Find the right Interim Managers in Essen in minutes from over 15,000 CVs with the power of AI
Bring in experienced interim leaders for restructuring, vacant management roles, and urgent change projects. Typical profiles cover operations, finance, supply chain, and transformation work, with a clear focus on delivery from day one. FRATCH matches you fast with vetted, available freelancers.
About the role
What they take over
Interim managers step in when leadership cannot wait. They take responsibility for a department, a project, or a transition period and make decisions that keep the business moving.
- Lead teams during vacancies, change, or crisis
- Stabilize operations and restore clear priorities
- Drive restructuring, integration, or handover phases
- Report progress to owners, boards, or executives
Typical assignments
Companies hire an interim manager when a role must be filled quickly and the situation is too important for a long search. Common cases include plant leadership, finance leadership, supply chain recovery, ERP rollouts, and organizational change.
In Essen, this often matters for industrial groups, mid-sized manufacturers, service providers, and businesses with complex local operations. On-site presence is common at the start, especially when trust, team alignment, and stakeholder management are critical.
What strong profiles bring
A strong interim manager combines calm execution with clear judgment. They know how to enter a new environment, find the real issue fast, and set up a workable plan without creating extra noise.
- Fast grasp of structures, risks, and decision paths
- Experience in change, turnaround, or transition work
- Clear communication with management and teams
- Hands-on leadership without long onboarding
- Ability to transfer knowledge before exit
Skills and tools
Interim managers often work across operations, finance, HR, procurement, sales, or IT. The exact toolset depends on the assignment, but strong professionals are fluent in reporting, planning, process analysis, and stakeholder management.
They may work with SAP, Excel-based controls, project plans, KPI dashboards, or workshop methods. More important than the tool is the ability to structure work, document decisions, and keep people aligned.
Why companies hire freelance
Freelance interim work makes sense when speed, neutrality, and seniority matter more than a long permanent hiring process. It is a good fit for temporary leadership gaps, confidential changes, or projects that need a focused operator instead of a long-term manager.
Companies also use interim managers when internal teams need an outside view. This helps when old routines block progress or when a neutral hand is needed to push difficult decisions through.
How to judge quality
Good interim managers are judged by outcomes, not by talk. They define the assignment clearly, set priorities early, and make the first weeks visible to the business.
Look for evidence of similar responsibilities, not just general management titles. A reliable interim leader asks the right questions, communicates in plain language, and leaves the team stronger than before. That is what separates solid temporary leadership from a short-term placeholder.
Meet FRATCH Interim Managers
Alwin G.
Head of IT
Last position:
IT Interim Manager & AI Strategist
- AI product development: Design of an AI-supported GRC platform to automate compliance processes.
- AI expertise: Strategic deepening in Agentic AI and GenAI as a core asset for modern IT governance
- IT interim management and strategic consulting
Thomas Von Prondzinski
Interim Manager and Sparring Partner
Last position:
Project Lead in Invoice Audit at tvp-interim
- Project lead for invoice auditing, responsible for managing and coordinating project tasks
- Advising on optimizing existing processes and structures within the invoice audit department with a focus on efficiency, transparency and digitization
- Consulting on the ERP system change from SAP to Oracle, especially regarding the integration of invoice auditing requirements
- Conducting structured and goal-oriented project management
René Servos
Finance / Controlling / Regulatory Management / Optimization / Reorganization
Last position:
Freelance Interim Manager and Project Consultant at Energy Utility Company
- Analyze the existing water price calculation for formal errors and factual gaps in argumentation regarding the legal regulatory framework (including AVBWasserV, KAG RP, statutes, NEV according to BGH) and water industry best practices
- Ensuring operational controlling of the water division
- Regulatory optimization of the existing pricing strategy
- Objective assessment of existing litigation in the water sector
- Technical support to all stakeholders in the water division
- Implementation and roll-out of a new water price calculation tool
- Knowledge transfer to the controlling department and professional onboarding of new employees
- Covered vacancy by performing water price calculations
- Reviewing the pricing strategy from a regulatory perspective
- Setting up a PMO and taking on PMO tasks
- Professional advice on preparing the annual financial statements
- Expert sparring partner for the board, legal and finance/controlling in the water segment
- Optimization, adaptation and redesign of business processes in the finance/controlling environment
- Regulatory adjustments of the existing controlling
- Advising the holding's board and collaborating with subsidiaries
- Support with impairments together with auditors
- Opportunity and risk analyses for existing legal proceedings and negotiations
- Drafting price adjustment clauses and assisting in mediations
- Reorganization of equity structures
- Reporting to the head of legal, head of corporate development, and the CEO and CSO
Bernadette Bosbach
Interim Recruitment Consultant & Talent Acquisition Manager
Last position:
Research Consultant & Talent Acquisition Manager at Self-employed
Profound experience in staffing positions in a wide array of industries at all hierarchical levels
Responsibility for the entire recruiting process (operational and strategic), starting with the clarification of the assignment, including coordination of the procurement strategy, on to the job description, pre-selection and conducting of interviews through to the development of the contract
Contact partner for human resource consulting and recruiter within the framework of the positions to be filled
Contact partner for the works council regarding transfers and employment of personnel
Project management of direct search mandates for management and specialist positions: development of the search field, identification and direct contacting of potential candidates
Alexander Königschulte
Subproject Manager IT Migration (Carve-out)
Last position:
Subproject Manager IT Migration (Carve-out) at EWE / WCG
- Carve-out of Wärme+ customers from EWE to the new company WCG with around 24,000 metering points.
