Role search
Get a TSA Manager who can own manage specific transition service agreements.
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 Transition Service Agreement Manager translates complex legal schedules into functional workstreams. They act as the primary interface between the divestor and the new entity.
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
- TSA Manager
The judgment call
What this hire really comes down to
A Transition Service Agreement Manager translates complex legal schedules into functional workstreams. They act as the primary interface between the divestor and the new entity. Their success depends on their ability to enforce service delivery while identifying and resolving dependency gaps that typically stall a carve-out. They prevent the default scenarios where IT or back-office support drops during the separation.
They determine the order of operations for system migration and data separation. This person identifies which shared services are sustainable for the buyer and which require immediate standalone solutions. They make the call on whether to maintain access to legacy systems or move to independent platforms. Their output ensures you pay for exactly what you receive without service interruptions.
What we check
What we check before you see anyone
- We verify their history managing specific schedule-based service agreements. They must explain how they tracked service level performance and billing against the defined contract terms. We look for individuals who have built an internal tracker to flag impending expiration dates for critical services and anticipate necessary extensions well before deadlines pass.
- We require evidence of direct experience disentangling IT environments and data architectures. They must show how they handled the transition of ERP access or accounting instances. We test their knowledge of the technical hurdles involved in moving proprietary data from a parent server to a new environment, including managing the physical or virtual data cutover without corruption.
- We assess their ability to coordinate cross-functional inputs from legal, IT, and finance. They must prove they can lead a cadence where different functional leads report on their progress against the TSA timeline. We look for a focus on cost avoidance during the interim period by aggressively seeking to terminate services that have already been replaced by internal capabilities.
- We demand specific examples of how they managed service desk or shared utility transitions. They must explain how they ensured the business retained its daily functionality while systems were partitioned. We look for a focus on minimizing the friction felt by end users during the transition, specifically regarding how they handled potential outages during the shift from parent company systems to standalone setups.
Sourcing
Where we find them
We find these experts within internal M&A departments that handle frequent divestitures. These professionals focus on the technical execution of spin-offs rather than the deal valuation. They have worked through the rigorous process of documenting every service component that must be untangled to ensure the target entity survives independently.
We also recruit from consultancies that specialize in carve-out execution. These people have seen dozens of different deal structures and know how to avoid common pitfalls during the transition period. They move to this role because they prefer operational execution over advisory work. They seek to own the outcome of the integration project from start to finish.
Where searches go wrong
Mistakes we see
- Hiring someone who treats the TSA as a static legal document rather than a dynamic operational plan. The manager fails to monitor the actual service delivery and misses the need for service extensions, leading to emergency renegotiations that inflate costs.
- Overlooking the dependency between IT services and operational functionality. A manager without technical depth cannot anticipate how a server migration affects daily reporting or customer order processing, resulting in significant downtime for the business units involved.
- Ignoring the cost structure of the agreement. They neglect to optimize the service utilization during the transition which leads to excessive fees paid to the former parent for services no longer required, or they miss opportunities to terminate non-essential support services early.
The search
How the TSA Manager search runs
- First we map the technical scope of your specific divestiture against candidate experience. We identify if you need someone focused on IT architecture or someone focused on financial and HR service migration. This step removes candidates who only have experience in generic project management but lack the specific skills to manage the nuances of service-level agreements.
- Next we vet their ability to manage the schedule of services. We ask them to walk through a situation where they had to re-negotiate a service level or escalate a failure. We prioritize individuals who document their process and maintain a clear audit trail for every service item, ensuring that every transition is accounted for in the master project plan.
- Finally we test their ability to manage the exit from the agreement. The best candidates build a roadmap for standalone operations from the first day. They show you exactly when and how each service is replaced to reach the final end-state of full operational independence, and they provide proof of their ability to close out contracts effectively.
Questions
How does a TSA Manager differ from a general project manager?
A TSA Manager focuses on the specific contractual obligations of transition services. They handle legal dependencies and specialized data migration, not generic project timelines.
Does this role require deep technical coding skills?
They must have sufficient technical literacy to bridge the gap between IT and operations. They do not write code but they manage the outcome of system separations.
What is the primary indicator of a successful TSA exit?
The primary indicator is the ability to maintain zero disruption to business operations during the transition. A successful manager terminates all services before they expire.
Do I need to pay an upfront fee for this search?
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
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.