Change is a given. And change at the top of organizations is more common than you expect. So what do you do when a key IT leadership position unexpectedly opens? Do you look internally at your strong second to step in as an interim and possibly take the permanent position? Or do you look outside for someone to temporarily fill the gap? How do you think through the most important question: what should you do?

Leadership transitions are critical periods for any organization. Day to day operational issues need to be addressed. Staff need stability and they need to stay focused on their work. Major initiatives must keep moving forward.

StarBridge Advisors can help with IT leadership transitions. When there is a leadership change at the CIO level, we can work with executives to assess the current state. We can look at the existing IT leadership team for development opportunities. We can help with the next CIO position specification. We can provide interim leadership and we can assist with the search. And we can serve as a trusted and seasoned senior advisor for the new CIO in their early months.

We can quickly fill the leadership gap with experienced leaders to serve as interim CIOs for healthcare organizations, whether small or large, a community-based hospital or an academic medical center.

We can also provide interim Chief Application Officers, Chief Technology Officers, Chief Medical Informatics Officers, or Chief Information Security Officers – all critical leadership positions in any IT department.

You can still use an outside perspective even if you have a strong internal person. We can help you think through your options. If you decide to go with an internal interim, we can provide advisory services, working directly with that person to ensure their success.

Our seasoned interims are available for a short period (4-6 months), or for longer (a year or more) depending on need. When they understand your organization and its specific needs, they will work closely with internal recruiters and search firms to find the right candidate for long term success.

You know you can’t afford to have a leadership vacuum in your security function. We can provide interim Chief Information Security Officers and assist with security assessments.

Chief Application Officers and Chief Technology Officers are critical to support day to day IT operations but also for driving major initiatives such as an EMR or ERP implementation. If you find yourself with a gap in either of these areas, we can help.

Serving as an interim takes a unique set of skills. The interim leader needs to get up to speed quickly, assess the situation, build relationships, establish credibility, and figure out where to focus their energy. Our interims continually learn from one another sharing best practices.

An interim CIO may be needed just to make sure things are running smoothly day to day. Or they can be change agents who shake things up. Or they may help set a new strategy and direction for the permanent CIO to execute. It all depends on your specific needs.

The core values and mission of an organization don’t change with a new leader. But it is important to find the right person to build on the best of what is there, to change what needs to be changed, and to successfully take the organization into the future. Smooth leadership transitions are an important part of this process – for the success of the organization and everyone involved.

If you find yourself with a critical IT leadership gap, turn to StarBridge Advisors. We will leave you in a better place at the end of the transition. “Today’s solutions, tomorrow’s leaders” is more than just our tag line – it’s our commitment to you!