Rutherford Cross’ latest ‘Navigating the World of Interim’ roundtable brought together senior finance professionals to explore the realities, opportunities and challenges of interim and fractional careers. Led by Fractional CFO, Mairianne Stewart, the session explored the practical realities of stepping away from permanent roles, developing a sustainable interim or fractional portfolio, and taking ownership of career direction.
From Permanent Leadership to Interim Flexibility
Mairianne shared her personal journey from senior permanent roles into interim and fractional finance leadership. Having qualified with CIMA and spent nearly 12 years at Scottish Power, progressing to Head of Internal Audit, Mairianne later held senior finance roles within Financial Services. A period of illness ultimately became the catalyst for reflection and change, prompting a move away from permanent roles and the Financial Services sector, and into interim work.
A consistent theme was the reality that no permanent job is ever truly permanent. Rather than rushing into another long term role that may not be the right fit, interim work offered Mairianne the opportunity to create variety, make a quick impact and enter new industries.
Why Interim Works
Interim and fractional roles were positioned not as a risk, but as a deliberate lifestyle and career choice. Key benefits discussed included:
- Greater variety across sectors and challenges
- The ability to deliver value quickly and visibly
- Strong, partnership based relationships with CEOs and founders
- Increased autonomy and control over career direction
- Improved work life balance, with the ability to prioritise downtime between assignments
Attendees were encouraged to see interim work as a way to test new sectors and operating environments without the long term commitment of a permanent role. Mairianne also noted that interim experience often becomes the natural pathway into fractional work: the latest ‘buzz’ word and an increasingly attractive option for senior finance professionals.
Finding Your Niche and Saying “No”
A major takeaway from the session was the importance of finding the right niche. Mairianne spoke about naturally gravitating towards technology and biotech businesses – sectors that matched her pace, appetite for change and desire to work with growing companies.
Participants were advised to reflect on:
- The type of clients and leadership teams they enjoy
- The pace and complexity they thrive in
- Whether they prefer turnaround, growth or steady-state environments
Importantly, it was reinforced that it is okay to say no to permanent roles, to the wrong interim opportunity or to work that doesn’t align with your values or long-term goals.
Branding, Visibility and the Power of LinkedIn
The conversation also highlighted the importance of personal branding and maintaining a strong LinkedIn presence. Mairianne shared that once she reframed her LinkedIn profile to clearly reflect her fractional offering, the quality of inbound opportunities improved significantly.
Mairianne’s key advice included:
- Be clear about the problems you solve
- Use LinkedIn to demonstrate capability, not just availability
- Stay visible, even when busy (momentum matters)
- Share insight, perspective and personal interest – not just job changes
The group discussed how finance professionals can sometimes be narrowly positioned within certain sectors or traditional career paths, and how intentional personal branding can help counter this and create broader opportunities.
What Clients Look for in an Interim
From a hiring perspective, Mairianne reinforced that technical expertise alone is not enough. The most successful Interims demonstrate:
- Confidence without ego
- The ability to stay calm under pressure
- Flexibility and resilience when plans change
- A mindset geared towards problem solving and delivery
- Curiosity – asking the right questions and engaging stakeholders quickly
One of the biggest challenges for organisations remains finding individuals who can truly hit the ground running, making mindset and adaptability as important as prior experience.
Final Thoughts
The session concluded with networking and open discussion, leaving attendees with a clear message: interim and fractional careers are no longer a fallback option, but a respected and strategic path for senior finance professionals seeking impact, flexibility and control.
If you’re interested in learning more about a career in interim finance or attending a future event, please contact the Rutherford Cross Interim team. Our events programme provides an excellent opportunity to connect with like-minded professionals and gain practical insights from industry experts: [email protected].
