It's simultaneously one of the most exciting jobs and most daunting in Scottish football.
With Kilmarnock at their highest ebb in many a year - European football, a fanbase returning in droves and an excellent squad - the big question remains, how do you follow Steve Clarke?
The newly appointed Scotland boss took the Ayrshiremen from relegation fodder to top three in the Premiership in a way few thought was possible.
Now, with Clarke off on his next rescue mission at Hampden, someone will be handed the task of carrying on his outstanding work.
But just who will it be?
Record Sport Online profiles some of the runners and riders to take the reins at Rugby Park.
Gary Holt
If the job was allocated on passion for the club alone then one flash of his right leg would secure Gary Holt a lifetime contract. Why? Because there sits inked a permanent tribute that famous 1997 Scottish Cup triumph, of which he was a major part of.
Holt would not only bring the requisite knowledge of all things Killie but he's also carved out a solid reputation with Livingston this season. The Lions surprised some of the Premiership's big guns before appearing to run out of steam towards the end of the campaign.
He doesn't have the credentials of Clarke, obviously, but the stars very much aligned for that appointment and the reality is they're unlikely to do so again. Holt has shown he can cut it in the top flight with meagre resources and is the current bookies favourite.
Neil McCann
Out-of-work since leaving Dundee in October 2018, McCann registered his interest in the post this week but conceded he's likely to be far down any potential list of candidates.
He told BBC Sportsound: "Of course I would (be interested).
"Managers out of work all over the country right now will probably be ahead of me in terms of getting their name in there."
Sadly for McCann, his self-assessment is probably correct. His stint at Dens Park went steadily downhill and he'll likely have to prove himself at a lower level before being considered for what is now one of the Premiership's top jobs.
Ally McCoist
Another "potentially only in the running because he was asked about it" candidate, McCoist was asked for an answer by talkSPORT co-host Alan Brazil on whether he'd jump at the chance for a Rugby Park return. "Absolutely," was the response from a man who spent three successful years at the club as a player.
His only managerial experience remains his stint at Rangers, where his team blew a 15 point lead over Celtic amid the financial turmoil that engulfed the club. He stuck around and led his side back to the Championship but was unable to complete that final step into the top-flight.
Rumours of a return to management since have been relatively scarce, save for muted talk of taking over at Greenock Morton last year. He'll probably consider himself an outside bet at this stage and it would be a surprise should Killie turn to their former striker.
Alex Dyer
If it's continuity Killie want, then perhaps Clarke's No.2 is the man to provide it. The new Scotland boss trusts his right-hand man so much he's keen to take him along for the ride at Hampden.
But while Billy Bowie was unable to convince Clarke to snub the national team, he may have better luck with Dyer and the offer of a first real crack at being the top man. Dyer spent little over a month in charge at Welling United before the club opted to bring in a new management team.
He also joined National League South side Whitehawk for a matter of days before being tempted to Ayrshire by Clarke. Dyer's appointment would ensure a smooth transition, he'd have the respect of the players but his lack of experience as a first-team boss mean it'd be a real gamble.
Chris Powell
If Killie want to keep Dyer but not promote him, they could always reunite the coach with Chris Powell.
Dyer and Powell worked together at Charlton Athletic when the latter was boss between 2011 and 2014,preceding stints at Huddersfield, Derby and Southend United.
Powell was sacked in March this year with Southend plummeting towards the relegation zone and a potential future in League Two.
His most successful stint was certainly at Charlton, however, and he could fancy a change of scenery after a few years bouncing between jobs in the unforgiving world of English league football.
Neil Lennon
At the risk of upsetting Celtic fans who are firmly pro-Lennon, hear us out on this one. If he should, hypothetically, be overlooked for the Hoops job then Killie could become a real possibility.
There's no greater feel-good factor in Scotland anywhere at the moment - what's not to love? The Irishman would be a more than decent option to carry on Clarke's work and is currently 12/1 outsider with the bookies.
Lennon led Hibs to fourth place on their first season back in the top flight and has also shown a real knack for identifying and recruiting players well suited to the Scottish game, a facet of Clarke's Killie that was so crucial to their success.
Gary Rowett
An English boss in need of a fresh challenge following a largely disappointing stint at a mid-sized English club, now mending his reputation in Scotland? Gary Rowett could be forgiven for taking one look at compatriot Paul Heckingbottom at Hibs and thinking he could do the same.
Rowett did a solid job in charge of Birmingham and Derby, steadily improving their fortunes and getting the best out of players - which is pretty much the remit at Killie.
However, the managerial carousel south of the border means he's never far away from being linked with another job, and Swansea City are the latest side thought to be interesting Rowett. Killie would need to move quickly, while wages may also be a stumbling block.
Paul Clement
A man who has followed a similar career trajectory to Clarke, Clement has experience at some of the world's elite clubs in Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain with Carlo Ancelotti.
He too cut his teeth as an assistant boss before moving into full-time management and spells at Derby, Swansea and Reading all ending in the sack. Despite his coaching CV, Clement has found cracking England as a manager to be a real challenge.
But perhaps, with all that's been left in place at Rugby Park, there's an opportunity for him to build his reputation once more.
