Becoming an Interim Manager: Career in Project and Change Management

What could motivate someone to become an interim manager with a specialized skill set in project and change management? Let’s examine market and financial incentives, as well as personal and lifestyle factors, to evaluate this career opportunity before considering the skills necessary for success.

Interim Management Market

The market volume of Interim Management reached 3.08 billion Euros in 2024, according to the recently published market study by the Association of Interim Management Professionals (AIMP) (2025, p. 21). This study focuses on the DACH region (D=Germany, A=Austria, and CH=Switzerland). Germany holds a €2,437 million market share, Switzerland has €395 million, and Austria accounts for €257 million. It is reasonable to assume that over two-thirds of all project interim managers are closely linked to project management. In 2024, 21% of projects were classified as “classic project work,” 18% as “restructuring,” and 27% as “change management” (AIMP, 2025, p. 28). Currently, there are approximately 13,600 Interim Managers in the DACH region (AIMP, 2025, p. 22). This figure represents a fraction of the total worldwide market. It can be inferred that about two-thirds of the business of interim managers in each country’s market is substantially linked to project management and change management. 

With daily rates for interim managers at €1,302 in Germany, €1,210 in Austria, and €1,644 in Switzerland, and with over 130 days billed on average annually (AIMP 2025, p. 19), this could be an attractive career opportunity for you. You can do the math yourself!

Those interested in the Interim Management Market in this region can find an overview of the study at 20th AIMP Market Study on the Interim Management Market in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland (Singer, 2025).

Understanding Interim Management

Interim management involves appointing experienced executives or specialists for a fixed period to lead critical initiatives, fill leadership gaps, or manage transformational change. Unlike consultants, interim managers assume operational control and are held accountable. 

The interim manager is typically a self-employed “one-person business” or a “sole proprietorship” with no employees. This presents challenges when managers from larger corporations transition into interim management roles. They are used to operating with considerable support from other business functions. Additionally, when they do not come from an operative marketing or sales function, they are not accustomed to selling themselves or their business. Nevertheless, some interim managers collaborate in groups to acquire contracts. This mitigates the challenge.

The location for delivering a project is usually not where the interim manager resides. As a result, the work involves considerable travel and staying in hotels away from family. Weekends are typically spent at home. The client covers travel costs. This arrangement is appealing to some, but for others, it can be a dealbreaker for the job.

Personality and Lifestyle

So, based on the information above, who should become an interim manager?

Aside from relevant experiences and a suitable skill set to deliver the services, you should consider the following. Over the years, there will be times when you have too much to do, followed by periods when you worry about where the next contract will come from. If you derive your energy from holding a prestigious position in a company, this is not the job for you. Yes, you will work with and lead others, but once the job is completed and it’s time to celebrate, you will move on to the next project. Others will take credit for your work. You need to be self-motivated and find energy in a job well done. 

On the upside, you will enjoy more private time as an interim manager than if you were in a corporate engagement.

What about personal risk? As an interim manager, you will be more exposed to risk doing your projects than a comparable internal manager doing similar work. To a certain extent, this can be mitigated by D&O Insurance (Directors and Officers Insurance).

But what about the risk of being out of a job and having no projects? If you don’t have a project as an interim manager or are unable to work due to illness or other constraints, no money will be generated. Having a corporate job seems to be the safer bet, at least in the short term. The concept of job security versus career security is relevant in this context. Interim managers have very little job security; their position typically lasts only as long as the project does. This can be anywhere from a month to several years. Regular employment at a corporation tends to lead you to believe that this job is forever. The company will take care of you! But this is a matter of the past in North America and Europe. Most countries in South America, Africa, and Asia have never had it. The only exception is Japan in Asia.

In short, given the current business challenges, there is little job security, and the focus should shift toward improving career security. The key term is employability. You must keep your skill set up to date within the context of a plausible career narrative.

Skills

What skills are needed for an interim manager focused on project and change management? I will keep this brief and concise. The skill wheel provides an overview.

First are your skills in your functional core competence. These may include finance, human resources, information technology, marketing, and others. Typically, it’s one discipline or perhaps two. Project management, including PMO, and change management follow. These represent your hard skills. The subsequent skills enable these hard skills. 

Cognitive and soft skills

🔹 Self-Management
🔹 Learning and Personal Change
🔹 Communication and Negotiation
🔹 Networking and Collaboration
🔹 Cross-Cultural Competency
🔹 English
🔹 Complex Problem Solving
🔹 Information and Communication Technology – ICT (including AI)

The cognitive and soft skills are not optional; they are a requirement. Self-management is imperative to steer yourself and maintain your health. Learning and personal change keep you employable. Networking, collaboration, and cross-cultural competency connect you to others, fostering meaningful relationships and enhancing your professional growth. English is the primary medium of communication globally. Complex problem-solving is necessary for your projects with customers. Information and communication technology, which includes artificial intelligence, is essential at an appropriate level for your work.

I encourage you to assess your skills to your business and career strategy. If you believe that your strategies are outdated or if you lack one, collaborate with qualified professionals to refresh or create them. Investing in the services of a skilled business or career coach often yields significant returns. Programs like the Certified Interim Manager – Career Workshop (Singer & Schönfeld, 2025), offered by the Future Academy of the Diplomatic Council, a UN-certified global think tank, help in developing your own business and career plan.

References

AIMP. (2025). 20th AIMP-Marktstudie zum Interim Management Markt in Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz – Sind Interim Manager die Rettung? AIMP. https://butterflymanager.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Studie-AIMP-2024-2025-Butterfly.pdf

Singer, G. (2025). 20th AIMP Market Study on the Interim Management Market in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Life and Career Design Consulting. Retrieved May 20, 2025 from https://lifeandcareer.eu/news1/20th-aimp-market-study-on-the-interim-management-market-in-germany-austria-and-switzerland

Singer, G., & Schönfeld, H. (2025). Certified Interim Manager – Career Workshop. Diplomatic Council – The Global Think Tank. Retrieved May 19, 2025 from https://diplomatic-council.org/certifiedinterimmanager