Traits That Matter: What 400 Senior Officers Say About Interim Success in Local Government

As we approach the end of 2025, the landscape of local government continues to shift politically, economically, and socially. Councils are navigating a perfect storm of rising demand, shrinking budgets, and increasing public scrutiny. The pressure to deliver services that are efficient, equitable, and future-proofed has never been greater. In this context, interim professionals have become more than just temporary solutions. They are strategic operators brought in to lead change, stabilise services, and inject momentum into critical programmes. Often parachuted into complex environments with little notice, they are expected to deliver impact from day one, navigating organisational culture, political nuance, and operational challenges with speed and precision.

But what traits truly define success in these roles? What do senior leaders look for when appointing an interim officer to lead a service, drive a turnaround, or manage a transition?

To answer this, we surveyed over 400 senior officers across local government Chief Executives, Directors, Heads of Service and asked them what they value most in interim colleagues. The results paint a compelling picture of what’s needed to thrive in the months ahead. From behavioural intelligence to delivery mindset, the traits that matter most are not just technical they’re relational, strategic, and deeply human.

Top Ten Traits for Interim Success in 2026

Strategic Agility

84% of respondents said the ability to pivot quickly between priorities is “essential.”

“We don’t need someone to follow a plan we need someone who can rewrite it mid-flight,” said a Director of Place.

Political Savviness

76% of leaders said understanding political nuance is more important than technical expertise.

“The best interims know when to speak, when to listen, and when to quietly influence,” noted a Chief Executive in the North West.

Emotional Intelligence

71% of respondents highlighted empathy and self-awareness as key differentiators.

“You can’t lead change if you don’t understand the emotional temperature of the room,” shared a Head of HR.

Outcome Orientation

66% said they are tired of process-heavy approaches.

“We’re not hiring for governance we’re hiring for delivery,” said a Director of Children’s Services.

Resilience Under Pressure

63% cited the ability to remain calm and focused in high-stakes environments.

“Interims are often the last line of defence. We need people who don’t flinch,” said a Section 151 Officer.

Credibility and Gravitas

59% said they look for individuals who can command respect quickly.

“You’ve got two weeks to win hearts and minds. If you don’t, you’re just another contractor,” said a Head of Adult Social Care.

Collaborative Leadership

55% said interims must be able to build trust across teams and departments.

“We’re not looking for lone wolves. We need bridge-builders,” said a Director of Environment.

Digital Confidence

52% said comfort with digital tools and remote leadership is now non-negotiable.

“If you can’t lead a hybrid team, you’re not ready for 2026,” said a Transformation Lead.

Inclusive Practice

47% said they actively seek interims who understand neurodiversity, cultural competence, and inclusive leadership.

“We want people who can lead everyone not just the easy-to-manage majority,” said a Head of Workforce.

Self-Awareness and Reflection

43% said they value interims who know their limits and seek feedback.

“The best interims are humble enough to ask, ‘What am I missing?’” said a Monitoring Officer.

Ten Traits That Undermine Interim Success in Local Government

While the right traits can accelerate impact, the wrong ones can derail progress, damage relationships, and erode trust. Our survey of over 400 senior officers revealed a clear consensus on behaviours and attitudes that don’t belong in interim leadership. Here are the ten traits they most want to avoid:

Arrogance Disguised as Confidence

67% of respondents said overconfidence is a red flag.

“We’ve had interims walk in like they’re here to rescue us. That’s not leadership it’s ego,” said a Director of Housing.

Resistance to Feedback

61% said they’ve seen interims ignore constructive input.

“If you’re not open to challenge, you’re not fit for public service,” noted a Chief Executive.

Transactional Thinking

58% said they’ve encountered interims focused solely on deliverables, not relationships.

“You can’t just tick boxes and leave. We need people who build capacity, not just complete tasks,” said a Head of Transformation.

Poor Listening Skills

54% said failure to listen to staff and stakeholders undermines credibility.

“The best interims ask questions. The worst assume they already know the answers,” said a Director of Adult Services.

Overreliance on Past Experience

51% said they’ve seen interims apply outdated solutions to new problems.

“Just because it worked in 2018 doesn’t mean it works now,” said a Monitoring Officer.

Lack of Cultural Sensitivity

48% said interims who ignore local context struggle to gain traction.

“Every council is different. If you don’t respect that, you’ll fail,” said a Director of Communities.

Short-Termism

45% said they’ve seen interims make decisions that solve today’s problem but create tomorrow’s crisis.

“We need people who think beyond their contract end date,” said a Section 151 Officer.

Inflexibility

42% said rigid approaches to leadership or delivery are counterproductive.

