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Whether you need an executive for corporate restructuring, post-merger integration, or navigating industrial transformation, we connect you with vetted, available freelance executives. Get matched with top leadership talent precisely fitted to your industry.
About the role
Executive Leadership During Strategic Transitions
Freelance managing directors step in to steer organizations through periods of vacancy, turnaround, or rapid restructuring. They take full profit and loss responsibility, align stakeholders, and stabilize business operations. In Dortmund and the wider Ruhr region, these leaders frequently guide traditional manufacturing and logistics companies through digital transformation and modernization.
Key Deliverables of an Interim General Manager
- Executive leadership and full P&L management during transition phases.
- Development and execution of corporate restructuring or relocation plans.
- Integration of acquired business units or handling of spin-offs.
- Crisis management, cost optimization, and operational turnaround strategies.
- Managing stakeholder relations with works councils, investors, and local authorities.
Essential Executive Capabilities
Successful executive leaders combine strategic vision with hands-on operational management. They possess deep industry knowledge, particularly in sectors undergoing rapid change such as supply chain management, green energy, and industrial technology. Beyond financial acumen, strong communication skills are vital for working with diverse teams, negotiating with labor unions, and aligning executive boards.
Why Hire a Freelance Executive in Dortmund
Dortmund is a hub for industrial transformation, moving from heavy industry to technology, logistics, and microelectronics. When sudden leadership gaps occur or when a specific transformation project requires highly specialized steering, hiring a freelance managing director provides immediate stability. This approach allows companies to secure proven leadership without long-term commitments, ensuring business continuity while searching for a permanent successor.
Meet FRATCH Managing Directors
Diego Espinoza
RPG Software Developer from RPG III to Free Format
Last position:
RPG Software Developer from RPG III to Free Format
- Development of software and system support for RPG development.
- Development, optimization and maintenance of programs in RPG (RPG II to ILE Free Format).
- Performing integration tasks, data management as well as applying and managing system updates.
- User support and training to ensure smooth system operation.
Ron Meyknecht
Revamping Business Strategy and Scaling
Last position:
Revamping Business Strategy and Scaling at Company in the HR software sector
- Develop vision and business goals
- Define and implement strategy for different markets
- Build customer focus into processes
- Rebuild methods in lead generation
Thomas Sternkopf
Interim Manager
Last position:
C-level consultant for transformation and organizational development at Primeo Management AG, Basel / Paris
Organisation: International energy provider in a regulated market environment with around 900 employees.
Responsibilities: Responsible for managing and prioritizing a company-wide transformation and initiative portfolio in the energy sector. Directly involved in the governance and decision-making logic of the organization with a focus on governance, IT management, prioritization and implementation of strategic initiatives across business and IT areas.
Results:
- Introduced a company-wide portfolio management system for structured prioritization and management of strategic business and IT initiatives.
- Established clear governance, decision and control mechanisms to sustainably improve execution capability across the entire organization.
- Integrated HR, capacity and organizational management into an overarching management logic to enhance transparency and decision quality.
- Directly supported executive management by moderating and structuring strategic decision-making processes at both executive and supervisory board levels.
Alexander Kuhl
Management Consultant
Last position:
Managing Director and Lead Consultant at Prometheus-Innovent Ltd.
- Consulting in the area of Project Management and Product Development
- Intercultural & Organizational Change Management
- Due Diligence Services with focus on strategic insights
- Establishing Problem-Solution-Fit for digital omnichannel marketing strategies incorporating product information management processes, including third party vendor service assessment to enter into RfQ
- Led a change management initiative to establish digital content delivery management readiness, improving technical documentation processes, customer experience and realizing significant cost savings by transitioning from printed to digital content delivery.
Raschid Ijioui
Strategy Consultant and Implementation Manager
Last position:
Requirements Engineer/Manager at CARIAD – Volkswagen Group AG
- Development of the unified CARIAD E3 2.0 software platform for future mobility
- Stakeholder management
- Synchronization and alignment with solutions (UX, security, data product & mobility services, architecture, software product, integration)
- Workshop and migration management
- Conducting risk matrix analyses
- Tool use: Jira, Confluence, Codebeamer
Mesut Yilmaz
Solution Architect Computer Vision Store
Last position:
Solution Architect Computer Vision Store at Schwarz IT (Lidl/Kaufland)
- Expansion and support of the product portfolio for video analytics and computer vision
- Requirements gathering and engineering
- Consulting, project management and coordination of the pilot and international rollout
- Tools: IP-based camera and video systems, Citrix administration, OneNote, Microsoft Teams, Node-RED, Office 365, Age Verification, Qognify Umbrella, ThingsBoard, Xovis 3D sensors, AXIS cameras, GK checkout software, Atlassian JIRA
Stephan Altendeitering
CFO / Managing Director
Last position:
CFO / Managing Director at EP Power Minerals GmbH
- Subsidiary of the EPH Group, €250 million in revenue, 20 companies, 200 employees
- Responsibility for controlling, finance, IT, HR, procurement, project management/M&A, legal/compliance, accounting, and taxes
- Corporate management and transformation
- Preparation and support of the company sale (STEAG → EPH)
- Establishment of a new headquarters (finance, IT, legal, HR, etc.)
