Dec. 4, 2025
By Sam Young
I am hearing the same thing from senior leaders across retail and consumer.
They want more control. More variety. More ownership of how they work.
The traditional full-time route is no longer the obvious choice it once was.
The shift is quiet but steady. Leaders who have built serious careers are now choosing a portfolio life made up of interim roles, fractional positions and short pieces of advisory work. Not because they lack options. Because the old model does not give them what they want next.
A few patterns keep coming up.
They choose work that feels meaningful
One Retail Leader who recently entered the interim world told me. “It was the right time, I have delivered so much and seen a lot of change, but I would like to share this knowledge with others and also see how these principles apply in other organisations”. He was tired of delivering variations of the same plan each year. Interim and fractional roles opened the door to work that has a clear start, middle and finish. He said the sense of progress is what keeps him motivated. He can see the impact in weeks rather than waiting for an annual review cycle.
They enjoy the balance between intensity and space
This is one of the biggest draws. Interim roles provide the full-on delivery phase. Fractional assignments bring a steady rhythm where they stay close to the business without being swallowed by it. Between pieces of work there is time for recovery, learning and choosing the next challenge on their own terms.
They value autonomy
A fractional CIO described it as “working without the noise”. He is brought in for expertise, not politics. He can challenge assumptions openly because he has no long-term lineage to protect. Many leaders say this freedom is what makes the work enjoyable again.
They stay sharper than ever
Portfolio careers move them through different teams, different problems and different market conditions. The variety compounds their experience fast. A few leaders have told me they spot patterns much quicker now because they are not tied to one organisation’s way of doing things.
This shift is influencing how clients want to engage with talent.
It is exactly why we have built NB Connect. It is a network of proven leaders who choose this flexible way of working. Some step into full interim assignments and drive major change. Others take fractional roles, offering strategic leadership a few days each week. A number act as an informal sounding board when a client needs quick insight before a key decision.
It gives organisations leadership that fits their moment, not leadership tied to a traditional structure.
The portfolio career is no longer the alternative route.
For a growing group of senior leaders, it has become the most rewarding and sustainable stage of their working life.
What do you think is pushing this shift the most?