Foremost, managerial qualities are expected. An interim manager knows how to lead a team, whether it is of modest size or counts hundreds or even thousands of individuals.
As they are not intended to work in the company for an extended period, they must adapt to the corporate culture they encounter. The personal interaction between the client’s teams and the interim manager is often the primary success factor for a mission.
Assuming this interpersonal interaction is successful, the client expects proven experience in their sector or in a sector facing comparable challenges from the interim manager. For instance, a manager with experience in the pharmaceutical sector will quickly adapt to a company operating in fine chemicals. This is less true (or not at all) if the manager comes, for instance, from the automotive sector in the cited case.
The interim manager also masters all aspects of the role they will be required to fulfill at the client’s company. Most of the time, though not always, clients demand from the interim manager an even more extensive experience than the position necessitates. Such an approach minimizes risks at the start of the assignment.
Lastly, the interim manager brings methodology in addition to their professional expertise (CEO, HR Director, CFO, etc.). This methodology is often specific to the encountered context. For instance, a transitional CFO addressing a turnaround or crisis situation will have different reflexes and approaches to the encountered issues than an interim manager accustomed to high-growth contexts. And vice versa.
