Sally Meecham

Interim IT Consultant

Risk Taking for Beginners

Mini CV

• 89-92 BA Hons Graphic Design Leeds• 95-99 Set Designer – employee• 99-01 Founder/Manager Traveldonkey.com –

entrepreneur• 01-05 Cabinet Office, Digital TV project and East

Sussex County Council, Broadband Programme – Interim Manager

• 06 Transport for London, e-Consultation scoping study – Associate

• 07 NHS, Telecoms Framework and IPS, Remote Communities – Interim Manager

Employment Types

• Employee – sick leave, pension, annual salary• Consultant – Big 5, Delloite, KPMG, Andersons, Earnst

and Young, PricewaterhouseCoopers – Full time employee, different assignments

• Associate – Work for agency but go on assignment as a team, fixed day contract

• Interim Manager – Freelance, min contract -3 months, daily rate

With last 2 types you may require• An Accountant• To be VAT Registered• Limited Company• Umbrella Company

What is an Interim Manager

• Buy in a skills• Hit the ground running• Specialist in your field• Project Manager, Technical Architect, Tester Strategist, Programme

Manager, Business Analyst, Stakeholder Engagement• E-Government, Energy, Health, Finance, Public Sector• Register with an agency- Capita, Glotel, Tribal, Parity, Serco• Visit websites such www.exec-appointments.com,

www.jobserve.com or Google ‘Interim Managers’• Have a good, standout CV• Keep in regular contact with the agency – (soul destroying…)• Know your price!• Women Interim Managers network – www.interimwomen.com

Benefits of Interim Management• Lucrative, attractive day rates• Expenses through company, travel, IT equipment, food and drinks• See how different organisations work• Freedom to take time off – Flexible• Always learning – multi skilled/tasked• Trusted – Respected• Imparting knowledge to permanents• 5 day contract termination period• Agencies find you work• Opportunity to travel• Competitive• Creative, dynamic, maverick• Not respect/care about grades• Stressful• Exciting!

Risks of being an Interim Manager

• You are alone, no union, no rights, the buck stops at you• Limited support/guidance• Burn out!• Possible long periods without work• Not understanding your worth• Long periods away from home• IR35• Not seeing a project through to conclusion• Seeing your good work being trashed• Unscrupulous agencies• Permanent staff angry/jealous/unhelpful• 5 day contract termination period• Agencies find you work• Opportunity to travel• Accepting unacceptable situations through fear….• Competitive• Stressful

Approximately 10% of interim staff are women*

• Very few women IT consultants over 45• It is not a gender issue – but… ‘women are less likely to

take risks’• Women do not like to negotiate money• It just reflects the number of women in IT• IT Consultant does not accurately reflect most jobs

*russam-gms.co.uk