Replacing a leader or manager: 5 examples of situations where to call on relay management

What is relay management?

Relay management consists of mobilizing an experienced interim manager to ensure the operational continuity of a strategic function for a specific period, generally from 6 to 18 months. The mobilized professional is not a consultant: he is a seasoned operational person, having already held comparable management positions, who immediately takes the reins of the perimeter concerned.

This solution differs from traditional managerial interim work by the seniority of the profiles, the strategic dimension of the missions entrusted to them and the ability of the interim manager to sustainably transform the organization during his or her stay. The scope covers general, financial and operational management, but also the HR department, the IT department, the supply chain and the industrial department.

The True Cost of an Absent Manager: What the Vacancy Reveals

Before we look at use cases, let’s measure the financial impact of a vacant leadership position. The subject is largely underestimated in management committees.

The executive recruitment market has become significantly tighter. According to Apec, the number of executive recruitments is expected to reach around 292,600 in 2025, down from previous years. On the business side, the share of companies that hired at least one manager reached 20% in 2024, and the decline affects both large companies and SMEs. Recruiting a replacement takes time — time during which the position remains vacant, decisions are delayed, teams are waiting.

When to call on relay management? 5 key situations

1. Replace an absent leader or manager overnight

This is the historical reason for relay management. Unforeseen resignation, long-term sick leave, dismissal, early retirement, maternity leave, internal transfer, sabbatical: the causes differ, the result is the same. A strategic position is emptying and the organization must continue to move forward.

A typical case: in an industrial medium-sized company, the supply chain director announces his departure with three months’ notice, in the middle of a new site. The typical executive recruitment process takes several months, plus the successful candidate’s notice and learning curve. In fact, six to nine months of uncertainty. Mobilizing an interim manager in two weeks makes it possible to meet customer commitments, to secure stock/transport trade-offs and to calmly organize the sourcing of the permanent successor.

The interim manager takes charge of the function concerned — CEO, CFO, COO, HR Director, CIO, Sales Director, Industrial Director — until the arrival of the permanent replacement, whose onboarding he then facilitates.

2. Overcome a difficulty in recruiting for a critical position

Some profiles have become almost impossible to find. Candidates’ expectations have changed profoundly: 34% of French employees believe that flexibility is essential to stay in their company, which restricts the pool available for positions requiring a strong presence in the field. Industry, retail, health and finance are struggling to attract critical talent.

A typical case: an agri-food group has been looking for a plant manager for four months. Three candidates declined the offer despite being remunerated in line with the market. During this time, the plant is operating in degraded mode under the intermittent supervision of the operations manager. Relay management makes it possible to stabilize the site, to maintain the safety-quality-productivity KPIs, and to continue the search for the ideal candidate without giving in to haste — the first factor in the failure of a management recruitment.

3. Managing a crisis situation

Financial crisis, cyber alert, supply disruption, social conflict, loss of a major customer, sudden succession: crisis situations require a profile capable of acting in a few hours, without a learning curve, with the natural authority necessary to unite teams under pressure.

A typical case: a distribution company discovers internal fraud in its purchasing department. The current CFO, who is a stakeholder in the investigation, can no longer carry out his operational duties. An interim manager takes over the finance function within 72 hours, makes the reporting more reliable, reassures the banks and the auditor, and leads the remediation plan. The general management focuses on legal management and internal communication.

4. Support the assumption of office of a new manager

The arrival of a new CEO or a new member of the Executive Committee is statistically one of the riskiest moments for an organization. Misreading the internal culture, decisions that are too quick or, on the contrary, a prolonged wait-and-see attitude: the pitfalls are numerous. An experienced interim manager can accompany these first months in pairs, as a sparring partner or by temporarily covering an adjacent area.

A typical case: a fund invests in a service SME and appoints a new manager from a large group. To avoid culture shock, an interim manager takes over the management of operations for six months, freeing up the new boss so that he or she can meet customers, teams and the ecosystem, set out his or her strategic vision and consolidate his or her legitimacy before embracing the full scope.

5. Co-pilot a large-scale transformation

Mergers and acquisitions, internationalization, digital transformation, change of governance, reorganization plan: these projects mobilize a considerable volume of managerial energy, on skills that are often absent internally. Relay management makes it possible to dedicate an experienced senior to the project, without destabilising the managerial line in place.

A typical case: an industrial group buys a competitor and initiates the integration of the two organizations. The industrial director must continue to manage current production. An interim manager takes charge of the integration program: harmonization of processes, closure of a site, redeployment of teams, deployment of a common ERP. Change management is led by a professional who has already carried out three or four comparable operations, which secures the deadlines and synergies promised to the investment committee.

Relay management vs. fixed-term contract vs. managerial interim: what really changes

The concrete advantages of the Wayden solution

Choosing a recognized interim management firm to manage a vacancy means securing four dimensions:

• Immediate operational excellence : the mobilized interim manager has already held a comparable position in a similar environment. It is operational from the first week, with no learning curve.
• Responsiveness : the sourcing of the profile and the start of the mission are organized in a few days, not several months.
• Sector and functional expertise : our managers are specialized in both a function (CEO, CFO, HRD, CIO, COO, supply chain) and a sector (industry, health, retail, luxury, energy, financial services). Matching cannot be improvised.
• Human commitment and leadership : a relay manager must bring together teams that are sometimes stunned by the departure of their former boss. Managerial qualities — listening, natural authority, pragmatism — weigh as much as technical competence.

FAQ — Absent manager and relay management

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