Expertise for hire

HRconsultantAoife Stokess p e n t 2 0years work-ing in the fi-nancial ser-

vices sector with employersthat included Ulster BankMarkets andGECapital.How-ever, after taking a careerbreak to have children, Stokesfound herself at a crossroads.She wanted to re-enter theworkforce, but without the in-flexibility of full-time employ-ment.Instead, Stokes decided to

put her years in HR to gooduse by working as an interimmanager (IM).That was two years ago.

Since then, she has worked foreight months with a large cor-porate firm as project managerof aHRtalent programme andwill shortly finish a 12-monthcontract as interim chief execu-tive of a healthcare company.Stokes describes interim

management as different fromtraditional temping because itinvolves experienced execu-tives who are employed in tem-porary roles for three and 12months.‘‘You would describe inter-

im management typically as ashort-term assignment with aspecific purpose,’’ she said.‘‘The company might need anIMor have a particular projectthey need someone external toworkon.’’

Irish market

In a difficult economy, interimexecutives, hired on a project-by-project basis, can bring im-portant skills to companies un-able to afford a full-time hire.InterIM Executives brought

interim management to the Ir-ish market in 1998. DeirdreO’Shaughnessy, the company’sgeneral manager, said thepractice was still very much inits infancy here.However, a report published

by the UCD Michael SmurfitGraduate Business School in2009 found that interest in in-terim management was pick-ing up among Irish employers.Using an online survey of 85

IMs and interviews with IMs,chief executives and HR man-agers, the study found that in-terim management was anestablished and growing re-source for organisations look-ing for senior manager ialexperience.It said the industry had

grown significantly in the fiveyears to 2009, as companieslooked for more flexible em-ployment options.It also found that interim

management was in greateruse in the private sector than

in public and not-for-profit or-ganisations, and that firmstended to take on IMs primar-ily for business improvements,short-termprojects and changemanagement.‘‘It is a fast and effective way

of bringing senior manage-ment into an organisation for apredetermined amount oftime, whether that is to imple-ment proje c t s or plug amanagement gap,’’ s a idO’Shaughnessy.

What it costs

Inter im managers usuallycharge daily rates of betweene600 and e1,000.They are classed neither as

employees of the companythey are working for, nor asemployees of any agency orthird party involved in arran-ging the placement.Instead, they typically set up

limited companies, of whichthey are directors, and chargethe companies they work foron the basis that they are pro-

viding a service.‘‘It is quite a cost-effective

means of engaging senior ta-lent in an organisation becauseclients are only required to payfor the actual days worked bythe manager,’’ said O’Shaugh-nessy.‘‘For organisations it is an

ideal solution because it givesthem immediate access to avery immediate skill set in avery short space of time.’’

Freshperspective

By engaging an interim man-ager, Stokes believes employerscan gain a valuable fresh per-spective on how their businessoperates.‘‘They are getting somebody

who has worked in differentsectors and companies, whohas a breadth and range of ex-perience andwhooffers a freshperspective.Very often, the IMcan come in and challenge thestatus quo, but do it in such a

way that it doesn’t cause mis-trust among staff,’’ she said.In order for an inter im

placement to be successful,O’Shaughnessy advised thatboth the IM and the companyagree a job description andspecific goals at the outset.‘‘From the IM’s perspective,

it is imperative that they arevery clear about what the ob-jectives are for that particularassignment, what they are re-quired to deliver and by whenthey are required to deliver it,’’she said.‘‘It is very important to hit

the ground running, so theyneed to be effective from dayone.There isn’t the luxury of alearning curve that you wouldhave in a full-time permanentposition.’’The organisation, in turn,

should employ an IM who is agood fit with the company’sculture and should communi-cate all relevant details of thehire to employees throughoutthe organisation. If this is notdone properly,there is a dangerthat employees who do not un-derstand the IM’s role may notaccept them.

