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Interim Management

Experienced leadership when performance can’t wait.

Talk to CBS about interim leadership Download the interim leadership overview

Organizations bring in interim leaders when performance can’t wait: the business isn’t meeting demand, productivity has declined, the supply chain is disrupted, a new program has to ramp, or the business has to deliver more with fewer resources. Sometimes there’s a role to fill. Often it’s a standalone priority the company has no plan to add to the org chart. CBS interim leaders are Lean operators who step in quickly, take ownership of the objective, and drive the change themselves. They stabilize the business, protect customers and teams, and deliver results that hold.

Interim Leadership for Critical Business Priorities

CBS interim leaders are executives and functional experts with 30+ years of experience and highly progressive careers in operations and supply chain leadership. They are Lean experts with the same operational excellence background as CBS’s OpEx consultants, and they bring that system into every role they take on. Over the past 25 years, CBS has built a standing team of these leaders, ready to step into critical roles.

  • Proven business leaders who have led through growth, turnarounds, and complex business environments
  • Hands-on Lean execution that leads teams, sets priorities, drives accountability, and builds lasting capability inside the organization
  • Rapid deployment through a network of experienced leaders, so you get fast access to the right expertise when the need is urgent, often within days
  • Focused on measurable results with every engagement built for stronger execution, better operations, and sustainable financial impact
interim leader standing confidently on manufacturing floor
Interim Leader listening to management team

What Our Interim Leaders Deliver

CBS interim leaders embed within the organization to accelerate execution, improve operational performance with Lean and operational excellence methods, and deliver sustainable business results. They do more than advise. They take responsibility for the priorities that can’t wait.

  • Ownership from day one from experienced leaders who take responsibility for critical priorities, align teams, set focus, and drive performance through growth, disruption, or operational strain
  • Operational performance improvement with measurable gains in productivity, throughput, on-time delivery, quality, inventory, customer satisfaction, and working capital
  • Seamless transition to permanent leadership when a permanent hire is part of the plan. Our leaders onboard them directly, transferring priorities, relationships, and operating rhythm so the business never loses ground
  • Functional and industry expertise across operations, supply chain, manufacturing, engineering, quality, program management, finance, HR, and general management

Where Interim Leadership Makes an Impact

CBS interim leaders step into critical business situations where experienced leadership, clear direction and immediate execution are essential. Whether navigating transition, improving performance, integrating an acquisition or leading transformation, they quickly establish priorities, strengthen execution and drive measurable results.

  • Executive leadership including Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and General Manager
  • Operations leadership including Plant Manager and Operations Leader roles
  • Functional leadership including Supply Chain, Engineering, Quality, Program Management, and Human Resources leaders
CBS interim management leader working on the floor with manufacturing employee

Leadership That Drives Results

  • Performance gains that start now from executives who lead the change themselves
  • A stable business so customers, teams, and operations are protected while the work gets done
  • Lasting Lean capability built inside the organization, so the gains hold after the engagement ends
  • A measurable return in productivity, delivery, quality, cost, and working capital
Talk to CBS about Interim Leadership

Areas of Focus

  • Production and capacity expansion
  • Operational turnaround and recovery
  • Supply chain performance improvement
  • Morale improvement and cultural transformation
  • Cost reduction and margin improvement
  • New contract and program ramp-ups
  • Throughput and productivity improvement
  • Customer delivery and service improvement
  • Mergers, acquisitions, and business integration
  • Transformation and change initiatives

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“We contacted CBS on a Friday after unexpectedly losing our VP of Operations and VP of Supply Chain midstream of a complex distribution facility relocation. The next week, CBS had seasoned operational leaders in place leading the business through the relocation while maintaining customer service during the holiday peak season. What could have turned out to be a disaster quickly turned into one of our most successful relocations.”

Michael D. Bornitz, Partner

LKCM Headwater Investments

Talk to CBS About Interim Leadership

When performance can’t wait, CBS interim leaders step in quickly, take ownership of the objective, and drive results that hold.

Start a Conversation Download the Interim Leadership Overview