An interview with Liz Sinclair, key account director for Interim Partners
What’s your background?
The first half of my career was spent in marketing and commercial roles with companies such as Tesco (where I started as a graduate trainee), BT and Barclays - for a while I specialised in customer loyalty, having been part of the Clubcard launch team in Tesco. I also have experience in areas such as insight, customer service and marketing communications
However, the more recent part of my career has been all about recruitment - I joined Interim Partners from Tyzack Executive Search where I led the Consumer practice for the last three years.
Why did you choose interim management as a career?
I moved into interim relatively recently as a natural transition from my time in search – primarily due to my view that the traditionally held approach towards employees/headcount and recruitment generally is changing. Probably due to the deep recession we’ve been through, companies have been forced to consider alternatives to replacing ‘like-for-like’ when a role becomes vacant. Firms are more open generally to developing a core of committed permanent staff who are passionate about the brand , with an outer circle of specialists who can be brought in on an ad hoc basis as need dictates. In this way, overheads are reduced, permanent staff are better rewarded and business issues are dealt with swiftly by people who are experts in their subject.
What areas do you recruit for?
To some extent, I am a jack of all trades and am looking for good quality interims across all disciplines. Depending on market activity, I will work across finance, risk, change and HR – at the moment roles which have featured quite heavily deal with the regulatory issues for banks and insurance companies surrounding Solvency 2 and Basel 3. Candidates with good quality project and programme management skills are always in demand too.
What do you find most satisfying?
I love the pace of the work. Being sent a brief and finding a candidate to fit the bill in a day or two’s turnaround is both energising and fulfilling. Also, knowing when that candidate has entered the client’s business, that they will make a real difference in a very short time.
How are you finding the interim market?
I think with this question it always depends who you talk to. Some service providers are busier than others, and that can have as much to do with the quality of the service provided as the state of the market. It definitely picked up again after the summer break as everyone went back to school and we are seeing specific demand in some niche areas where demand outstrips supply. The market has remained strong for us throughout the recession, though, which must be a good sign for the state of the interim market.
Personal details
Guilty pleasure?
A glass or two of prosecco relaxing in front of Saturday night reality TV.
Favourite Sunday pastime?
It would have to be running through the woods on a cold sunny day with an uplifting playlist on my iPod, and then relaxing in front of a children’s classic on TV with my family.
Your passions?
Friends, family and fresh air.
Your personal motto?
Carpe diem!