When 90 Days Is Too Long
2 Min. Read
Value Creation Needs Strategy
The nature of portfolio company leadership demands speed, precision, and reliable ROI for the parent firm. The smartest private equity firms are now expanding and nuancing the way they think about talent. When the goal is transformational, permanent leadership, the executive search process is still required for optimal results. When timing is tight, however, or when roles are evolving, or the scope isn’t fixed, waiting 90 days or longer to find the perfect hire isn’t always the right move.
Although the balance between speed and precision may be difficult to perfect, we have been advising firms to consider turning to project-based talent, not as a stopgap, but as a strategic solution.
Defining Project-based Talent
As we define the term, "project-based talent" includes three precision-fit models that move in lockstep with the deal cycle and its pace:
- Interim executives
These are experienced operators brought in to lead, stabilize, or transform: think CFOs during carve-outs; CMOs prepping for IPO; or CEOs steadying the ship post-close. These leaders are not consultants coming in with a pre-fitted solution. They are seasoned executives who embed themselves in the company, bringing a crucial outside perspective to bear on any issues under their purview at the portco. - Embedded recruiting
This describes a situation in which our recruiters deploy inside the portfolio company, scaling functions quickly and aligning hires to investment strategy. When we talk about embedded recruiting, we place heavy emphasis on the "embedded" part. Much like the leaders above, these recruiters embed into your portco's workday as though they were full-time employees. We deploy this type of work on a scalable and, more importantly, adjustable basis. We are able to ramp up the number of recruiters to build out teams quickly and then ramp back down or even pause engagement entirely as needed. - Fractional leaders
In a situation when leadership is required, but full-time leadership isn't necessary, we deploy seasoned specialists who offer deep functional expertise on a part-time basis. From ESG officers to transformation leads, to compliance and accounting experts, these individuals deliver leadership without the full-time commitment.
Why It’s Working in Private Equity
- Speed to deploy: roles can be filled in days, not months, so momentum never stalls.
- Right-sized commitment: leadership scales with the business, flexing resources without long-term fixed costs.
- Expertise on demand: these are proven operators with battle-tested playbooks who can make an immediate impact.
- Cost alignment: the investment matches the scope and outcome, keeping the P&L in balance.
- EBITDA-conscious: these engagements are often capitalizable and tightly aligned to value creation goals.
Where It’s Showing Up in the Deal Cycle
From diligence to exit, project-based talent is delivering impact:
- Pre-close: talent assessments, culture alignment, leadership evaluation
- Post-close: rapid executive coverage, team buildouts, integration support
- Transformational phase: digital scale-up, finance optimization, commercial acceleration
- Turnaround: interim CXOs, short-term stabilization, operator lift
- Exit prep: IPO readiness, public-facing leadership, board buildout
- Ongoing: executive teamcoaching, embedded HR, performance support
The Market Is Moving, Now
Across the firms we work with:
- We’ve seen a 3x increase in interim and project-based roles in Q1 alone.
- Fractional leadership is on the rise, especially in ESG, compliance, and data.
- More PE firms are baking interim into their standard playbooks, not just contingency plans.
A Strategic Shift
This isn’t about plugging holes. It’s about building smarter operating models - where talent can be deployed as strategically and flexibly as capital.
The old model: hire, ramp, hope.
The new model: deploy, execute, pivot.
Search remains a vital lever, but it’s not the only one. Interim isn’t a fallback. Embedded isn’t support. These are frontline tools for modern PE value creation.
