Strategic Interim Leadership Brings Stability and Transformation to People and Culture Function at Regional Council
The Brief
A regional council faced significant challenges in its People and Culture function, marked by immature systems, policies, and procedures.
With the recent appointment of a new CEO, the need for an experienced Interim Executive Manager of People & Culture became evident to stabilize and enhance the function while a long-term solution was found. The priorities for the incoming executive included leading the People, Culture, and Safety function, supporting the CEO during his transition, collaborating with the executive team on change initiatives, driving employee engagement, and providing operational leadership of the People and Safety function.
Increase in General Management Skills
According to the American Management Association, only 14% of businesses consider themselves “well prepared” to handle a sudden loss in senior management. Add to that the fact that it takes at least four months to fill an executive role, and an Interim Executive experienced in operations makes a lot of sense!
Increase in Customer Experience Skills
These days experience is everything. What truly makes for a good experience? Speed. Convenience. Consistency. Friendliness. And human touch. Our Interim Executives deliver a great experience while improving your customer experience!
Increase in People & Culture Skills
Organisations are constantly changing as they respond to internal and external pressures. Continual process improvement can enable team engagement and lead to growth. Interim Executives bring fresh eyes and effective industry best practice to the execution.
Increase in Data Analytics
Complex challenges require critical thinking and in the age of information-overwhelm it is imperative to have analytical minds at the table. These skills range across finance, data science, systems and more. An Interim Executive can be the right person to optimise your inputs to maximise your output.
The Process
Given the remote location of the council, the search leveraged extensive networks and connections within the Chief People Officer and Executive Manager People & Culture levels across various sectors.
The strategy included a targeted search within similar-sized public sector departments and large corporate entities known for their robust People & Culture functions, along with a national online advertising campaign to attract high-caliber candidates. Regular updates and progress reports were maintained to ensure transparency and alignment with the council’s needs. Candidates with senior-level experience reporting directly to a CEO and working with executive teams in similar roles were sought. Over 80 formal applications were managed, and ten candidates were shortlisted for panel interviews based on their fit with the council’s requirements and their track record in similar roles.
Emerging Capabilities
Human Resources (HR)
Managing the HR functions, including recruitment, employee relations, benefits administration, and compliance with labour laws and regulations, ensuring the organisation's workforce is well-supported and aligned with its strategic objectives.
Human Capital Management
Overseeing the strategic management of an organisation's workforce, including talent acquisition, retention, development, and succession planning, to ensure that the organisation meets its goals effectively.
Workforce Planning
Forecasting and planning for the organisation's future workforce needs, aligning talent strategy with organisational goals, and ensuring that the right people with the right skills are in the right roles at the right time.
HR Strategy
Developing and implementing HR strategies that support the overall business strategy, focusing on areas such as employee engagement, organisational culture, leadership development, and change management.
HR Transformation
Leading the redesign and modernisation of HR processes, systems, and strategies to better align with organisational goals and improve overall efficiency, employee engagement, and service delivery.
The Outcome
The appointed Interim Executive Manager People & Culture brought over 20 years of experience in leading People & Culture functions in public sector organisations. Their expertise in organisational transformation and strategic vision made them ideal for the council.
The interim executive stabilized the People & Culture function, supported the CEO during the transition, and drove employee engagement initiatives. Their leadership brought immediate stability with new systems, policies, and procedures. The interim executive’s support was instrumental in helping the CEO navigate the transition, ensuring alignment and collaboration within the executive team. This appointment underscores the value of a strategic approach to interim executive search, highlighting the ability to find candidates who drive significant positive change.
