Interim executives capable of making much needed cost savings in the public sector are a “breed apart”, according to Tony Shearing, director at  buying solutions interims supplier of Interim Executives IMS Executive.

IMS Executive surveyed 2,000 interim executives with public sector experience  and found that of those in the £500 to £900 day-rate bracket, 53% would consider cuts of between 10% and 24%. The average reduction was 14%.

But Shearing says: “Interim executives are a breed apart from permanent staff. They have unique skills, insight and experience in change
and project management and the key benefit is you acquire an individual who is accountable for delivery.”

Mike Hollin, head of public sector practice at Alium Partners, told Recruiter: “We have a hugely experienced amount of interims in the health sector and public sector organisations helping to implement change and transfer their cost-cutting skills into organisations at present.”

Gary Cawton, managing director of public sector at Russam GMS, adds: “There is a whole generation of public sector individuals that have not been through such a deep recession.

“We have interims that have experience of the recession of the 1980s who can bring a sense of calmness but hit the ground running and deal with rationalisations, headcount and shared services.

“There are pressures on rates. Cost savings have to take into account the cost saving the individual is responsible for and within that the sensitivity on price is much less.”