Interim Finance Recruitment | Interim Management

With an ongoing skills shortage across the country, companies are increasingly looking to interim people solutions. Whether it’s helping with a systems implementation, closing out a year end, improving MI, or just a straightforward maternity or gap cover. Whatever your interim requirement, Headstar have operated in the interim market for over 30 years and can quickly and effectively resource your need.

Trusted by industry leaders

Finance interims

For many businesses, the move into the interim market is unknown territory. It can be easy to assume that the person you need doesn’t exist, but there is a growing body of people forging a career as a finance interim. We make it our business to know these people and have also advised and helped newcomers to the market.

"Faultless service in challenging circumstances, both the interim staff and candidates for the permanent positions are all first class. I would not hesitate to recommend Headstar."

"When I have recruited, for either permanent or temporary positions, the whole team at Headstar take care to understand my requirements and only put forward those candidates who they feel fit the brief, ensuring that they explain exactly why they have chosen them, which has resulted in a successful appointment each time."

How our process works

Interim assignments are not the place to learn on the job. You won’t want any surprises and need someone with the skills and acumen to start delivering from the outset.

Having been placing interims into businesses since the 1980s, Headstar can advise on who is available and what our experience of those individuals is. On most occasions, we are able to introduce a candidate with whom we have worked on many assignments previously.

We can therefore consult with confidence on their abilities to deliver on specific tasks, and support that with client references

The interim market operates in a very different way to the permanent candidate market, and our experienced consultants can explain the dynamics in more detail, helping to manage your expectations throughout.

Our pricing is completely transparent and in most cases we recommend an “all-in” hourly or daily rate. We then manage all administration on your behalf and act as a sounding board to the interim candidate while they are on assignment.

Our interim finance recruitment network

Given our mix of experienced consultants and inhouse Finance Directors, finance interims not only find it easy to deal with Headstar, they also benefit from access to our wider network. This can help enormously when presented with a client challenge with which they may have limited experience of. We regularly organise learning events and networking opportunities for our interim network, so that they can learn from those around them and have access to additional skillsets should they need them.

Industries we work in

Some client assignments require specific industry knowledge, while others may focus more on the business challenge. In both cases, it’s likely that we can introduce the right candidate for the issue faced.

We have built a network of interims with a broad range of industry knowledge. Ranging from software and technology to heavy engineering, our consultants can provide candidate profiles that match your requirement.

Case Studies

A newly recruited Finance Manager suddenly being signed off sick meant that this owner managed business needed urgent support. Headstar were able to send in one of our Interim Financial Controllers the very next day to both reassure the owner that their workforce would still be paid that week and that normal operations across the business would continue without interruption. During this period, our Interim Financial Controller was able to identify efficiencies and bring historic records up to date whilst running the day to day finances. The owner also requested our contractor to stay on for a few days a week after the initial contract, in a more senior role, to provide oversight and guidance into the future.

At the time, a high-profile, private equity-backed, turnaround operation and now, a Yorkshire success story. The sector was under significant pressure from rapidly changing consumer spending habits and increased competition as more business moved online. The future of bricks and mortar retail looked uncertain and the bigger players in the market struggled to adapt, with several household names going under. Within two weeks the Chief Restructuring Officer had a shortlist of 6 pre-screened Interim CFOs with retail backgrounds from Headstar’s interim division and was able to appoint soon after the interviews. An extensive cost cutting programme and store rationalisation project led by the CRO and Interim CFO team stabilised the business, saving over 600 jobs and provided an appropriate platform which led the business back to healthy profits. The Interim CFO agreed to stay on as a permanent member of the executive team.

The Finance Director for this private equity-backed compliance services business needed a reliable Interim Finance Director to cover her maternity leave. With a bright and aspiring Financial Controller and junior team underneath, the focus was on people management skills as much as it was strategic finance. Our Interim Finance Director was able to embed themselves quickly, establishing relationships with everyone in the finance team and senior figures across the business. They also played a key role when the senior team opted to merge operations with their sister company mid contract, to provide greater efficiencies. Even though this meant the nature of the contract changed significantly, our Interim Finance Director worked with the Finance Director in the sister company throughout this transition period, managing risk and advising on best practice before handing over.

James Roach

Managing Director
Executive Search

Simon Webster

Director
Advisory & Portfolio

Need help with finance recruitment? Get in touch today

We’ll help you find the best solution for your business with the help of our experienced recruiters and qualified Finance Directors.