- Strategic and operational controlling
- Post-merger integration of foreign companies (BE, NL, FI, FR)
- Execution of M&A processes (buy & sell side)
- Company-wide process analysis and preparation for SAP S/4HANA
- Carve-out and post-merger integration
- Consistent implementation of digitization and efficiency measures
- Finance and accounting
Detlef Marsch
Managing Director
Last position:
Managing Director at AmenaCon GmbH
- Challenging consulting services as well as interim, transformation, program and project management
- Program Manager for dormakaba International Holding AG: responsible for the SAP rollout in the German subsidiary consisting of 16 projects for Sales, Service, Operation and Finance, preparation through a fit template pre-project, development and formulation of end-to-end business processes, guidance and coaching of the business in use case and technical concept creation, introduction of integration test concept and implementation of integration tests
- Senior consultant for AGRAVIS Raiffeisen AG: specification of ITSM processes Incident and Release Management based on ITIL, examination of implementation options with SAP Solution Manager, managing the cutover of an SAP project
- Interim manager for bofrost DL GmbH & Co. KG: analysis and redesign of the existing business process model, management of strategic PMO including control of project portfolio management (up to 40 projects), project initiation process management, coaching of project managers, comprehensive reporting, ensuring economic viability of all projects, direct reporting to the advisory board, guidance for process and ITSM areas, management of strategic program including greenfield approach, system landscape redesign, end-to-end process introduction, CRM POC and platform provider beauty contest, development of target specifications using LEAN A3, design and implementation of POC with two platform providers
- Program Manager/PMO/PPM for Henkel KGaA global SCM consolidation: management of international template team for SAP landscape redesign, management of strategic partner Accenture
- Program Manager/PMO/PPM for Henkel KGaA migration from SAP BW to Microsoft BI: complete development lifecycle, transition of services to Accenture and hosting from HP to IBM, implementation according to PMI-based and agile standards, management of 20 projects, turnaround program setup, root cause analysis, contract amendments, governance, reporting, controlling, coaching of up to 60 employees, 20 MEUR budget, all milestones achieved on time and within budget
- Program Manager/PMO M&A IT for Henkel KGaA: SAP rollout and infrastructure transition worldwide after acquisition, carve-out management, onboarding of approx. 5 000 new SAP users, consolidation of servers and data centres, management of 30 projects across WEU, CEE, LA, NA and AP, PMI-based implementation, governance setup, coaching of up to 150 employees, 85 MEUR budget, 300 people worldwide, international tender management with providers such as Accenture, IBM, HP and Cisco, program completed on time, on quality and below budget
- Interim Manager for Bertelsmann AG: strategic IT sourcing program for Corporate CIO including six projects, planning, controlling, reporting, coaching, quality management, stakeholder management, contract transitions, development of system to verify savings, achieved 20% above planned savings
- Interim Manager IT Governance for Henkel KGaA: professionalisation of IT service management, audit and development of PMI-based project management process with group adaptations, group-wide rollout of ITIL processes incident, problem and change management
- Agile project for ALDI-Sued: finalisation and implementation of demand management process for IT requirements with interfaces to other processes and service catalogue
- Senior Consultant for hagebau IT GmbH: analysis of business processes, conception and implementation of NDA, RFI and RFP for Managed IT Services tender with EUR 30 million volume, transition planning of two data centres to Atos managed services, development of service catalogue and cost allocation model
- Interim Manager for Henkel KGaA: development of international resource management system for global IT to improve cost and capacity control, agile planning, controlling and scope management, realization of 25% capacity reserves
- Interim Manager for Netrada GmbH: professionalisation of IT service management, conception and creation of 16 SLAs, process analysis and documentation, service quality objectivisation reducing ad hoc workload by approx. 20%
- Senior Consultant for Saudi Telecom: introduction of PMI-based project management process, development of PMO, coaching of employees, support in acquisition of customer projects by applying the introduced method
Marcel Kalla
Co-Founder & Investor
Last position:
Co-Founder & Investor at Netfluenz GmbH
Positioning & scaling: Initiated and co-founded an AI-powered influencer marketing partner for B2C brands, focusing on profitable scaling.
Investment & GTM: Managed a six-figure pre-seed investment and developed the go-to-market tactics and exit strategy.
Leadership: Strategically formed the founding team and brought in the management to ensure scalable structures.
Dietmar Schmidt
Managing Director
Last position:
Automotive supplier, Bavaria and Saxony
- Commissioning of image processing solutions
- Adjustment and testing of image processing algorithms and communication interfaces of SensoPart and Keyence systems in the production line for electric vehicle batteries
- Expansion and testing of 1D and 2D readers (Siemens MV530)
- Acceptance of camera test technology with the end customer on site
Sandro Ullering
HSE Expert
Last position:
HSE Manager at Ullertec GmbH
I support over 30 companies in the field of occupational safety and fire protection. My focus is on technical safety support according to DGUV Regulation 2 as well as hands-on implementation of legal requirements in daily operations.
