Rutherford Cross – Quarterly Senior Finance Interim Roundtable

Rutherford Cross ran its quarterly Senior Finance Interim Roundtable in early June with a mix of attendees including experienced interims and finance professionals who are considering the interim market for the first time.  Derek Lauder shares some insights from the discussion. 

Market Overview

After introductions there was a brief overview of the interim market so far in 2022. The Public & Not for Profit, Financial Services and FMCG/Manufacturing sectors continue to lead the demand for Senior Finance interims, followed by Renewable Energy, Construction, Tech and Pharma. Three quarters of the vacancies in the interim market have been for Financial Controller, Financial Accountant or Finance Business Partners.

There have also been a higher than usual number of Interim Finance Director requests. The high demand for interims has been linked to the exceptionally busy permanent market and a number of improvement projects across the sectors.

It was highlighted that over 40% of placements in the Financial Accountant and Finance Business Partner space had been filled with candidates who had relocated to Scotland from overseas and how positive an impact these candidates were making in their new assignments.

Networking for your Next Role

There followed a short discussion on the benefits of LinkedIn to those on the interim market. Following companies that you are interested in and liking and commenting on similar will maximise the relevance of content on your feed. Key words are very important to being found by internal or external recruiters (if you want to be) making sure that key skills are mentioned on your profile and also using ‘interim’ or ‘available’ if your current role is nearing completion.

Mutual connections with potential hirers can also be beneficial. LinkedIn is not for everyone but there continues to be significant benefits for many, especially those on the interim market, when sourcing opportunities.

 

After a brief update on IR35 and the continued use of Ltd Co’s for interims the call came to a close with a positive outlook on the interim market for the rest of this year.

If you are interested in finding out more about the Senior Finance interim market in Scotland please do not hesitate to get in touch with [email protected] or [email protected].