An interim leader is still a selection decision. Treat it like one.
Interim and fractional executives placed through the same engine - at interim speed, without lowering the bar.
The seat is empty, the quarter is moving, and the pressure says take whoever can start Monday. That's how a bridge hire becomes an eighteen-month problem.
Urgency is real. The standard is not optional. The two are not in conflict - they just require a process designed for both.
The same engine. Compressed intake.
01
Through the engine, at interim speed.
Interim and fractional executives are placed through the same 6-Step Performance Engine we run for permanent search - with one modification: the intake is compressed because the seat cannot wait. The definition of winning still gets written. The behavioral standard still gets defined. The evidence prompts still run. The engine accelerates; it does not get bypassed.
02
Bridge versus accelerate - decide before you source.
Some organizations need a bridge: a seat-holder while the permanent search completes. Others need an accelerant - an interim who can run a program, close a gap, or assess permanent candidates from inside the role. The decision between bridge and accelerate changes the definition of winning, the behavioral requirements, and the expected tenure. We write this down before we source a single candidate.
03
The convert-to-permanent test.
The interim period is an evidence file. Every week an interim executive leads, the organization accumulates behavioral data that a six-round interview process cannot generate. We install a written 30/60/90 integration frame at the start so you know what you are watching for - and when the convert-to-permanent question arrives, the answer comes from evidence, not from impression management.
Fill the gap without lowering the bar.
Interim and fractional engagements are structured for the seat - not for the pressure. Talk to a Practice Leader about the role, the timeline, and whether a bridge or an accelerant is the right structure.
For custom engagement structures including embedded teams and project-scoped sourcing, see how we engage.
How quickly can you place an interim executive?
Timelines depend on the definition of winning and the market, but the compressed intake process we run for interim searches typically allows first qualified candidates within two to three weeks. Speed comes from a tighter intake, not from skipping evaluation.
What is the difference between interim and fractional?
Interim executives hold the seat full-time for a defined period - typically three to twelve months. Fractional executives hold a defined portion of the role on an ongoing basis, typically one to three days per week. Both are placed through the same engine. The engagement structure is different; the selection standard is not.
What happens when we are ready to make the permanent hire?
If the interim is being considered for the permanent role, the evidence file the interim period produced becomes the evaluation. We run a structured review against the original definition of winning - not an impression-based conversation. If the organization is running a separate permanent search, we can run it concurrently.
What roles do you place on an interim or fractional basis?
C-suite and senior leadership roles: CEO, COO, CFO, CHRO, CRO, CTO, and VP-level operations, finance, and commercial leaders. Roles where the wrong bridge hire creates an 18-month problem are exactly the roles this process is built for.
The gap is real. The bar stays where it is.
23 questions. About ten minutes. A scored read of where your hiring breaks.
