Service 04
Interim Management
Embedded Scientist · Fractional R&D Lead · Project Director
Sometimes you need experienced scientific or operational leadership for a defined period without a permanent hire. I take on the role, carry full accountability, and build the foundation for whoever comes next.
When you need someone who is actually there.
Early-stage companies often reach moments where they need scientific or operational leadership they cannot yet hire permanently. A key person leaves. A critical project needs a director. A lab needs to be built before a permanent leader arrives.
The standard answer is to bring in a consultant who advises from the outside. The problem is that the work that actually needs to be done requires someone with full accountability — not someone who can always point at the client when things do not go to plan.
I take on the role. I sit in the meetings, make the decisions, and own the results. And I plan my own exit from day one, so everything I build is transferable to whoever comes next.
How I work
Full accountability. Clean handover.
Scoping
I define the role, the mandate, the success criteria, and the exit conditions before I begin. Clarity upfront prevents ambiguity later.
Integration
I join your team, learn the context, and take full accountability for the defined scope. No half-presence, no hedged commitment.
Execution
I deliver against the mandate while simultaneously building the internal structures that will outlast the engagement.
Handover
Every interim engagement ends with a structured handover. Documentation, knowledge transfer, and a successor who is set up for success.
Outcomes
What you walk away with.
Every interim engagement is individually scoped. These are the typical outputs of an interim management engagement with Stumpf Co-Lab.
- —Fractional R&D leadership for early-stage companies
- —Lab build-out, process development, and team formation
- —Project direction for defined transformation programmes
- —Transition planning and successor enablement
- —Full documentation of processes and decisions
- —Strategic recommendations for the post-engagement phase
When interim R&D leadership is the right choice.
There are three situations where fractional R&D leadership makes more sense than a permanent hire. First: a key person has left and the team needs continuity while the search for a permanent replacement runs — a period that typically takes longer than expected and cannot be left unled. Second: a biotech startup or diagnostic company needs to build a function from scratch before they can justify the headcount for a senior permanent role. Third: a defined programme — a lab build, a regulatory milestone, a product handover — requires a director for 9 to 18 months and then a natural exit point follows.
What full accountability means in practice: agreed deliverables at the start of the engagement, documented decisions throughout, a transition plan that begins at week one rather than at the end. It means attending team meetings and being available when problems arise — not submitting reports and waiting for the next scheduled call. It means that the embedded scientist owns the outcome, not just the advice.
The difference between a consultant who advises and an R&D lead who executes is a difference in accountability, not just in presence. A consultant's obligation ends when the recommendation is delivered. An interim management engagement ends when the work is done and the handover is complete. The distinction matters because it determines who bears the cost of being wrong — and who has the incentive to get it right.
FAQ
Common questions.
What is the difference between a consultant and a fractional R&D lead?
A consultant analyses a situation and recommends actions. A fractional R&D lead joins the team, owns a scope of work, and is accountable for outcomes — not just advice. The distinction matters because it determines who bears the cost of being wrong, and who has the incentive to get it right.
How does transition planning work at the end of an interim engagement?
From the start of any engagement I document decisions, processes, and rationale in a format designed for handover. A transition plan is agreed at the scoping stage, not retrofitted at the end. The goal is that the next person — whether a permanent hire or another team member — can step in without losing momentum.
How long does a typical interim management engagement last?
Most engagements run between 6 and 18 months, depending on the mandate. Lab build-outs and team formation programmes tend toward the longer end. Gap-filling roles during a recruitment search can be shorter. Duration is agreed at scoping and tied to specific milestones, not an open-ended retainer.
Need someone accountable from day one?
A first conversation is free and without obligation. I will tell you honestly whether I am the right partner.
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