Interim Leadership
Interim plant managers and COOs who have held the seat.
An empty seat costs more every week it stays empty. We can have an experienced operator on the ground in 72 hours, full time, usually for 3 to 6 months.
While you search
Who runs the plant while you search?
A permanent search takes time the plant may not have. The schedule, the customers and the people still need decisions every day. An operator in the seat makes them while you find the right hire.
- Someone who has held the same seat, not a consultant learning the job.
- A successor ready when they hand it back.
The search and the seat, side by side
| Track | Who | Month 1 | Month 2 | Month 3 | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Search for the hire | You | Open | |||
| Operator in the seat | Infinity | Running | |||
| Handover | Both | Planned | |||
Our record
Hold the operation, or move it.
Sometimes the job is to keep the operation running while the search goes on. Sometimes the business needs more from the seat: an improvement, or the capacity to absorb growth.
- Results measured in our clients' numbers.
What the operator delivers
| What you need | Our track record |
|---|---|
| Maintain the operation | The plant keeps running while the search goes on |
| Make an improvement | Every interim improvement role has recovered the lost performance and the financial losses |
| Absorb growth | Delivered on time and under budget |
The seats
From plant manager to COO.
Everyone we send has done the job, so the time goes to your plant and not to learning the role.
- Full time, usually for 3 to 6 months.
- For food and beverage, CPG and industrial manufacturers, and the investors who own them.
Which seat is open?
| Seat | When we usually get the call |
|---|---|
| Plant manager | A sudden departure, or a plant that has outgrown its leader |
| VP of operations | Several plants slipping, with no one leading them as one |
| COO | A sudden exit, or a sale or merger that changes the job |
| Quality head | An audit coming, or findings piling up |
| Maintenance head | Downtime climbing, with no one owning reliability |
How it differs
A leader in the seat, not advice from the side.
A consultant or a search firm can each be the right call. When the seat is empty today, neither one runs the plant tomorrow.
- The operator makes the daily decisions.
- It ends when your permanent leader is ready.
Interim operator, consultant or search firm
| Consultant or search firm | Interim operator | |
|---|---|---|
| How soon | When the project is scoped, or when the search ends | On the ground in 72 hours |
| What you get | Advice, or a permanent hire at the end of the search | A leader running the seat now |
| Who decides each day | Your team | The operator in the seat |
| When it ends | When the project or the search is done | When your permanent leader is ready |
Led by an operator
Our founder, Assad Mirza, has run operations for Fortune 500 manufacturers and private equity-backed platforms, including an 18-plant platform. He is accountable for every engagement.
About our founderCommon questions
Something else? Ask an operator
How quickly can an interim operator start?
We can have an operator on the ground in 72 hours.
How long do interim roles last?
Usually 3 to 6 months.
What is an interim plant manager?
An experienced plant manager who steps into an open seat for a defined period, runs the plant full time, and hands it to your permanent leader.
Which roles do you fill?
Seats from plant manager to COO, including VPs of operations and heads of quality and maintenance.
How is this different from a consultant?
A consultant advises and your team decides. An interim operator holds the seat, makes the daily decisions and answers for the results.
Does this replace our executive search?
No. You keep running your search. The operator keeps the plant moving while you find the right person, then hands over.
Who takes over when the operator leaves?
Your permanent hire or an internal successor. Part of the job is leaving a successor ready.
What if the plant also needs a turnaround?
An operator in the seat can lead it. See plant turnarounds
Everyone on the job has done the job
Who is in the seat on Monday?
Tell us which seat is open, and an operator will reply. We reply within one business day.