
The first of its kind in the Interim Management industry; InterimWomen will support women working as Interim Managers and aims to encourage more female executives to become Interim Managers.
Russam GMS believes there is a real gap in the market for a support network for women working as Interim Managers. There are far fewer women than men in the profession at present and it hopes that the forum will not only promote the benefits of working as an Interim, but help readdress this issue and achieve a more equal gender balance in the industry.
The website will provide a resource for women working as Interim Managers and those who are starting out in the profession. It will include industry news, tips from those working in the industry, research, event listings, guides for getting ahead in Interim Management, as well as success stories.
A new mentoring service will also be central to the InterimWomen initiative. Those new to the profession will be able to apply online at www.interimwomen.com for an ‘interim buddy’ and will be put in touch with up to three experienced Interim Managers in their area. Practice will vary but Mentors will provide advice and a great sounding board to ensure that the leap into the Interim world is not too daunting. This service is free, but Interims should bear in mind that Mentors would be helping because they want to and for no financial reward.
Marta Matajz, the Chair of Interim Women and Director of Client Liaison for CEDAR Talent Management states, “More women than ever before are becoming Interim managers, seeing it as a great way of combining a stimulating and challenging career with a better work/life balance. But, there still a large imbalance between the numbers of male and female interims and this is something we want to change through InterimWomen. We want more women to embrace the exciting opportunities that exist for Interims in the current business climate.”
“One of the key goals is to encourage networking and provide a level of support for Interims as it can be a lonely profession. We will host a series of networking events - the next one being a breakfast seminar on 10th April at The Athenæum club in London so that women in the profession can meet and share their ideas and exchange experiences,” she added.
At the event on 10th April 2008, board level Interim Manager, Carole Harden will be sharing her experiences of life as an Interim working in diverse organisations such as HM Revenue and Customs, Thales Aerospace, Laura Ashley and Metlife/Citgroup.
Carole will provide advice on how Interims can start out successfully and tips on how to switch seamlessly from the private sector into the public sector or vice versa. She will talk candidly about the major challenges that Interims face on assignment and how to overcome them, as well as advising on how to successfully jump on the ‘moving train’ that sums up life as an Interim Manager.
UK manufacturing lacks management skills
27 March 2008
The greatest skills gap in the UK manufacturing sector lies in general management, research suggests.
In a survey of 400 interim managers specialising in manufacturing, commissioned by interim management provider Russam GMS, 86% of respondents said there is an industry-wide skills shortage. More than half believe that the greatest skills gap is in general management.
One in five also thought that employees with change management skills were needed, and 18% felt there was a lack of good project management skills in the industry. Respondents also bemoaned a lack of skilled employees.
John Wilson, head of manufacturing practice at Russam GMS, said: "One cause for concern is the significant skills shortage which appears to be particularly pronounced at managerial level.
"While this is good news for interim managers in terms of generating good employment prospects, it is an issue that needs addressing now if UK manufacturing companies want to retain their competitive edge," he said.
Skills shortage challenges UK manufacturers
A major skills shortage, tight profit margins and the threat of low cost offshore manufacturing are the top three challenges for the UK manufacturing sector this year according to a survey of 400 interims managers specialising in manufacturing.
According to the survey, commissioned by interim management provider, Russam GMS, 86% claimed there was an industry-wide skills shortage and over half believed that the greatest skills gap was in general management. One in five also thought that employees with change management skills were needed, and 18% felt there was a lack of good project management skills in the industry.
When asked what issues are worrying managers working in manufacturing the most, 35% stated that it was tightening profit margins; whilst 34% said that low cost off-shore manufacturing was the most significant threat. Increased EU regulations, a lack of skilled employees, rising interest rates and reliance on export markets were also causes for concern.
Interim managers are, however, pretty optimistic about the future of UK manufacturing: a third of Interims are more optimistic about the industry’s prospects in 2008 than 2007; 45% feel as positive as they did last year, whilst just 22% believe that the outlook looks worse this year.
In terms of industry sectors, 51% of respondents felt that aerospace was particularly buoyant; 49% predicted that the pharmaceutical industry would experience strong growth; whilst 40% of interims stated that both the food industry and the chemical industry were set for excellent growth in 2008.
John Wilson, head of manufacturing practice at Russam GMS commented: “The significant skills shortage appears to be particularly pronounced at managerial level. Whist this is good news for interim managers in terms of generating good employment prospects, it is an issue that needs addressing now if UK manufacturing companies want to retain their competitive edge in the future.”
Skills shortage identified in manufacturing industry
27/03/08 | 00:00
A report, by interim management firm Russam GMS, found that almost 90% of interim managers believe there is an industry-wide skills shortage, with over half adding that the greatest skills gap was in general management.
One in five said employees with change management skills were needed, and 18% claimed there is a lack of good project management skills in the industry.
This may be down to financial pressures: over a third of managers working in manufacturing said tightening profit margins were worrying them, while another third added that low cost offshore manufacturing was their biggest concern.
John Wilson, Russam’s head of manufacturing, said there were clearly challenging times ahead. “The fact that two thirds of projects last year focused on business growth speaks volumes,” he said.
“The significant skills shortage is one cause for concern, and it appears to be particularly pronounced at managerial level.
“While this is good news for interim managers in terms of generating good employment prospects, it is an issue that needs addressing now if UK manufacturing companies want to retain their competitive edge in the future,” he said.
The Engineer Online
Survey reveals management concerns
Monday 24 March 2008
A major skills shortage, tight profit margins and the threat of low cost offshore manufacturing are the top three challenges for the UK manufacturing sector this year.
