What is an Interim Executive

Outsourced C-Level Interim Executives are professionally qualified practitioners. They are defined as business executives in top management, who temporarily assume executive functions and who, in contrast to corporate consultants, take responsibility for their work. They leave the client once the problem is resolved and a stable new corporate management – or department organisation is established, or respectively after the relaunch of the respective strategic unit.

Outsourced C-level executives provide an unparalleled experience, allowing you the time to better manage your search for a permanent solution.

Our Outsourced C-level team offers equal or greater qualifications when compared with permanent candidates, and ensure immediate value to your organization.

We specialize in the roles of strategic CMO, CSO, COO and CEO bringing high-level strategy and tactics to your operations and finance areas of your business.

How We Work

As Outsourced C-Level Interim Executives we can be especially helpful where…

  • You start up or grow your business
  • Your key member of the executive team leaves at short notice or will be absent for a prolonged period
  • Your organization lacks relevant expertise in a specific field
  • Your project is short term and there is no need for a permanent appointment
  • Your existing staff is already working to their full capacity and additional help is required to deliver business objectives on time
  • Preparing for a liquidity event
  • Challenges with cash flow and profitability (sale of business)
  • Turnaround and restructuring of distressed or underperforming investments
  • Pre-acquisition due diligence
  • Post-transaction integration planning and implementation

We can be extremely cost effective – delivering the required results within an agreed period ensuring that relevant skills are being transferred to the permanent staff.

Arriving with clear, agreed objectives, we carry no baggage and have no political loyalties. We are free to do what’s best for your organization.

Operating at senior level we are frequently engaged for demanding leadership roles – where our change and project management skills can be applied effectively to drive challenging business initiatives.

We have the ability not only to define a problem and develop an effective strategy for its resolution but also to deliver the solution – usually together with your own staff.

Flexibility

  • Extremely short notice availability with immediate implementation of assignments– no time and cost consuming hiring procedure as in the case of permanent employment
  • Possible in full- or part-time, also adaptable during project progression
  • Short period of vocational adjustment typically from 3 – 9 months
  • Mobility at home and abroad

Quality

  • One-stop independent consultant qualification, implementation, analysis, and action plan
  • Ideally suited qualification
  • Interdisciplinary professional competence for best solutions
  • Highest standard of knowledge

Efficiency in providing solutions

  • The experience and efficiency in providing solutions which are specifically required are obtained, just as long as needed
  • As Interim Managers, we are at the same time, consultants and implementers
  • Virtually no learning curve due to (over-) qualification and industry knowledge
  • Admission of new knowledge and fresh ideas
  • Import of know-how and best practice into the company
  • Clear focus on results of the project due to previously defined assignment of tasks
  • Distinct corporate and goal-oriented sense of business
  • Direct performance measurement within a tight time and budget frame

Profitability

  • Situational prolongation or termination of the mandate
  • Contract engagement and cost controls as required with very good cost-benefit relation
  • Calculable costs – temporary commitment, only actual days worked are paid for
  • The daily fee rate of an interim manager is low in price compared to a permanent position because the following costs do not apply:
  • Fringe costs
  • Payment for holiday
  • Additional holiday pay
  • Payment in the case of illness / continued pay
  • Retirement provision
  • Status symbols
  • Company car
  • Severance costs when leaving the company (severance pay /legal advice etc.)
  • Christmas bonus
  • 13th/14th months salary
  • Bonus / share in profits /special payments
  • Social benefits and extras

As a first step in the project, we have to understand your business, your product offering, competitive advantages, perceived benefits and value for the customers, past cases, and business issues. Based on this as well as on the feedback provided by friendly customers, we will create an action plan which includes: description of the What, to Whom, Why and How, competitive situation and advantages, marketing and sales processes, teams, quarterly sales targets and objectives, as well as a description of the planned operational activities.

This first phase usually takes a few weeks, depending on the complexity of the product portfolio and the target market. In the next phase, implementation, we focus on implementing the action plan. All work is conducted as efficiently as possible to achieve the set targets and objectives.

Usually, we are able to demonstrate revenue generation and operational improvement within 6 to 9 months, depending on the market.

We don’t like wasting your time. Here we give you an idea of our fee structure upfront based on your budget needs, so you can make a real decision, even before you contact us.

Our Typical Pricing Structure:

  • Initial consultation: always free
  • Subject consultation: hourly based
  • Assessment: fixed amount, based on defined scope
  • Monthly strategy and execution advisement: fixed amount
  • Project: fixed amount, based on defined scope
  • Pay for performance: We have options for little or no up front costs. These vary by client and project but in certain instances, we will be paid only on the results and value we create. This type of structure typically involves a percentage of savings or Gross Profit increases. This option usually will be ongoing.

Have you a vision for growth?

You’re here because you want to take your company in a new digital word.

The decision to outsource a marketing function can be both strategic and tactical. Many companies have a philosophy of outsourcing any activity that is not core to their business.

Start-ups and small-to-mid-sized companies find themselves at a disadvantage with respect to strategic business marketing skill. As they grow, their marketing choices become more critical, and those decisions require a higher level of talent than their budgets can support. These organizations frequently need more strategic business marketing skill than they plan for.

Do you plan to overcome this challenges?

  • You lack a specific experience with marketing technology platforms and tools and the ability to integrate a digital lead generation, conversion, and loyalty
  • You need expertise in managing high-performing affiliate and partnership marketing
  • You need to plan, build and manage your demand generation and marketing operations
  • You want to reorganize or restore stability to your marketing department
  • You want to benchmark your marketing operations against best practices
  • You need to optimize your marketing financial planning, including annual marketing budgets, forecasting of expenses, cost tracking and work estimation

Why hire a CMO when you can rent one much faster?

