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Search for a New Nonprofit Executive Director: Who Should Serve as Interim Executive Director?

by Bill Moran
The Moran Company “We Find Great Nonprofit Executives”

When an Executive Director suddenly departs (by dismissal or voluntarily), the immediate question is who is going to run the nonprofit organization. Someone must step in on an interim basis until the new Executive Director can be hired. Here are some options:

1.    Use Current Staff.   Senior staff members know the organization and can often split up the Executive Director duties over a period of several months. This is a viable solution in many cases.  Sometimes, a senior staff member is put into place as an Interim with the thinking that if they work out, they will be made permanent Executive Director.  It will be important to set clear expectations with the staff person so they do not feel misled if the Board decides to move ahead with a full search.

2.    Use a Present Board Member.   A current board member may volunteer to serve as Interim Executive Director. This board member must have administrative experience and the time to devote to the role. If a board member is chosen, he/she should resign from the board while they assume the position. This person should not come on back on the Board as the Board Chair after the search ends. The new Executive Director will often take the organization in a new direction, and the immediate past interim CEO should not be “looking over the shoulder” of the new CEO.

3.    Hire an Interim Executive Director.   Bringing in an experienced nonprofit Executive Director (perhaps recently retired) during the interim between the departing and new CEO can be a good option. This person can come in and settle down both the staff and Board if there was turmoil around the departure of an unsuccessful CEO.  He or she can also fill an important time slot time between a successful CEO’s departure and the new hire. This will provide space, if needed, for the organization to grieve the departure of a beloved leader. Finally, he or she can lead the organization through a review process and help determine the attributes needed in a new Executive Director. These individuals usually work on a contract basis and often maintain a 3- to 4-day work week.

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© 2016 The Moran Company, “We find great nonprofit executives.” We specialize in searches for nonprofit executive directors, directors of development/fundraising staff, and other top nonprofit leadership. www.morancompany.com

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