Finding Your Nonprofit Leader (It Takes a Team)
Our team has had the privilege to be engaged with some pretty incredible clients. One thing that has been eye opening and fulfilling has been the partnerships we have created with many local (and moving our footprint outside of our local area) nonprofit organizations within our Executive Search division.
We have seen an uptick over the last year in nonprofit organizations seeking leadership additions to their team. It has been interesting to see the dynamics of what goes into a leadership team within a nonprofit organization as well as where the importance of competencies, mission focus, and overall demeanor of the person come into play with the decision making process.
As I sit back and think about it, it makes total sense – why wouldn't an organization focused on making people's lives better in some way shape or form care so deeply about the type of person that they bring into the fold, specifically within their leadership teams? Most folks in the nonprofit space are there because of their desire to make an impact and a difference in the world; it is a part of their DNA. (This is not at all to say that those within the for profit space do not care about making a difference or an impact within their organizations. There is just something so very unique and special about the inner workings of the nonprofit world.)
Given the organizations we have been able to partner with, and what we have discovered thus far, I thought sharing a more detailed look into our process would be beneficial for those nonprofits (as well as those reading from the for profit space) thinking about leadership hires needed within their organization. Below are some highlights of our process - I am available to dig into more detail, just give me a call anytime!
Our Launch Meeting
We find that we are only as successful as our launch meeting with a new partner. In order to be able to not only truly understand the profile of the candidate they are looking for, but to be able to sell the role, organization, team, duties etc. to prospective candidates.
With nonprofit organizations, a BIG IMPORTANT aspect of this is the actual environment the candidates will be working day in and day out. Partnering with our team means we are going to visit you ON-SITE (yes, you read that right, we want to come see the operation, meet the team, understand the good, the bad, and the ugly) to have our launch meeting. Not only do we miss meeting our clients face to face over the last few years, but we genuinely want to dig in and really understand everything - and we mean everything.
By doing this, we have not only built long lasting relationships, but have had #TeamJuno become volunteers at our local partners, as well as being a small part of getting the word out about their mission. We have seen it all at this point: warehouses, crowded spaces because of growing teams, as well as some of the heart wrenching things in our city that local nonprofits are at the forefront of trying to fix. It has been incredible and such an honor to partner with these folks.
Our Vetting Process
Our role is to take the pressure off of hiring the right candidate. We take everything we learned from our Launch Meeting and pair that with all the research our team has done and we hit the ground running. We are identifying folks that align with the words on the job description, as well as vetting based on the conversations we have had with those involved in the hiring process. We are asking the hard questions. Digging in and uncovering candidates' backgrounds and movement within their career – uncovering the WHY behind their career within the nonprofit space, learning why someone has chosen to leave the for profit world to pursue a career within nonprofit, etc.
With our vetting process, you are not getting a summary of a candidate's resume, you are getting our recommendations based on many conversations we have had with a candidate, our assessment of their competencies, experience, ability to do the job at hand, and everything in between.
Our Final Steps
As we narrow our pool of candidates for these opportunities, we walk with your team side by side throughout the interview process, the debrief conversations, and the calibration on the decisions to move candidates forward to the final stages. This exercise of having candidates vetted the same way throughout the process has allowed for very thoughtful conversations, feedback, and interviews conducted by the key stakeholders. Typically within the nonprofit space, we often have a board interview component to the interview process. As we finalize the candidate selection process, we are handling references, personality assessments, assisting the chosen candidate with giving notice, etc. Our goal and purpose is to make the process of identifying your next leader(s) as seamless and stress-free as possible.
Finding the leader of your organization's dreams should be exciting, and invigorating as you look toward the future - which is why we want to ensure the process of getting there feels just as enjoyable and stress-free.
Meet the Author
Samantha Yanczak
Principal, Executive Search
An Executive Search is about more than finding talent; it’s finding your future.
Leaders are a catalyst for success, the drivers of business growth and prosperity. Through our vast network of high-level candidates, we bridge the gap between growth-oriented clients and the key to their future success.