- Development of a migration approach, data migration, process redesign and migration.
- Management of service providers, reporting to the steering committee and executive management.
- Tools: Jira, SharePoint, Draw.io, SAP S/4, SAP PM, WILKEN (ENER:GY, P5), carve-out.
Ralf Wüstermann
Finance and Controlling Manager
Last position:
Finance and Controlling Manager at Vanderlande Industries do Brasil Ltda
- International reporting in English
- Budget preparation
- Production controlling
- Process optimizations
Ayhan Ibraim
Interim Procurement Manager
Last position:
Interim Procurement Manager at Cofinity-X GmbH
- High-level process and system analysis
- Support for building a new process and system landscape
- Systems: SAP MM, SAP SRM, SAP WM/EWM, SAP R3/S4 HANA, Navision, E2E
- E-Procurement: SAP Ariba, Coupa
Alexander Döring
Interim Manager Procurement | Head of Procurement & Strategic Sourcing
Last position:
Interim Manager Procurement | Head of Procurement & Strategic Sourcing at Löwenstein Medical Technology GmbH & Co. KG
- Full responsibility for strategic and operational procurement, procurement management (11 FTE).
- Further development of the procurement organization, including task and role models.
- Steering of cross-functional special projects (e.g. value engineering, design-to-cost).
- Development and implementation of a holistic procurement and sourcing strategy focused on resilience, ESG, de-risking, decoupling and cost performance.
- Execution of a comprehensive procurement transformation with a realignment of the supply chain strategy.
- Reorganization of the procurement team to improve efficiency through clear role distribution and elimination of non-core tasks.
- Professionalization of contract management processes and supplier development programs.
- Process optimization along the S2C and P2P chain including standardization and automation in line with MDR (EU Regulation 2017/745), GxP compliance and quality management systems ISO 9001 and ISO 13485.
- KPI development and optimization of the performance measurement system for critical paths and shortage issues.
- Coaching the team on strategic purchasing and procurement, project management and due diligence in procurement.
- Implementation of AI-driven tools for sourcing, spend analysis and inventory management to optimize stock levels.
- Achieved approximately 31% inventory reduction through professional inventory management.
- Managed two cost-reduction (cost avoidance) programs with quantifiable results: ~50% reduction in manufacturing costs for a core component and ~64% reduction in material costs for the successor platform via redesign and category sourcing.
- Savings in the low double-digit million range compared to the baseline.
- Material categories: contract manufacturing, PCBA, EMS, blowers, silicone injection molding, power supplies, batteries, displays, hoses, masks, valves, foams, wiring, sensors, wireless modules (2G–5G), telemedicine components, laboratory services.
Michael Fath
Strategic Business Field Development Digital Transformation
Last position:
Interim Manager at Freelancer
Various projects with focus areas:
- Growth (internationalization)
- Digitization (processes and business models)
- Conflict resolution (mediation, restoring productivity and employee satisfaction)
- Process optimization
Daniel T Hoffmann
Senior Project Manager, CDO, Executive Manager
Last position:
Founder and Chief Technical Officer at Ella Media AG
- Founded and built a generative artificial intelligence startup with 80 employees and 5 shareholders
- From 2018, built the AI team and development organization as Chief Technical Officer
- In 2020, converted into a public limited company, raised capital and appointed an operational board
- Since 2020, advising the supervisory board on AI strategy, AI governance and AI products
Daniel Mautz
Interim Head of Sales and Marketing
Last position:
Interim Head of Sales and Marketing at The Mobility House
- Successful go-to-market for a New Energy brand as a spin off
- Developed brand positioning, marketing and communication activities including brand strategy, website, landing pages, videos, influencer cooperations, press conference, press releases, Google and Meta campaigns
- Responsible for product, marketing, sales and operations of energy tariff
Claus Rotstein
Interim National Sales Manager
Last position:
Interim National Sales Manager at Stanley Black & Decker
- Interim management (functional and disciplinary leadership)
- Responsible for professional power tools (brand DeWalt)
- Implemented structured sales management using Salesforce
- Developed new KPIs
- Conducted a Sales Excellence program (customer profitability, customer segmentation)
- Implemented eCommerce strategy and developed eCommerce customers
- Revenue responsibility: €65m
- Headcount: 23 employees
Rolf-Peter Koch
Head of Marketing and Sales
Last position:
Head of Marketing and Sales at Bionorica SE
Wolfgang Hartwig
Interim Manager
Last position:
Fraunhofer-Institut für Materialfluß und Logistik
- Development of a reusable packaging system for a new production plant of a major engine manufacturer
- Container development for over 2,500 parts from screws to engine blocks
- Standardization of the container system
- Development of picking containers for a logistics service provider
- Redesign of intermediate plant transport for a major engine manufacturer
- Survey of all loading locations, volume flows, and dwell times
- Development of an optimized vehicle fleet concept
- Preparation of tender documents, tendering, soliciting offers, comparison, contract negotiations
- Plant design of a conveyor and handling system for semi-finished and finished products for a large glass products manufacturer
- Recording of framework conditions and performance data
- Development and presentation of the system, evaluation, detailed design
- Preparation of tender documents, tendering, soliciting offers, comparison, contract negotiations
- Award, supervision of installation and commissioning
- Development of a new packaging system for lighting and electromechanical components of an automotive supplier
- Packaging development for over 400 items
- Standardization of the packaging system
- Technical design, cost estimation, implementation
Discover over 15,000 top freelancers
Interim Managers statistics
Aggregated from the professional profiles of matched freelancers.
