Role search
Get a Divestiture lead who can own core business function separation.
No postings. No stacks of resumes. No chasing. You choose from a short list of people who have done this before.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you engage someone we present.
Interim Headhunters starts with the work behind this request: A Divestiture Lead manages the immediate departure of a business unit. The work requires stripping away parent-level dependencies while establishing functional independence.
This is what we do all day: place interim executives, interim managers and contract professionals.
Need someone now? Call 305-306-4829.
- No upfront fee
- 2 to 3 vetted consultants per assignment
- Matched to your industry
- You choose
- Interim plus permanent search
- Divestiture lead
The judgment call
What this hire really comes down to
A Divestiture Lead manages the immediate departure of a business unit. The work requires stripping away parent-level dependencies while establishing functional independence. They distinguish between essential systems needed for Day One and long-term improvements that create unnecessary project scope. The focus remains on the specific legal and operational separation rather than general organizational change.
This executive forces decisions on cost structures that the business cannot sustain alone. They determine which legacy processes stop at the exit and which transition into new, independent workflows. Their judgment prevents the target entity from inheriting the parent organization’s administrative bloat. They operate with a clear mandate to protect the asset value throughout the transition process.
What we check
What we check before you see anyone
- We audit records to confirm they have stood up core business functions from scratch. This includes the legal, financial, and IT infrastructure necessary for an entity to operate without parent-level shared services. We verify they performed this setup within the context of a divestiture, not a greenfield startup or standard process improvement initiative.
- We require evidence of their management of transition service agreements. They must show how they designed the service scope and handled the eventual exit, including instances where they renegotiated terms when the parent failed to deliver agreed services. We examine their record for keeping the exit on track when service quality degraded.
- We assess their methodology for eliminating stranded costs. A candidate must demonstrate how they identified overhead that did not follow the business into the new entity. They explain how they rightsized the remaining infrastructure so the new entity avoided paying for services they no longer controlled or utilized.
- We confirm their experience with complex system cutovers. They must describe their role in two separate instances where they owned the final go-live decision. This includes verifying their technical understanding of data migration risks and the regulatory requirements involved in transferring asset control between distinct legal entities.
Sourcing
Where we find them
We source from private equity portfolios and large corporations that undergo frequent restructuring. These leaders exist in environments where they repeat the separation process every few years. They understand how to move quickly through the initial chaos of a carve-out because they have encountered the same operational failures multiple times. They know which shortcuts create risk and which ones accelerate the exit.
We also recruit those who thrive on the volatility of project-based executive work. These professionals prefer the intense focus of a divestiture over managing a permanent, static department. Their motivation comes from the challenge of building a functioning business entity before the exit clock expires. They understand that their compensation and reputation rest on their ability to complete the transition on schedule.
Where searches go wrong
Mistakes we see
- Treating a divestiture as a transformation project. The lead tries to modernize legacy systems that should have simply been mirrored or replaced by basic, independent alternatives. This mistake adds months to the timeline and consumes budget intended for the core exit.
- Ignoring the technical debt associated with shared data environments. The lead fails to isolate the data flows early, causing the separation to stall during the final cutover. This creates significant operational downtime when the entities finally decouple.
- Failing to enforce the exit date against parent company delays. The lead lets the parent company dictate terms for extended transition services, which keeps the target entity tethered and artificially inflates overhead costs indefinitely.
The search
How the Divestiture lead search runs
- We map the specific technical and operational interdependencies of your business unit. We identify the exact systems and functions that require separation to determine the profile of the executive needed. This ensures we look for individuals who have dealt with your specific sector challenges, such as industry-specific compliance or proprietary manufacturing systems.
- We screen candidates against your specific transition service agreement status. We look for those who have led exits with similar vendor arrangements and system constraints. We evaluate their history with stranded costs and how they have historically defended the target entity from parent company service creep.
- We present candidates who have led full divestiture cycles from initial due diligence through to final entity independence. We focus on their ability to explain their previous cutover strategies and how they handled the pressure of the final separation date. You review only those who have direct experience in the exact type of separation you are undertaking.
Questions
How does this role differ from an Integration Lead?
An Integration Lead combines two companies, whereas a Divestiture Lead systematically removes one. The Divestiture Lead focuses on operational decoupling and ending service dependencies rather than consolidating functions.
Do you charge fees for this search?
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
What is the primary indicator of a successful candidate?
They demonstrate a clear history of meeting exit deadlines without over-investing in the target entity. They prioritize legal and operational independence over long-term system enhancements.
Does this lead require a technical IT background?
They must understand technical architecture to manage system cutovers effectively. While they are not the developer, they must evaluate the risks of data migration and system separation.
What replacement terms apply?
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
How are recruiting fees agreed?
No upfront fee. You pay only if you engage someone we present. We scope the assignment before quoting; the fee page explains our model.
How soon can we see options?
Availability depends on the assignment and the people who fit it. We qualify interest and commitments rather than promising a shortlist date before the search is scoped.
What if the scope grows?
Discuss new responsibilities before adding them to the engagement. Agree the priorities and record any change to the brief and terms.
Can we extend an engagement?
Discuss what remains unfinished and whether the same responsibility is still needed. Extensions depend on the person's commitments and the agreed engagement terms.
Can the appointment become permanent?
A permanent move can be discussed if both sides want it. Review the future role and the applicable agreement instead of assuming that temporary coverage automatically converts.
How is a confidential search handled?
Tell us what can be disclosed and whom we must not contact. We agree those boundaries before approaching people; do not send sensitive records with an initial brief.
What are the replacement terms?
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
What do you not do?
We do not sell job-board reposting as a search or bill hourly for recruiting work. We do not take a retainer unless expressly agreed, and an introduction does not authorize an engagement.
Tell us the seat
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire. Share the title, the situation and the timing. A person reads it.
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The Six-Step Search
What do you get at each step of the search?
We agree what the person must own before contacting anyone. You see how the search is scoped and which backgrounds we pursue. We speak with candidates about the work before presenting them. The Six-Step Search gives you useful written notes and support through interviews, rather than a pile of applications.
- 01
Scope call
We talk through the seat, the business and what has to change.
You get: A one-page role brief you approve before we search.
- 02
Market map
We work out where people who have done this job actually sit.
You get: A short note on the pool and how we plan to reach it.
- 03
Direct outreach
We approach people who are not looking at job boards.
You get: Progress updates so you are never chasing us.
- 04
Screening
We interview every candidate on the work, not the resume.
You get: Written notes on fit, availability and terms for each person.
- 05
Shortlist and interviews
You meet a short list. We handle the scheduling.
You get: Several vetted options and a debrief after each interview.
- 06
Offer and start
You choose. We help settle terms and the start date.
You get: Confirmed terms, a start date and check-ins after day one.
Tell us who you need.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you engage someone we present.
Send us the seat. We will take it from there.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you engage someone we present.