Digital transformation: 5 missions of the interim manager

Faced with the advent of digital technologies, initiating a digital transformation is now essential to strengthen competitiveness, optimize processes and adapt to market developments. To manage this complex change and meet the technical and human challenges associated with it, the interim manager is a valuable ally.

Overview of the 5 missions of interim management for digital transformation projects.

 

Digital transformation: why call on an interim manager?

Calling on an interim manager who is an expert in digital technology to lead your digital transformation has many advantages for the company, regardless of the nature of the project:

• website redesign;
• digitalization of business functions ;
• implementation of a multichannel strategy;
• implementation of an HRIS or ERP;
• integration of AI into processes…

Thanks to his in-depth technical expertise, his in-depth knowledge of new technologies and his benchmark, the Digital Transition Director is able to meet all the human, methodological and technical challenges related to this highly complex project.

A highly experienced professional, he or she works for a fixed period (ranging from 6 to 18 months), on the company’s premises, to manage the digital transformation project from start to finish: needs analysis, action plan, choice of solution, stakeholder management, etc.

Thanks to his exceptional interpersonal skills, his unparalleled managerial qualities and his sense of leadership, he is also able to lead the digital transformation as a change management in order to anticipate employee resistance and promote the commitment of everyone.

5 missions of the interim manager during a digital transformation

Here are 5 examples of the missions of an interim manager when managing a digital transformation:

• Needs analysis and diagnosis of the existing situation

The first mission of the digital transformation manager is to carry outan in-depth diagnosis of the company’s situation : what are the internal processes and practices? The strengths, weaknesses and areas for improvement? What are the challenges related to this transformation? The strategic objectives to be achieved? What is the level of digital acculturation of operational and managerial teams? What is the level of digital maturity of the organization?…

This preliminary inventory makes it possible to precisely identify the gaps as well as the opportunities for improvement to be seized, but also the possible risks and challenges related to the digital transformation project.

• Setting up an action plan

After this audit, the interim manager will be able to develop, in collaboration with the relevant stakeholders (management, IT department, etc.), an action plan in line with the strategic orientations of the Executive Committee and the corporate culture and the real needs of users. This roadmap details the key steps, the tools to be adopted, the resources and means to be deployed, as well as the SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time-bound) goals of digital transformation.

• Change management

Any digital transformation project inevitably comes with a large number of human, managerial and cultural challenges. The interim manager, who is experienced in the management of projects with a strong human dimension, is responsible for supporting this change by creating a fertile ground for the adoption of new organizational practices. This can be achieved by listening to and welcoming everyone’s fears and concerns, by training teams, by transparent, continuous and silo-free communication throughout the progress of the project, etc.

Thanks to his charisma, his relational intelligence and his leadership, the interim manager will be able to effectively manage resistance to change, for a serene project, with the support of all employees.

• Digital transformation management

The mission of the interim manager on the digital function is also to ensure the proper deployment of the action plan as a whole. He can thus support the company in the choice of technological solutions and digital tools adapted to its needs (artificial intelligence, big data, management software, data analysis tools, automation tools, etc.). He ensures that deadlines and budgets are respected, that resources are properly allocated and supports the adoption of the tools by users.

• Performance measurement and analysis

Once the digital transformation project has been deployed, the interim manager’s mission is to identify the relevant performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor the impact of the solutions deployed (productivity rate, improvement in customer satisfaction, performance improvement, etc.).

In addition, the intervention of the interim manager is intended to be long-term. Before the end of his mission, he ensures that the teams are trained and operational and proposes a roadmap to integrate the project into the a continuous improvement approach in order to optimize and improve processes in a sustainable way.

 

Are you looking for a qualified interim manager to lead your digital transformation project?

Thanks to its vast pool of experienced professionals, WAYDEN identifies and assigns a high-flying interim manager, whose hard and soft skills are perfectly aligned with your expectations and needs. Thanks to a methodology oriented towards Obtaining tangible and rapid results, it ensures the success of your digital transition project in an efficient and sustainable way.

 

Contact us to find out more.