Demand for interim managers in the voluntary sector has increased by almost a third over the past year.

Interim solutions provider PrimeTimers has reported a 30% in requests for interim managers in the third sector over the past 12 months to plug staff and skills gaps and manage periods of change.

Brent Thomas, director of PrimeTimers, said: "The increase reflects a growing awareness that there are times when it is necessary to bring in specific skills to ensure consistency and an effective response to a challenging market."

As a result PrimeTimers has designed a guide for not-for-profit organisations to use when employing interim managers, covering issues such as problems that can be solved by interims and tips on how to manage and get the most out of this type of expertise.