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Demand for interim managers continues to increase

With the number of available interim management professionals continuing to rise on the Belgian labour market, employers have increasingly come to favour specialised interim managers to fill skills gaps.

Which profiles were most in demand and how will recruitment activities evolve in 2018?

Olivier van Outryve summarises the latest trends and his expectations for the year to come.

The interim management job market continues to prosper

Over the last year alone, the number of interim managers on the Belgian labour market increased by 11%*. The bulk of interim management recruitment came from the finance sector in 2017. Outside the finance discipline, interim management professionals were sought by HR departments to fill roles such as HR managers, business partners and compensation and benefits specialists. In supply chain, demand was highest for supply chain managers, logistics managers and operations managers.

In diverse sectors such as pharmaceuticals, automotive, aeronautics, airport services and retail, interim managers were in high demand to oversee improvement projects or process optimisation, using specific experience and skills.

The majority of interim management assignments remains in finance, but we have also noticed a significant demand for HR and supply chain & logistics interim managers.

While the number of candidates prepared to offer their skills on an interim management basis rose, there was still an insufficient supply, as employers increasingly came to favour the use of interim managers to fill skills gaps and oversee specific projects.

Outlook for 2018

In 2018, demand for interim management specialists will remain high as employers continue to turn to seasoned interim managers who are able to provide quick results and start a new project within a short notice. The bulk of demand will come from finance and HR for candidates who can oversee change management and cost optimisation projects. Despite the high demand for interim management talent, day rates are expected to remain largely stable.