Interim & Acting CAO Services

Few situations are more challenging for a municipality than a vacancy in the Chief Administrative Officer's chair. Whether the departure was planned or sudden, the organization still needs to function: Council still needs advice, budgets still need to be prepared, staff still need direction, and the community still expects services to be delivered without interruption.

Rushing to fill the role permanently is rarely the right answer. A well-supported interim period gives Council the time to conduct a proper search, and gives the organization stability while that happens.

Real CAO Experience: Not a Placeholder

We don't approach interim assignments as caretaking. Guillermo has served as Chief Administrative Officer for both the City of White Rock and the Town of Ladysmith, leading organizations of 100 to 200+ employees with operating budgets in the $60M range and significant capital programs. Juli has served as Chief Administrative Officer for the Village of Anmore and currently serves as General Manager of Corporate Services and Acting Deputy CAO for the City of Burnaby.

That means an interim engagement with us brings genuine executive capability: Council advice, budget leadership, senior staff direction, labour and HR matters, legislative compliance and community relations, from day one, without a lengthy learning curve.

What We Provide

• Interim CAO: full CAO responsibilities during a vacancy, reporting directly to Council
• Acting CAO coverage: shorter-term coverage for extended leave, medical absence or sabbatical
• Transitional leadership: steadying an organization through a difficult departure or period of instability
• Onboarding support for the incoming CAO: a structured handover so your permanent hire starts with momentum, not a cold start
• Senior department leadership: interim coverage of a senior management role where the gap is below the CAO level

Stability Without Disruption

An interim CAO should leave the organization better positioned than they found it. That means making the decisions that genuinely need to be made, while avoiding changes that properly belong to the incoming permanent CAO.

We're clear about that line. Council receives honest advice and real leadership through the interim period, and your new CAO inherits an organization that is stable, current and ready, not one reshaped by someone who won't be there to live with the consequences.

Pairs Naturally with Executive Search

Many municipalities engage us for interim coverage and executive search together, providing continuity during the vacancy while we conduct a thorough, network-driven search for the permanent appointment. Where both services are engaged, we're transparent about that relationship with Council from the outset, and the interim appointee is never a candidate for the permanent role.

Why Ferrero Forward?

We've sat in the CAO's chair, reported to Council, and led organizations through difficult periods. An interim assignment with us isn't a holding pattern. It's experienced executive leadership for exactly as long as your municipality needs it.