Interim Leadership and Establishment of National Governance in a Support Function
– Large National Organization
Background
The assignment was carried out within a large national organization with a mission-critical mandate. The role included interim managerial responsibility for a central support function responsible for business services, vendor management, and internal services.
We acted as Interim Manager with both operational and strategic responsibility during a period of transformation.
Problem Statement
The organization faced several simultaneous challenges:
- The need for stable leadership in a mission-critical support function
- Unclear processes and inconsistent ways of working within and across areas of responsibility
- The need for improved governance and prioritization at a national level
- Limited collaboration and self-leadership within the team
- An ongoing transformation initiative related to the implementation of portfolio management
The assignment required both clear direction and trust-based leadership to create structure, engagement, and momentum.
Approach
We assumed overall responsibility for staff, operations, and the development of new ways of working.
The work included:
- Managing the support function with responsibility for personnel matters, recruitment, and budget
- Clarifying roles, responsibilities, and expectations within the team
- Establishing structures and working methods to increase efficiency and self-leadership
- Actively contributing to the implementation of portfolio management at a national level
- Mapping and clarifying business processes and developing action plans
- Providing ongoing coaching to team members, focusing on accountability, collaboration, and trust
- Ensuring clear and continuous communication to create alignment and engagement
The focus was on combining operational stability with long-term development of working methods and collaboration.
Results and Impact
The engagement contributed to a clearer and more coordinated support function. The organization achieved, among other outcomes:
- Improved structure and clarity in processes and responsibilities
- Increased collaboration and efficiency within the team
- Strengthened self-leadership and employee engagement
- A stable and constructive contribution to the implementation of portfolio management at a national level
- Improved conditions for governance, prioritization, and follow-up
The work established a more robust foundation for both daily operations and continued transformation efforts.
Our Specific Contribution
Our key strength in this assignment was combining clear and decisive leadership with a coaching approach, while quickly establishing structure, trust, and momentum in an organization characterized by high demands and complex dependencies.
