David Martindale admits to missing coaching but is "crystal clear" that his return to the Livingston dugout is only temporary.
The 52-year-old sporting director begins an interim spell as manager, along with Frankie McAvoy, for Friday's Championship visit to Greenock Morton (live on BBC Scotland from 19:25 BST).
Glenn Whelan was dismissed after the West Lothian side lost three of their first five league matches.
"I will step in as long as needed, but this isn't something I'm looking to do in the long-term," said Martindale, who took on the sporting director role in January after six years as manager. "I've made that kind of crystal clear.
"That ship's sailed. I miss coaching, but long-term, I think we need to be looking elsewhere rather than Davie Martindale.
"It probably buys us a wee bit of time to try and bring someone in so there's no immediate reaction on the back of it."
Livingston were relegated after a miserable campaign in the top flight, winning just two of their 38 games.
In season 2024-25, the West Lothian side went up via the play-offs after losing only six league matches.
"The expectations from the ownership is they want to win this league," added Martindale on Whelan's early exit.
"We're all well aware that the start's not been good enough. We were pretty keen to try and get it to at least match day nine, where we've all played each other and then reassess it.
"Fifth in the league, lost three out of five and had nothing against part-time teams who have been magnificent in the league to be fair, but I think that probably puts a wee bit of fuel on the fire as well."
Martindale said the club will "cast the net a wee bit wider" in search of a new head coach.
"I think we've got a real strong skill set in the building of UK football," he added. "You could probably ask me any league and I can give you a wee bit of information on it, or I can phone somebody and get information.
"European football is a little bit different. So we need to bring in experience and expertise in different markets from the ones that we were looking at previously."
