Interim Leadership: A Temporary Role, A Lasting Impact
- Lauri Vihonen
- Mar 13, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 28, 2025
Interim procurement leadership is often seen as a temporary fix—a bridge between permanent hires or a short-term solution to tackle urgent challenges. But what if the principles that drive interim success could also serve as a blueprint for long-term procurement transformation?
Over the years, I have fine-tuned an approach that ensures:
✅ A rapid start – Getting up to speed quickly and making an impact from day one.
✅ Sustained value creation – Delivering tangible results throughout the assignment.
✅ A smooth transition – Ensuring that knowledge, processes, and impact remain after I step away.
And the key insight? This model isn’t just for interim professionals—it works just as well for permanent procurement leaders.
1. Rapid Start – Accelerate from Day One
In interim roles, time is of the essence. The first 5-7 days are crucial in setting the foundation for success. The key steps:
• Align expectations – Clarify business objectives and procurement priorities.
• Understand the landscape – Map key stakeholders, challenges, and opportunities.
• Define early wins – Identify quick-impact actions that build credibility and momentum.
• Draft an initial roadmap – Set a direction that combines strategic goals with executional clarity.
🔹 Long-term leadership lesson: Why wait months to ‘get familiar’ with an organization? New procurement leaders should embrace the rapid start mindset—analyzing the landscape swiftly and taking action early.
2. Plan & Structure – The Foundation for Sustainable Procurement
Even in a fast-paced environment, structure matters. In interim roles, I quickly develop a roadmap that provides both a strategic vision and operational clarity. This includes:
✅ A one-page plan outlining the current state, objectives, initiatives, KPIs, and risks.
✅ Roles & governance—Who is responsible for what? What decision-making structures are in place?
✅ Key procurement processes—Ensuring alignment with business priorities and best practices.
✅ A data-driven approach—Leveraging spend analysis and supplier segmentation for informed decision-making.
🔹 Long-term leadership lesson: Clarity and structure shouldn’t depend on an individual. Strong procurement organizations document their strategy and governance so that leadership transitions don’t disrupt momentum.
3. Execute & Adapt – Strategy in Motion
No plan survives first contact with reality. Execution must be dynamic, allowing for continuous learning and adaptation. Key principles in this phase:
✔️ Actively monitor progress – Track performance, identify bottlenecks, and adjust tactics as needed.
✔️ Embed procurement into daily operations – Procurement should not be a separate function but an integral part of business strategy.
✔️ Lead change management – Ensure buy-in from stakeholders and suppliers to sustain long-term impact.
🔹 Long-term leadership lesson: Procurement transformation is not a one-time project—it requires a mindset of continuous improvement. Leaders must embed learning into the organization and evolve strategy as the business changes.
4. Handover – Ensuring Lasting Impact
For an interim leader, success isn’t measured by what happens during the assignment but by what remains after the role ends. The final phase is about securing continuity and embedding capabilities:
• Documenting processes, insights, and recommendations.
• Ensuring stakeholder buy-in for ongoing initiatives.
• Supporting leadership transition to a permanent hire.
🔹 Long-term leadership lesson: If interim leaders ensure smooth handovers, shouldn’t permanent leaders also focus on building systems that last beyond their tenure? Procurement organizations thrive when knowledge, strategies, and processes are well-documented and transferable.
Key Takeaway from Interim Leadership: Build Procurement to Outlast Individuals
Procurement transformation should never depend solely on a single person—whether they are an interim leader or a permanent hire. By applying the structured interim approach to long-term procurement leadership, organizations can build resilience, agility, and lasting impact.
💡 What if every new procurement leader embraced an interim mindset—focusing on fast execution, structured governance, and long-term impact from day one?
The best procurement organizations are those that create systems, not dependencies.
🚀 How does your organization ensure procurement success beyond individuals? Let’s discuss!
Comments