I help businesses organize their safety structures, carry out risk assessments, attend ASA meetings and act as an external fire protection officer.
In addition, I deliver training and practical instruction – including for crane operators, forklift drivers and company supervisors.
I also manage SiGeKo and validation projects.
With my many years of industry experience, I combine legal requirements with practical solutions for ongoing operations.
Christian Weinbörner
Interim Business Analyst / Product Owner
Last position:
Interim Business Analyst / Product Owner at Federal Printing Office GmbH (via FourEnergy GmbH)
- Initial assessment of requirements using a business value prioritization framework
- Identifying issues and gathering and evaluating requirements using UML, BPMN, and design thinking methods for iterative requirements analysis through interviews and workshops
- Using user story mapping in Miro to visualize and align functional requirements (e.g., correct transmission of all application data and their attachments to the specialist system) as well as non-functional requirements (e.g., complete and provable deletion of an applicant's data) with stakeholders
- Proactive stakeholder management of internal and external stakeholders from authorities, business units, organizations, and companies
- Creating status reports for transparent communication of project progress and upcoming tasks
- Responsible for a REST-based integration solution (middleware) for secure data exchange between core systems and external specialist applications; ensuring stability and performance in ongoing operations
- Supporting product owners in prioritizing requirements in the backlog and during product discovery
- Communicating plans to internal and external stakeholders and temporarily taking over product owner tasks and responsibilities during staffing changes
Stefan Rest
Senior Product Owner
Last position:
Senior Product Owner at Bosch & ETAS Automotive
- Product Owner for Digital Delivery team
- Company-wide digitalization project for software deliveries
- Technologies: SAP EMS, JFrog, Revenera
- Conducting PI Plannings
Discover over 15,000 top freelancers
Managing Directors statistics
Aggregated from the professional profiles of matched freelancers.
Experience
22 years
Position duration
3 years
Positions per freelancer
13
Top business areas
Operations, Information Technology, Product Development
Top industries
Professional Services, Information Technology, Retail
Certification focus areas
Information Technology, Product Development, Project Management
Bachelor's degree or higher
89%
Master's degree or higher
33%
Doctorate
22%
Certifications per freelancer
3
Most common languages
German, English, Spanish
Speak two or more languages
100%
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 Managing Directors & 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
Need more info? We have all the details about FRATCH
A freelance Managing Director assumes temporary operational and legal responsibility for a company or business unit. They stabilize business operations, lead teams, manage budgets, and implement urgent strategic changes. They are typically brought in during sudden leadership vacancies, corporate restructuring, or periods of crisis.
An Interim CEO focuses on achieving specific, short-term objectives rather than long-term career progression within the company. They bring an objective, unbiased perspective and are comfortable making difficult, rapid decisions. Since they are hired for a defined period, they do not get involved in internal corporate politics.
Companies in Dortmund often hire a freelance General Manager when navigating the shift from traditional industrial models to digital technologies. This is also common during unexpected leadership departures, complex corporate restructuring, or when managing a local subsidiary that requires local market knowledge and hands-on guidance.
Yes, a freelance Executive Director working in Dortmund usually needs a high level of on-site presence. Leading local teams, negotiating with regional stakeholders, and managing physical operations in the Ruhr area require direct, in-person engagement, though administrative tasks can be handled remotely.
You should look for a Managing Director with a proven track record of managing similar-sized organizations in your specific industry. They must have extensive experience in crisis management, corporate finance, and navigating complex regulatory landscapes, alongside strong communication skills to handle German works councils.
An assignment for an interim managing director usually spans from several months to over a year, depending on the complexity of the project. The engagement ends once the strategic goals are met, the restructuring is complete, or a permanent successor has been successfully onboarded.
For most companies in Dortmund, a freelance interim manager must be fluent in German. Managing local operations, dealing with works councils, and aligning with local suppliers or authorities require deep understanding of the local language and business culture, even within multinational corporations.
A top-tier freelance executive is evaluated by their concrete achievements in past turnaround or growth situations. Quality is demonstrated through previous successful reference projects, their ability to rapidly assess organizational health, and their willingness to take on direct legal liability.
The average hourly rate for Managing Directors in Dortmund is 134 €, which corresponds to a daily rate of about 1,068 € based on an 8-hour working day.
Of the freelancers working as Managing Directors in Dortmund, 89% hold at least a Bachelor's degree, 33% hold at least a Master's degree, and 22% hold a doctorate.
On average, freelancers working as Managing Directors in Dortmund have 22 years of professional experience, with a single engagement typically lasting around 3 years.
The most common languages among freelancers working as Managing Directors in Dortmund are German (100%), English (100%), and Spanish (23%).
The most common industries among freelancers working as Managing Directors in Dortmund are Professional Services (77%), Information Technology (69%), and Retail (62%).
The most common business areas among freelancers working as Managing Directors in Dortmund are Operations (77%), Information Technology (69%), and Product Development (69%).
FRATCH Managing Directors 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.
Request a Free Demo
Get in touch with the FRATCH team and we will get back to you within 4 hours.
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We always have the time for a call or email!
Philipp Thomaschewski
FRATCH CEO
