A professional interim executive is a seasoned association, nonprofit or philanthropic executive (e.g., CEO, COO, CFO) who is committed to working with organizations during times of transition. The role of an interim executive is different from that of a typical long-term executive in that s/he must address operational and strategic issues as well as issues related specifically to the transition. TMC's professional interim executives are excellent operations managers, skilled in managing change, and sensitive to the human dynamics during the transition period.
TMC's professional interim executives are interested in making transition management their career and not executives who are seeking full-time employment. Our client contracts prohibit our interim executives from being candidates for the successor positions. This gives the interim executive more objectivity and enhances the interim executive's ability to share with the board of directors his or her candid assessment about the organization's operations, governance, and relationships without concern for long-term employment consequences. We selectively recruit, qualify, and engage key executives to serve as interim CEO, interim COO, interim, CFO, and transition consultants.
The key skills and characteristics of an excellent interim executive include:
- Empathetic leader who leads by example
- High level of self-awareness with an ability to subordinate ego needs,
- Ability to ask for help and support, and ability to accept help and support; works well with others,
- Willingness to learn,
- Commitment to transparency; highest ethical standards,
- Tolerance for ambiguity and conflict, flexible,
- Ability to appropriately manage and balance risk,
- Likeable with a positive attitude, an ability to motivate others, and engender trust,
- Intuitive with an ability to make decisions without having all of the data,
- Diplomatic, excellent communication skills, e.g., listening, speaking, writing, and presenting,
- Change management, group process, facilitation, counseling, coaching or mentoring skills, and
- Ability to travel in order to meet the needs of the client.
Ideally, an interim executive and transition leader is a seasoned association executive with multiple experiences in associations and nonprofits and who has experienced personal transitions, such as a death, divorce, illness, that have enriched their life. They truly desire to be a transition leader and consultant, not merely filling time between permanent jobs. They should have a stable personal life and the personal financial flexibility and independence that support them as a consultant and while not essential – it can be helpful if the person has previously been a consultant. Preference is given to executives who hold a Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE).
If you believe this describes you, please submit a current resume to us. In your cover letter, please describe why transition work appeals to you, what prepares you to do transition work, and whether you have previously served in an official role as an interim manager and a description of that work.