Career IMs

O’Shaughnessy said a growingnumber of talented executiveswere opting for careers in inter-im management.‘‘Most of our IMs have 20-

plusyears’ industry experience.Many have worked in pre-Cel-tic tiger times, so have that ex-perience to bring to bear forcompanies which are strug-gling in the current environ-ment. They can be a valuableaddition to any business,’’ shesaid.According to the UCD re-

port, four out of five interimmanagers are male. They areprofessionally qualified and,on average, have between 16and 20 years of professional ex-perience behind them.The report also found that

although many had held im-portant positions in their for-mer full-time careers, theywanted to work in an interimcapacity because they wel-comed the opportunity it gavethem to enter new and diverseprofessional situations.To be successful, Stokes be-

lieves, career IMs must have ahigh level of emotional intelli-gence. ‘‘You have to adapt tonew environments very easilyand quickly.You have to get onwell with people and developrelationships quickly, but alsobe able to develop them per-ceptively,’’ she said.

Deirdre O’Shaughnessy, general manager, InterIM: interim managers can bring a fresh perspective

CAREERS & RECRUITMENTEDITED BY ELAINE O’REGAN e-mail: eoregan@sbpost.ie

Interim managers can get projects started or deliver a skill setwithout the need for a lengthy hiring process, writes LindaDaly

& Ulster Bank has appointedJim Brown to the position ofchief executive. Brown joins fromRBS Asia, where he was chiefexecutive of retail and commer-cial markets for three years. Hewas also head of consumerclients with ABN Amro for fouryears.

& Adrian Grey is the new grouphuman resources director ofMusgrave Group. Grey joins fromUniversity College Cork, wherehe was director of humanresources and organisationaldevelopment for two years. Priorto that, he was human resourcesdirector with Kerry Group for 13years.

& Siemens Healthcare hasappointed Patrick Doherty tothe position of regional health-care account manager for Lein-

ster. Doherty was previouslyaccount manager with HospitalServices for two years andsenior radiographer with StVincent’s University Hospitalin Dublin for six-and-a-halfyears.

& Lisa Dolan is joining GaeliteSigns as key account manager.Prior to this appointment, Dolanwas account manager with ThePop Company for 13 monthsand graphics applicator withGaelite Signs for eight years.

movers &

SHAKERS Jim Brown Adrian Grey

Lisa Dolan

A chartered management accountant, PaulTierney has worked in a broad range ofinterim roles over the past 13 years, but hisexit from the traditional world ofpermanent employment was unintentional.Tierney returned to Ireland in the late

1990s, having worked in business systemimplementation in Britain for a number ofyears. His first role at home was as aninterim manager for just over a year. Twoweeks after completing his first 12-monthassignment, Tierney was employed inanother interim position.‘‘That went on for 18 months and I

generally liked the work and the model itentailed, so carried on seeking interimassignments right up to today,’’ he said.Tierney is typically called into

companies to fill a gap, whether it be as aresult of maternity or sick leave, thesudden departure of a full-time staffmember – or to fill a skills gap on a project.He has worked for companies such as

Diageo, Brown Thomas, DHL andGlanbia, in a range of financial, projectmanagement and IT implementation roles.‘‘It is very satisfying. While full-time

staff might get that through various annual

reviews, for interim managers it is nice toknow that you can bring your successes todifferent companies and differentindustries and your next challenge is justaround the corner,’’ he said.Tierney’s has been an eclectic career

across a range of industries, with themajority of his interim roles lasting for aperiod of one to two years.‘‘The variety and challenge of the work

is truly the big attraction for me. You aremoving on to challenging roles in differentcompanies in different industries andmarkets,’’ said Tierney.‘‘The other part of it is the flexibility

that is associated with the work. You candecide to do something, or plan a break, inbetween assignments.’’In 2009, for example, Tierney took five

months out to train as a certified mediator.While he continues to work on a piece-

meal basis for two former clients, however,Tierney said that the recession had hitdemand for project-led IMs hard.‘‘Companies seem to be second-guessing

or waiting to see how things settle downwith the economy, before they take on full-time interim managers,’’ he said.

Paul Tierney, interim manager: eclectic career in a range of industriesTONY O’SHEA

Patrick Doherty

Acareer of filling gaps

m11THE SUNDAY BUSINESS POSTAPRIL 3 2011