These are some of the conclusions generated by a survey of 400 interim managers specialising in manufacturing, commissioned by interim management provider, Russam GMS.
Eighty-six per cent of interim managers claimed there was an industry-wide skills shortage and over half believed that the greatest skills gap was in general management. One in five also thought that employees with change management skills were needed, and 18 per cent felt there was a lack of good project management skills in the industry.
When asked what issues are worrying managers working in manufacturing the most at present – 35 per cent stated that it was tightening profit margins; whilst 34 per cent said that low cost off-shore manufacturing was the most significant threat. Increased EU regulations, a lack of skilled employees, rising interest rates and reliance on export markets were also causes for concern.
Interim managers are, however, optimistic about the future of UK manufacturing. A third of interims are more optimistic about the industry’s prospects in 2008 than 2007, 45 per cent feel as positive as they did last year, whilst 22 per cent believe that the outlook looks worse this year.
This positive outlook could be attributed to the fact that 75 per cent of interims worked on projects in 2007 that helped business start-ups or existing businesses grow and develop. This is a far higher percentage than Interims who worked on downsizing projects (36 per cent) or in off shore or outsourcing projects (33 per cent).
In terms of industry sectors, 51 per cent of respondents felt the aerospace was particularly buoyant; 49 per cent predicted that the pharmaceutical industry would experience strong growth; whilst 40 per cent of interims stated that both the food industry and the chemical industry were set for excellent growth in 2008.
John Wilson, head of manufacturing practice at Russam GMS said, ‘Whilst there are clearly challenging times ahead for UK manufacturers in terms of dealing with tough competition from overseas manufacturers and tight profit margins, interim managers are highly confident about the outlook for the sector and the fact that two thirds of their projects last year focused on business growth speaks volumes.’
‘One cause for concern however, is the significant skills shortage which appears to be particularly pronounced at managerial level. Whist this is good news for interim managers in terms of generating good employment prospects, it is an issue that needs addressing now if UK manufacturing companies want to retain their competitive edge in the future,’ he added.
NEWS & FEATURES
Major skills shortage to hit manufacturing industry. By Mike Barnard
A major skills shortage is one of the top challenges facing the UK manufacturing industry this year.
In a survey of 400 interim managers by Russam GMS, 86 percent claimed there was an industry-wide skills shortage with the largest gap in general management.
However, they are optimistic about the industry’s future - a third believe prospects are better in 2008 than 2007 and 45 percent feel at least as positive as they did last year.
In terms of manufacturing sectors, 51 percent of respondents felt the aerospace was particularly buoyant; 49 percent predicted the pharmaceutical industry would experience strong growth and 40 percent of interims stated both the food industry and the chemical industry were set for excellent growth in 2008.
John Wilson, head of manufacturing practice at Russam GMS said: "Whilst there are clearly challenging times ahead for UK manufacturers in terms of dealing with tough competition from overseas manufacturers and tight profit margins, Interim Managers are highly confident about the outlook for the sector and the fact that two thirds of their projects last year focused on business growth speaks volumes.
"One cause for concern however, is the significant skills shortage which appears to be particularly pronounced at managerial level. Whist this is good news for Interim Managers in terms of generating good employment prospects, it is an issue that needs addressing now if UK manufacturing companies want to retain their competitive edge in the future."
Stepping into the breach
By Andrew Macleod on March 11 2008
Despite its obvious advantages, such as flexibility, variety, and handsome financial rewards, interim management (IM) has not been a popular career choice for many female executives who have preferred to stick to the corporate grindstone.
But a sea change is about to occur, predicts sector pioneer Charles Russam, chairman of the agency that bears his name, Russam GMS, and founder of the Interim Management Association, the industry‘s representative body.
He calculates that fewer than 20 per cent of IM assignments go to women partly because they account for so few managers.
“That seems to me to be wrong,” he says, pointing out that a new website that goes live next month will help redress the imbalance. www.InterimWomen.com will provide a source of information for women already established as IM professionals, or considering a foray into the field.
Interim HR expertise
Of course, IM shouldn’t be viewed as an easy option – just one that is more flexible and interesting. Practitioners often alternate IM placements, commonly of 6-12 months, with consultancy work that helps to keep their skills relevant and sharp.
One such is Jacquie Findlay, an HR professional who now operates as HR4U and has found herself in demand in the past applying her expertise in the aftermath of a business merger.
“Once a merger or acquisition has been completed for all the right business reasons, it can become obvious that the managers already in situ aren’t the right people to take the business forward,” she explains.
Seamless change is required of the interim manager stepping into the breach, with sensibilities to be considered and frequently ticklish HR problems to address.
“I have been involved in mergers where a lot of my work has been ensuring a smooth transition,” says Findlay. In these circumstances, the interim manager might have as little as three or four days to master the controls of the business and get it on an even keel, and must have the necessary skills in place.
“An interim manager needs to bring a lot of expertise to the party. IM is not a tool for developing your skills – you have to have them already,” she adds.
“You keep up to date with the latest developments, and with what is happening in the business world at large, in between assignments.”
Work-life balance
Before launching herself as an interim manager, Rachel Youngman was deputy executive director of the International Bar Association. Rachel Youngman Consulting was established in 2003 and specialises in providing the skills of a CEO to the not-for-profit charity and public sectors.
“I felt I had gone as far as I could in my job, which required a big time commitment and involved a lot of international travel,“ she explains. “It was my life choice to set up on my own.”
Youngman adds: “Interim management is not a stop gap for me, it’s my career. I am running my own business, which gives me the flexibility I want. I can choose when to put my foot on the accelerator, and when to brake.
“The rewards are good, but the work is hard and there is a lot of networking required to ensure the next assignment is always in sight.”