• When to Consider Hiring an External Interim Staff Member
• Advantages and Disadvantages of Hiring an External Interim Staff Member
• Qualities to Look For in an External Interim Staff Member
• Guidelines to Consider
• Points of Negotiation to Consider
• How and Where to Find a Good External Interim Staff Member

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Interim Administrator

When a major leadership position opens within an institution and a full search is not possible or desired, one option is the selection of an interim administrator. An interim administrator is someone from outside the institution who is hired to fill a specific position for a specified period of time. The purpose of this site is to provide an open forum where institutions can post their interim opportunities and prospective candidates can post their credentials. The responsibility for the search process remains with the institution. NASPA makes no claims as toaccuracy of the candidate credentials posted.

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When to consider hiring an external interim staff member:

1. The President (or division or department chair) is nearing retirement and wants to leave major restructuring to the next administration.
2. A late resignation is made by the current staff member, which leaves an inadequate time for conducting a full search.
3. Timing within the academic year is not conducive for a full search, or might not yield the best candidates. (E.g., strong applicants might not be willing to leave their institution within the academic year; resignations in December or summer might not be easy to fill before the beginning of the next semester).
4. The search to fill the position has failed and it is too late in the academic year to start a new search.
5. No internal staff member is a clear choice for the interim position.
6. Immediate resolution of leadership problems is needed
   • The department/division is not as strong as it should be.
   • There is a need for immediate on-site leadership due to issues and concerns, an impending accreditation and/or a program review by a federal or state agency.
   • An objective program review of the division/department is warranted.
7. Reorganization of the division/department is being considered, and there is a need for more in-depth analysis and/or external perspective.
8. Immediate difficult decisions and changes need to be made. These actions ay compromise new long-term department leadership.
9. An external, experienced and confidential professional could provide a perspective regarding the division/department but, that level of experience is not affordable or required for the long term.
10. Assistance with the recruitment and search process for the permanent officer, including evaluation of the candidates, is needed and could be obtained from a respected professional in the field.

The advantages and disadvantages of hiring an external interim staff member:

Advantages of an EIS:

1. Continue moving the division/department forward (including planning, budgeting, supervising, and measuring staff performance).
2. Address staff issues of competence, coordination, collaboration and conflict.
3. Resolve important issues before the permanent staff member is hired or begins.
4. Provide assistance with a search by identifying potential candidates, working with the search committee, and presenting an unbiased view of the institution, division/department to candidates.
5. Provide assistance to the President (or division or department chair) from an EIS who has no long-term relationships with colleagues.
6. Provide insight and challenge issues from a fresh point of view.

Disadvantages of an EIS:

1. Current staff may resent an "outsider".
2. Limited knowledge of the campus' mission, traditions and values.
3. The EIS hire is a "is not a good fit" and could result in an unproductive year.
4. Difficulty in addressing problems in the limited time allotted to the EIS.

qualities to look for in an external interim staff member:

NOTE: This may vary depending on the position you are seeking to fill and your institutional type, i.e. small vs. large, public vs. private, etc.

1. Significant leadership and management experience, including personnel and budget management skills.
2. Direct administrative and supervisory responsibilities in the appropriate area(s).
3. Understanding of the institutional culture and/or ability to listen and adapt.
4. Represents the perspectives needed as defined by your needs and your institutional type.
5. A trusted professional who knows what needs to be done; has good judgment and common sense; knows when to seek input before making decisions.
6. Strong communication and interpersonal skills; will keep you informed as necessary to accomplish assigned tasks.
7. Up-to-date knowledge of current trends and best practices in field specific to position being filled.

Guidelines to consider when hiring an external interim staff member:

1. Clarify and make it public regarding whether the individual will or will not seek the position;
2. Assure that the EIS is clearly qualified for the position. No one should be hired who is less qualified than a member of your own campus;
3. Clarify expectations regarding whether this is a "maintenance" year or whether the person has authority to make significant changes;
4. Introduce the EIS to the staff and others on campus. This is of critical importance and will have a lot to do with her/his success;
5. Provide the EIS with a basic grounding in the institutional culture. S/he will need to know a sense of shared purpose, values and the vision of the institution.

POINTS OF NEGOTIATION TO CONSIDER:

1. The scope of the project
   • Identify responsibilities
   • Clarify projects and dates for accomplishing
   • Clarify expectations
      
2. Define the reporting structure
   • Evaluation and supervision of the EIS
   • Staff to be supervised by the EIS and evaluation process
      
3. The cost for the entire project and/or the renewable increments
   • Salary
   • Benefits (Retirement, Vacation, Insurance). If no benefits are included, other considerations.
   • Position-related expense (meals with direct reports, team-building retreat, etc.)
   • Travel expenses from home to institution (for external interim staff member and significant other)
   • Travel to NASPA, other conferences
   • Living expenses - Housing for external interim staff member, partner, children & On-campus dining
   • Office/equipment – Location, Support staff, Laptop computer, Cell phone
   • Time commitment - part-time, full time, weekends, on call, time off, opportunity to work on other (small) consulting projects
   • Payment - Salary or monthly billing, Interim employee or contract consultant
      
4. Intentional access for the EIS
   • Identify individuals with whom the EIS should meet and get to know
   • Identify meetings s/he will attend
   • Consider the timing of the contract to cover occasional meetings, i.e. Board meetings, institutional committees. 
      
5. Consider the ownership of the work product (the institution)
    
6. Clarify responsibility for decision-making on recommendations made by the EIS that may affect the institution’s final implementation.
• Consider institutional readiness for long-term consequences
• Clarify with whom the EIS should discuss decisions that might bind the institution legally, i.e. disciplinary, personal, contracts

How and where to find a good external interim staff member:

1. Contact professional peers for recommendations;
2. Contact leaders in similar positions on other campuses for referrals of potential candidates or of other professionals who may know about potential candidates;
3. Contact NASPA and/or national professional organizations for that field;
4. Consider people within the geographic community who may have the needed traits and experiences for the position; and/or
5. Use a professional recruiting firm.