Thoughts from an Interim Manager
An interview with Rob Wilkinson, an Interim Manager in the FMCG sector
Rob, people get into Interim Management for a variety of reasons. How did you start and what were you doing beforehand?
I graduated with a degree in engineering and progressed through a Management and Technical training programme in manufacturing. I then moved into consultancy to broaden my sector experience before taking an operational role which led to opportunities to lead increasingly complex business development and change initiatives. These have involved operational performance improvement, process change, engineering, IT systems, service centres and logistics change, across a range of sectors. I moved into the Interim market three years ago and have found it to be a greater source of interesting opportunities than any one organisation could provide.
You have a broad experience of working in challenging business environments but what attributes do you think Interims need to succeed?
A client's need for an Interim Manager is often driven by an acute business issue. An ability to listen and relate your experience to the client's situation is critical to gaining the contract. My priority is then to build relationships quickly, clarify what the issues are and bring people together to agree and deliver a solution. Having the personal skills to work flexibly with the organisation, with the ability to handle a lot of information and be able to build and communicate a vision for the future are important for succeeding in the assignment and positioning yourself for any further opportunities.
Getting to grips with a business quickly is vital for an Interim. How do you go about doing this?
The pressures at the start of an assignment to "do something" are usually very intense but it is also vital to take every opportunity to meet people, understand their priorities and put into place the systems and processes to manage the longer term delivery of the solution. This approach then allows me to communicate the issues and potential solutions clearly, which builds confidence with the client, improves decision making and often leads to the role being extended or expanded.
What do you look for in a new assignment?
An Interim's track record of delivery is vitally important for their future. So when taking on a role I am looking for confirmation that success is of equal importance to the client and that they are willing to commit themselves to achieving the objectives. Then, from a personal perspective, the more complex the assignment is in terms of people, technology and change, the better!!
What advice would you give to someone thinking of a career in Interim Management?
Recognise that working as an Interim leads to a different life style to many regular jobs. The variety of assignments and organisations is very enjoyable. It is also important to be comfortable depending upon your own resources to build networks, find opportunities and maintain a positive approach between assignments. Being involved with professional organisations in related areas, such as the Association for Project Management (APM), is a great way to maintain your own development and meet new people.
What do you enjoy outside of Interim Management, and how do you manage the work/life balance?
Time between assignments provide the opportunity to balance out the very intense periods of work. I look forward to these periods to pursue my own projects and interests in sailing and climbing. This time restores my personal balance and I am then ready for the next assignment.