Contact us to discuss how we can partner with you to support the marketing initiatives of your firm and maximize your return on investment (ROI).

You need a highly competent Interim CSO with excellent customer relationship management skills to strengthen your sales force and to drive your business?

You need to develop and drive your sales towards strategic local/regional/global sales channels?

You wish to add value to your key accounts and also you need to implement a Key Account Management program?

Do you seek to maintain low fixed costs for your company?

In today’s global marketplace, complexity and speed are certainties. In this fast-paced information age, sales projects are being initiated under tighter budgets, more demanding time constraints, and with fewer resources than ever before. Managers are expected to do more with less. In such an environment a good axiom for success is: “Do It, Do It Right, Do It Right Now.”

We operationally act as part of your sales team and will:

  • Plan market entry and sales strategy
  • Select and evaluate target markets, segments, and customers
  • Recruit, select and develop your sales force
  • Train and coach your sales team
  • Plan, manage and conduct day–to–day sales activities
  • Find and negotiate initial business opportunities with strategic key customers
  • Nurture customer relationships from day one until signing the sales contract
  • Manage and nurture the signed accounts
  • Hand over all activities to your team upon termination of our project
  • Structure your sales channel partner program
  • Validate, qualify and pursue jointly selected target sales channel partner

Develop your strategy including:

  • Identifying the major assets and capabilities
  • Developing and implementing a process for evaluating opportunities

Manage your on-going activities including:

  • Triaging all incoming opportunities
  • Developing relationships with external partners and potential partners
  • Managing the deals pipeline
  • Researching opportunities and selecting the most appropriate to be developed
  • Creating and implementing realistic business plans
  • Coordinating and managing multiple sales projects

Create your key performance metrics during the execution including:

  • Market analysis
  • Revenue planning
  • Activity forecasting
  • Achieve your annual business income targets
  • Prepare your verbal and written communications, reports and presentations
  • Stay on top of industry trends (e.g. acceptance/adoption of new technologies, etc.)
  • Other duties as required

Benefits and added value for Your Company

  • Start the work immediately
  • Increased productivity
  • Decreased training and support costs
  • Increased sales and revenues
  • Increased customer satisfaction
  • Rapid market entry with no financial risk involved
  • Experienced top-level CSO for less than it costs to hire a person
  • Guaranteed knowledge transfer to your team throughout the project
  • Clearly overview of the customer’s needs and their decision process
  • Improved sales pipeline forecast and increased revenue by winning more qualified opportunities
  • Improved sales force performance

Interested to make the next step?

Get a FREE Assessment!

Do you know the main issue that prevents companies like yours to grow?

The right answer is back office and operational infrastructure!

You have budget limitation to hire top talent, but you want the some expertise and insight that is available for big companies?

Sales Strategy Consulting has the solution for you.

We can offer you an outsourced, flexible, cost-effective COO. We will tailor a program to your needs.

As interim COO, we will identify the goals of the organization during the engagement period, develop a plan of action and rationalize the organization’s resources to achieve stated goals. We will develop cost and margin controls and manage monthly quarterly and annual financial goals. Depending upon the nature of the engagement and time frame, our services may include:

  • Corporate strategic development and planning
  • Cost reduction strategies
  • Development and implementation of growth strategies
  • Budgeting and resource allocation
  • Evaluation and reinforcement of organizational infrastructure
  • Operations optimization
  • Information systems management
  • Identification of outsourcing opportunities
  • Management of key interest group relationships, including employees, customers, vendors, and investors
  • Workflow planning
  • Process improvement
  • New product introductions strategies
  • Risk management

Let us help you improve processes, streamline operations and increase revenue bringing operational focus and discipline.

We can support your company while keeping costs down.

Chat with us to discuss the form you want to engage with us: outsourced, part-time, virtual, shared etc.

Whatever you call it, we will help you.

Do you need an Interim CEO?

Usually, entrepreneurs start a company with an idea that often needs an experienced Interim CEO to clarify, execute and monetize the concept.

An Interim CEO is responsible for the success or failure of an organization, particularly in crisis situations, when companies need a steady hand.

The interim CEO determines the company’s financial direction, goals, and results. The interim CEO works especially closely with the CFO to set up good financial measurement systems.

The reasons to hire an Interim CEO are many. The Interim CEO position offers the board of directors and stakeholders a viable alternative to finding the right CEO now. While searching for the right one can take 3-9 months.

  • An Interim CEO brings proven expertise
  • An Interim CEO is available immediately
  • An Interim CEO makes financial sense

With a focus on implementation and execution, an Interim CEO is accountable for results. Companies can access top executive talent without the cost of benefits packages, long term contracts other perks associated with a full-time hire. Instead, the focus is on solving challenges immediately, so a company can realize a positive financial impact.

The most common reasons to hire an Interim CEO:

  • Crisis management
  • Direction change needed
  • New technology implementation
  • Turnaround and restructuring
  • Succession planning

An Interim CEO can accelerate the transition strategy. This would include:

  • Helping the board develop a communications plan
  • Launch new initiative, product or services
  • Optimize financial performance
  • Optimize overall strategy
  • Reassuring the staff that the board is implementing
  • Coaching board members about their expectations
  • Helping the board and staff assess strategies for high risk
  • Responding and acting upon personnel issues
  • Assessing the organization’s operational effectiveness
  • Providing focused training to help staff and the board properly align their priorities
  • Working closely with staff to address issues that have negatively impacted the transition
  • Coaching and assisting the board with recruiting a new CEO, particularly with designing and implementing a transformative leadership strategy to help ensure a smooth and successful change

Are you ready to make the next step?

Get In Touch!