Why Our Executive Search Model Works for Nonprofits: The Insider’s Advantage

Search consultants from The Moran Company share an important quality: we have all done the job as nonprofit executives. We know the work of the positions we are helping organizations fill, and often we are matched with clients whose missions parallel our own professional fields. This firsthand experience allows our nonprofit executive search firm to evaluate candidate qualifications, cultural fit, and leadership potential with a level of precision that general recruiters simply cannot match.

This “insider’s” advantage also extends to the search process in a critical way: we have deep experience working with and for volunteer board members. We know how to guide a search committee toward a unified, successful hiring decision. This fundamentally improves the search process itself.

Here are several ways our unique background benefits your organization during a search:

1. Building Team Norms:

   We know that an ad hoc committee forms without norms. Board members who agree to be on the search committee know each other from the work of the board but have not created a committee process together. We’ll help create the agreement for how you’ll work together.

2. Unifying Different Perspectives:

   We know that most search committee members have experience in hiring, but never hiring together. You are pooling vast experience from different fields and perspectives, and this deserves some time sharing and reflecting with each other. A great committee discussion might revolve around the question for each member: “What is your employee selection experience and what is the perspective or top skill you bring to this search?”

3. Respecting and Maximizing Your Time:

   We know that your time is both limited and valuable. A search committee deserves a consultant who respects this. A good consultant is efficient with agenda planning, doesn’t bury you in candidate material you don’t want, and follows an agreed upon plan for communication and execution.

4. Navigating Board Governance:

   Lastly, we know that the committee is a subset of the full board and must answer to the board. Boards have processes and a culture around how committees work from the amount of authority granted to formal reporting. We’ll help you clarify the process and anticipate board hurdles at the final stages.

These are some nuances in the very human process by which a mission-crucial decision is reached – the discovery of your next leader. Former nonprofit executives as search consultants give you an advantage. Contact us today if we can be of service to your nonprofit organization, and read more from our team on this topic: How Can a Recruiter’s Experience with Nonprofit Boards Guide an Executive Leadership Search?

By Bruce Scott, M.S.W.
Senior Search Consultant
The Moran Company
“We Find Great Nonprofit Leaders”

About the Author: Bruce Scott is a former nonprofit executive with 34 years of experience in the social services sector. He previously served as the leader of a United Cerebral Palsy affiliate for 16 years and has held leadership roles in trade associations. Bruce serves as a professional executive coach in addition to his role as a Senior Search Consultant for The Moran Company. Read more about our team.