interim executive recruitment

Hire Interim CIO

Hire Interim CIO: name the technology leadership gap or change the interim will carry, the authority they need and the handover that ends the assignment.

Brief us on this role →

CIO briefChoose a part of the brief

Part 01 / 04

Assignment

Name the vacancy or technology change requiring temporary executive ownership.

Assignment

Name the vacancy or technology change requiring temporary executive ownership.

Live decisions

List the supplier, systems and risk decisions that cannot wait for the permanent search.

Authority

State what the interim can approve and what remains with the CEO or board.

Exit

Define the successor, review point and handover record from the start.

Hire Interim CIO: what must the role own?

Name the vacancy or technology change requiring temporary executive ownership.

AssignmentName the vacancy or technology change requiring temporary executive ownership.

Live decisionsList the supplier, systems and risk decisions that cannot wait for the permanent search.

AuthorityState what the interim can approve and what remains with the CEO or board.

ExitDefine the successor, review point and handover record from the start.

Role reference: SFIA 9: information systems coordination. SFIA describes coordination of information systems, shared services and technology governance; a CIO brief must still define its own decision rights.

What changes when the CIO is interim?

An interim CIO takes a defined executive assignment through a vacancy, incident aftermath or programme. The finish is a usable record of systems decisions, risks and owners for the next leader.

interimChoose a part of the brief

Part 01 / 04

Outcome

Write the transition or programme outcome before searching.

Outcome

Write the transition or programme outcome before searching.

Term

Agree the expected end, a review point and what could extend the assignment.

Authority

Give the interim the authority needed to hold the seat during the assignment.

Handover

Name the person or team who takes ownership when the interim leaves.

How would this work in a real brief?

The hiring decision becomes clearer when the work and its boundary are written down together.

Illustrative brief · a CIO vacancy during a system replacement

The outgoing leader has left while a replacement programme must choose a vendor and keep existing services stable.

The interim CIO holds the programme decision within delegated limits, tests supplier claims and records open risks.

The appointment owns

The interim CIO holds the programme decision within delegated limits, tests supplier claims and records open risks.

Another owner retains

The programme team delivers the work, security specialists own controls and the board approves any reserved investment.

How should you assess CIO candidates?

Put the same work and evidence in front of each candidate before comparing answers.

The evidenceChoose a part of the brief

Part 01 / 04

Comparable handover

Ask what happened at the end of a prior executive cover assignment and what the successor received.

Comparable handover

Ask what happened at the end of a prior executive cover assignment and what the successor received.

First-week review

Ask what systems, contracts, incidents and people they would inspect before changing course.

Contested decision

Test how they would escalate an urgent vendor or architecture choice.

Risk record

Ask how they would leave unresolved risks and decision evidence for the next leader.

Acas recommends a consistent, fair selection process: choosing who to interview.

Does this hiring pattern fit the work?

Test the amount of the week, the expected end and the continuity needed before writing the contract.

How much of the week does the work fill?

Is this a defined assignment with an end?

For a continuing part-week role, is this an employee?

The working pattern · interim

An interim CIO

An executive holds a defined assignment or transition. Agree the outcome, authority and handover before the start.

Read the interim CIO hiring brief →

What must happen before the CIO starts?

Agree the transition outcome, review point and person receiving the handover.

A clear startChoose a part of the brief

Part 01 / 04

End point

Agree the transition outcome, review point and person receiving the handover.

End point

Agree the transition outcome, review point and person receiving the handover.

Access

Provide service and supplier records, incident history, plans and budget boundaries.

Decision rights

Tell technology and operating teams what the interim may settle.

Handover log

Record live choices, evidence, risks and owners from the first review.

1
End point
Agree the transition outcome, review point and person receiving the handover.
2
Access
Provide service and supplier records, incident history, plans and budget boundaries.
3
Decision rights
Tell technology and operating teams what the interim may settle.
4
Handover log
Record live choices, evidence, risks and owners from the first review.

A useful CIO brief names the decision, the working pattern and the evidence before it names a candidate.

What should the brief say?

Hire Interim CIO begins with assignment, a stated working pattern and the evidence you will ask every candidate to show.

15 minutes · video or phone

Brief us on a CIO

Tell us what the role must own, how it will work and when it must start.

01A brief built around the decisions and working pattern.
02A shortlist of 3–5 with pay or day rate, availability and IR35 position set out.
03Five-stage vetting before a candidate reaches you.

Prefer email? Use the booking page →

Pick a day that suits · live availability

Open the booking calendar →

Hire Interim CIO

Hire Interim CIO: what must the role own?

What changes when the CIO is interim?

How would this work in a real brief?

How should you assess CIO candidates?

Does this hiring pattern fit the work?

What must happen before the CIO starts?

What should the brief say?

Brief us on a CIO

Bring the brief. We bring the shortlist.