More and more organisations are temporarily hiring a transition manager who is responsible for one or more internal transitions. But what exactly does a transition manager do? What skills does a transition manager need to manage and what is the average hourly rate of a transition manager? Roald Keijzers regularly mediates transition managers and explains.
What does a transition manager do?
''Many organisations want to improve the core of one or more business entities, and that starts with a transition. A transition manager deals with coordinating and implementing these transitions. In most cases these transitions are complex; this means that transition managers are involved in this for a long time. After all, you are ultimately responsible for the transition and ensure that the right people carry out the work in the best possible way.''
What kind of transitions are we talking about?
''It could be a transition to a shared service centre or a matrix organisation, but also a carve-out, a setup of a new entity or a rollout of a new business strategy. In addition, organisations will face mandatory transitions in the coming years because of new laws and regulations. For example, organisations having to implement the latest version of SAP by 2026. Next to that, the number of organisations dealing with ESG is increasing . the increasing. This creates a lot of work for transition managers.''
What is the definition of a good transition manager?
''A good transition manager not only has highly developed hard skills, but also strong soft skills. You need to know how to let colleagues - both junior and senior – join the transition. Moreover, you have to keep in mind that you not only have to do this face to face, but also digitally because of the normalisation of hybrid working. In addition, a transition manager must be strong on planning, budget management and other executive tasks. You not only coordinate, but also roll up your sleeves yourself.''
What is the average hourly rate of an interim transition specialist?
''Currently, the interim rate of a transition manager is between 120 euros and 170 euros per hour, depending on knowledge and experience. I expect the hourly rate to increase soon due to the increasing demand for this group. Transition managers have a difficult, complex role and the group of experienced transition managers is quite small. Therefore, they may charge an hourly rate comparable to the hourly rate of a finance director or even a CFO. Do not be discouraged by this; consider temporarily hiring a transition manager as an investment. After the transition is completed, it will pay for itself.’’
More information
Want to know more about hiring a transition manager for your organisation? Please reach out to Roald Keijzers via Roald.Keijzers@robertwalters.com or via 06 5129 4150. Discover the average hourly rates of interim professionals or view our current interim assignments.
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