Nonprofit President Search To-Do List

You are a member of the board of directors of a non-profit organization where the president/CEO (possibly CEO) has just announced that he is leaving. What are you doing now?

During more than 30 years in higher education and as a trustee or director on nonprofit boards, I’ve looked at this scenario from multiple angles: trustee, candidate in a search, administrator leading a search, incoming president, outgoing president. What I learned is that while most trustees are business owners who hired and fired, few selected a nonprofit executive. Trust me; it is an experience that is “very different” from the corporate one.

Nonprofit executive selection processes are often open, public, “political,” and protracted affairs in which stakeholders frequently assert their “right” to participate in the selection process, if not to take the lead. decision. In the cacophony that often follows, it doesn’t take long for managers to wonder who let the dogs out.

So, to keep some sanity the next time your nonprofit executive leaves, follow this to-do list, detailed in roughly chronological order:

1. Address the transition of the president with the Board of Directors.
2. Announce presidential transition to staff and public.
3. Establish Search Plan, including committee structure, participants, procedures, etc.
4. Set the president’s search schedule.
5. Establish a communication strategy to inform board members, staff, students, et al.
6. Establish a president search budget and an institutional account for cost accounting.
7. Publish the president’s statement on the critical importance of confidentiality.
8. Determine if a search consultant should be appointed: individual or company.
9. Consider if, where, and when to schedule a Board of Directors retreat, as needed.
10. Reaffirm the organization’s vision and mission and clarify leadership needs and opportunities with the Board, staff, and constituency.
11. Develop the president’s search link and page categories for the organization’s website.
12. Create mechanisms on the website to constitute questions, participation and nominations and authorize people to review this information.
13. Appoint the Search Committee, select the President and assign the tasks and schedule.
14. Appoint, as necessary, relevant advisory committees and charge them with tasks and schedule.
15. Develop search documents: job announcement, job description, opportunity profile, applicant questions and procedures.
16. Post search documents on the organization’s website.
17. Identify associations, periodicals, and websites to post position ads.
18. Determine the name of the grace letter of introduction sent by email or mail acknowledging inquiries, and write this letter.
19. Determine the information requested from applicants: resume, answers to applicant questions, references, and, for religious organizations, possibly a statement of religious experience.
20. Direct inquiries and requests must be submitted electronically or mailed to the organization, consultant/search firm, or post office box contracted for this purpose.
21. Determine authorized recipient of search-related email or mail: Search Committee member, consultant, Human Resources Director, administrative assistant, et al.
22. Determine what criteria will be used in the selection of applicants.
23. Determine how and who will inform applicants when they are released from further consideration.
24. Assign human resources to administer standard psychological tests to semifinalist or finalist candidates.
25. Determine when and how many references semifinalists and/or finalists will be asked for, who will contact these references and when, and what questions all references will be asked.
26. Establish the interview process, including whether off-site “pre-interviews” will be scheduled and who will participate.
27. Identify the interview questions and coordinate who among the various committees will ask the questions.
28. Determine when and where the Search Committee will interview semi-finalists and/or finalists and whether the candidate’s spouse will be invited (a common practice for non-profit organizations).
29. Determine if, then when and where the advisory committees will interview the semifinalists and/or finalists.
30. Determine when and where the Board of Directors will interview the finalists and if the candidate’s spouse will be invited.
31. Consider whether finalists should be asked to return for additional interviews.
32. Identify how and when a new search will be initiated and communicated if the right candidate for president is not identified in the President’s Search.
33. Make recommendations from the Search Committee to the Board of Directors.
34. Schedule the Board of Trustees meeting for a Board vote on the recommended finalist.
35. Establish approximate compensation and a contract (if applicable) to guide the president in negotiations with the finalist on behalf of the Board of Directors.
36. Request ratification by the Compensation and Contract Board.
37. Coordinate with the designee the content and timing of internal staff communications, press releases, and other public relations announcements regarding the appointment of the new president.
38. Identify dates for the first day in office and, where applicable, recognitions and celebrations.

It’s a great job. But if it’s done professionally with integrity, it’s worth it. Remember, apart from setting an organization’s strategic vision, there is nothing a Board of Trustees does that is more important than selecting the best and most suitable President for the organization. Happy hunting.