Experience
24 years
Position duration
4.1 years
Positions per freelancer
18
Top business areas
Project Management, Information Technology, Operations
Top industries
Manufacturing, Professional Services, Information Technology
Certification focus areas
Legal, Project Management, Information Technology
Bachelor's degree or higher
67%
Master's degree or higher
56%
Doctorate
11%
Certifications per freelancer
3
Most common languages
German, English, French
Speak two or more languages
93%
Daily Rate Distribution
The chart shows how the daily rates of freelancers in this role are distributed, based on recent contracts on our platform. Each bar covers a rate range — its height shows how many freelancers charge within that range. Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.
Average rates for Interim Managers & Seniority distribution
Rates are based on recent contracts and do not include FRATCH margin.
The average daily rate is the mean of all daily rates from recent contracts of comparable freelancers on our platform.
The median daily rate is the middle value of all daily rates — half of comparable freelancers charge less, half charge more. Unlike the average, it is barely affected by outliers.
Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have questions? Here you can find further information about FRATCH
An Interim Manager takes over a leadership task for a limited period and focuses on delivery, stability, and change. That can mean running a department, closing a management gap, or steering a critical project. The role is about taking responsibility, not observing from the side.
Choose an interim manager when the situation needs immediate leadership or when the assignment is temporary by nature. This is common during restructuring, replacement gaps, system changes, or business recovery. A permanent hire can follow later once the structure and direction are clear.
The labels overlap when companies need senior leadership for a defined period. In practice, a turnaround manager or temporary manager may do similar work, but the exact focus can differ, such as crisis control, transformation, or operational stabilization. Always check the assignment scope, not just the job title.
Strong interim managers combine fast analysis, decisive action, and clear communication. They need to understand business processes, manage stakeholders, and lead teams without long onboarding. Experience in similar situations matters more than broad general management language.
Start with the problem to solve, the authority the person needs, and the expected output. Be clear about whether the role is about stabilizing operations, leading a transformation, or bridging a vacancy. A precise brief helps the right interim manager step in fast and avoid wasted time.
Both are possible, but on-site time is often important at the beginning. Leadership, team trust, and stakeholder alignment are usually easier face to face, especially in Essen-based organizations with plant, operations, or cross-functional teams. Once the situation is stable, hybrid work is often practical.
Look for relevant assignments, a clear way of thinking, and evidence of impact in similar environments. A good interim manager explains how they will assess the situation, what they will prioritize, and how they will hand over at the end. Vague leadership talk without concrete examples is a warning sign.
Freelancers can expect assignments that demand structure, discretion, and direct collaboration with decision-makers. In Essen, this often means working with industrial, technical, or service-oriented clients where operational clarity matters. Strong German communication skills are usually important, especially in meetings, reporting, and change communication.
The average hourly rate for Interim Managers in Essen is 133 €, which corresponds to a daily rate of about 1,066 € based on an 8-hour working day.
Of the freelancers working as Interim Managers in Essen, 67% hold at least a Bachelor's degree, 56% hold at least a Master's degree, and 11% hold a doctorate.
On average, freelancers working as Interim Managers in Essen have 24 years of professional experience, with a single engagement typically lasting around 4.1 years.
The most common languages among freelancers working as Interim Managers in Essen are German (100%), English (86%), and French (21%).
The most common industries among freelancers working as Interim Managers in Essen are Manufacturing (79%), Professional Services (64%), and Information Technology (50%).
The most common business areas among freelancers working as Interim Managers in Essen are Project Management (93%), Information Technology (79%), and Operations (64%).
FRATCH Interim Managers main locations
Our freelancers and interim experts are at home across the DACH region — available on-site in the major business hubs or fully remote. Choose a location to discover matched specialists, local market insights and up-to-date availability.
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Philipp Thomaschewski
FRATCH CEO
