WORKING AS AN INTERIM – WHAT TO EXPECT

FRS 102 Revised Seminar Brings South Yorkshire Finance Leaders Together

In collaboration with Shorts Chartered Accountants, we recently hosted a seminar for senior finance professionals from across the region.The event brought together a number of Finance Directors, Financial Controllers and senior leaders from across the region for a morning of insight, discussion and networking over breakfast. It was a pleasure to welcome so many familiar faces, alongside new contacts, reflecting the strength and depth of the Yorkshire finance community. The seminar was presented by Howard Freeman, Audit & Accounts Partner, and Andy Ryder, Corporate Finance Partner at Shorts. We are extremely grateful to both speakers for sharing their time and expertise, and for delivering a clear, practical overview of the forthcoming changes to FRS 102, which came into effect on 1 January 2026 and are expected to impact a significant number of UK businesses. The session explored what is changing and why, particularly in relation to lease accounting and revenue recognition, and considered what the updates mean in practice for finance teams and business leaders. The speakers also addressed the new reporting requirements under FRS 102, the potential impact on EBITDA and valuation methodologies, and the key considerations for organisations as they prepare for implementation. Rather than focusing purely on technical detail, the seminar encouraged broader discussion around readiness, communication with stakeholders and the commercial implications of the changes. This led to a highly engaged Q&A session, with attendees sharing perspectives and experiences from their own organisations. At Sharp Consultancy, we are committed to supporting the finance community beyond recruitment alone. Events such as this form part of our ongoing effort to create opportunities for connection, knowledge-sharing and professional development among senior finance professionals. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Shorts for partnering with us on this event, and in particular to Howard and Andy for delivering such an informative and thought-provoking session. We are also grateful to everyone who attended and contributed to the discussion. We look forward to hosting further events in the coming months and continuing to work closely with our network of finance leaders across the region.If you would like to discuss how these changes may impact your finance team, or if you are considering strengthening your leadership function, please contact us for a confidential conversation.

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With the COVID-19 pandemic creating a degree of uncertainty for many industry sectors, an increasing number of companies are looking to engage the services of accountancy and finance professionals on an interim basis in order to benefit from the skills and expertise that their businesses needs with the flexibility the current climate demands.

And it’s not just employers that reap the benefits from such a relationship with those that opt for life as an interim rewarded with a flexible, varied career that can offer a more manageable work-life balance.

For those who may be considering applying for an interim position for the first time; here’s our guide to the key factors to be aware of before making the move.:

There are interim opportunities at all levels; it’s not just a role that is exclusive to managers or senior level finance professionals. Essentially, a company will look to recruit an interim to address a specific need such as covering a long period of absence, to handle a particular project or to acquire specific skills.
Interims will usually be employed on either a rolling contract with an agreed day rate or a fixed term/short term contract with an associated salary. These are not always necessarily full-time positions so it is possible to be employed by more than one company on an interim basis at the same time (although you will need to check your terms and conditions and ensure you are clear with each employer as to your availability).
Interims are highly skilled individuals or specialise in a particular area; they will often be called upon at short notice and, due to the nature of the requirement, will be expected to hit the ground running.
Flexibility is an essential quality when it comes to being successful as an interim. You will be expected to quickly get to grips with an organisation’s working practices and be able to build effective relationships with your new colleagues from the outset.
Interims can often be brought into situations that are highly pressured so you will need to demonstrate that you are confident and have the ability to thrive and deliver results in potentially stressful circumstances.
Interim employment offers an excellent opportunity to expand your experience and knowledge through working for a number of different organisations in varying sectors.
Strong communication skills are an essential attribute for an interim; you will be expected to quickly and effectively digest a vast amount of new information and share your vision and expectations of what needs to be delivered to your new colleagues. Depending on the requirement of the role, you may find that there is the potential to ruffle a few feathers along the way – this won’t necessarily be a negative – so you need to be confident addressing and handling challenging situations.
Working as an interim can offer flexibility in terms of the number of days worked per week or by enabling you to work for only a portion of the year. Many also find that interim contracts offer a higher rate of pay. The flip side to this is the uncertainty of needing to secure a new opportunity when each contract comes to an end which can be difficult for those that prefer the perceived job security that regular employment offers.

Sharp Consultancy specialises in the recruitment of temporary, interim and permanent finance professionals. With offices in Leeds and Sheffield our highly experienced team of consultants recruit for positions throughout Yorkshire and beyond. CONTACT US today to speak to a member of our team about our latest interim opportunities.