“If you can’t adapt, you’ll be left behind,” said a Head of Planning.

Poor Stakeholder Engagement

39% said interims who avoid difficult conversations or fail to engage elected members are ineffective.

“You can’t lead change from behind a desk,” said a Director of Public Health.

Lack of Self-Awareness

36% said they’ve worked with interims who don’t recognise their own impact on others.

“If you don’t know how you’re perceived, you’re flying blind,” said a Head of HR.

Emerging Trends: What’s Changing in 2026

The expectations placed on interim professionals are evolving rapidly. Our survey revealed several key shifts in how councils are deploying and evaluating interim talent:

Hybrid Leadership as Standard

Nearly half (49%) of respondents said they now expect interims to lead teams across multiple locations and digital platforms. This isn’t just about remote working it’s about managing dispersed teams, maintaining cohesion, and ensuring visibility in both physical and virtual spaces.

“If you can’t lead across Zoom and the Town Hall, you’re not ready for modern local government,” said a Director of Transformation.

Inclusive Practice as a Core Competency

38% of senior officers said they actively seek interims who understand neurodiversity, cultural competence, and inclusive leadership. This reflects a growing recognition that inclusive practice isn’t a ‘nice to have’ it’s essential for building trust, improving outcomes, and modelling the values councils want to embed.

“We want leaders who see difference as a strength, not a challenge,” said a Head of Workforce.

Shorter Tenures, Sharper Impact

31% of councils are capping interim assignments at six months to drive urgency and reduce dependency. The message is clear: interims are expected to hit the ground running, deliver quickly, and leave behind sustainable change not just a completed task list.

“We’re not looking for placeholders. We’re looking for catalysts,” said a Chief Executive.

Increased Scrutiny and Accountability

Councils are applying more rigorous performance measures to interim roles, with 26% introducing formal KPIs and impact reviews.

“We need to know what we’re getting and what we’re building,” said a Section 151 Officer.

Cross-Sector Experience Valued

22% of respondents said they now favour interims with experience outside local government, particularly in health, housing associations, and the voluntary sector.

“Fresh thinking is often found outside the echo chamber,” said a Director of Communities.

What Interim Officers Should Do Now

If you’re working in local government on an interim basis, consider this your call to action. The bar is rising and so must your approach:

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  Invest in your political awareness

  Read council papers, understand local dynamics, and build relationships fast. Know who the key players are and what matters to them.

• Lead with empathy

  Especially in services under pressure, emotional intelligence is your superpower. Listen deeply, respond thoughtfully, and build trust quickly.

• Deliver visibly

  Make your impact known early and often. Don’t wait for the end of your contract to show results create wins that are visible, measurable, and meaningful.

• Stay flexible

  The best laid plans will change. Be ready to adapt, reprioritise, and respond to shifting political or organisational winds.

• Model inclusive leadership

  Be culturally competent, neurodiversity-aware, and actively inclusive. Your leadership should reflect the communities you serve.

• Build legacy, not dependency

  Leave behind systems, relationships, and ways of working that endure beyond your departure.

• Ask for feedback

  Self-awareness is a strength. Seek input, reflect on your impact, and adjust your approach accordingly.

• Understand the wider system

  Think beyond your service area. Understand how your work connects to health, housing, education, and the voluntary sector.

• Be digitally confident

  Use digital tools to lead, communicate, and collaborate. Hybrid leadership is here to stay.

• Know your value and prove it

  Articulate your impact clearly. Councils are under pressure to justify every spend, including yours.

Final Thought

Interim work in local government is no longer about filling gaps. It’s about driving transformation, often under intense scrutiny. Councils are no longer content with continuity they’re demanding capability, courage, and clarity of purpose. The expectations are higher, the timelines shorter, and the environments more complex. Success in this space requires more than technical competence it demands emotional intelligence, political awareness, and a deep understanding of the communities being served. The most valued interims are those who can lead with empathy, adapt with agility, and deliver with precision.

As our research shows, the traits that define success are shifting. Strategic agility, inclusive practice, and collaborative leadership are no longer optional they’re essential. And just as importantly, councils are increasingly intolerant of behaviours that undermine progress, from arrogance and inflexibility to short-termism and poor listening. Interim professionals must now operate as trusted partners, not temporary placeholders. They must be able to read the room, navigate complexity, and build momentum in environments that are often politically charged and resource-constrained. The best interims don’t just respond to change they shape it. As one respondent put it:

“We don’t hire interims to keep the lights on. We hire them to change the wiring.”

The challenge is clear. The opportunity is real. And for those willing to rise to it, the impact can be profound.