Case Study

Client:

Xxxxxxxxxx

Sector:

Legal / Not-for-profit

Duration:

2.5 months

Keeping the operation going during a leadership transition for a legal non-profit

The challenge

A not-for-profit organisation taking on Big Tech in court had its Head of Operations depart, with a replacement not due to start for two and a half months. Mission-driven organisations like this depend heavily on donor and grant funding, so in that gap, the essentials of the business -paying suppliers on time, running payroll accurately, keeping the books straight, and giving leadership reliable numbers and funding visibility to work from - still had to happen without interruption, in a sector where accuracy and compliance are non-negotiable.

What we did

We stepped in as interim operational cover, keeping the core financial and operational functions running exactly as they should:

  • Managed accounts payable, processing an average of 45 invoices a month, ensuring suppliers were paid accurately and on time

  • Ran payroll each cycle without disruption to the team

  • Produced management accounts reporting across three monthly financial cycles, so leadership had reliable financial visibility throughout

  • Tracked funding payments, giving leadership an accurate picture of grant execution

  • Created new budget templates to ensure live spend tracking

  • Maintained accurate, audit-ready record-keeping across the business

  • Prepared and delivered a full handover to the incoming Head of Operations, so they could start from a clean, well-documented base rather than untangling a gap

The outcome

  • Three consecutive monthly financial cycles closed on time and accurately, with zero disruption to payroll or payables

  • 45 invoices a month processed without delay, keeping supplier relationships on solid ground throughout the transition

  • Leadership retained full financial visibility throughout, including an up-to-date view of funding sources and budgets, with no loss of control

  • A smooth, structured handover meant the incoming Head of Operations was productive from day one, rather than spending weeks reconstructing what had happened in their absence

  • The organisation avoided the common cost of a leadership gap: nothing was rushed, missed, or quietly left for the new hire to discover