Surging Non-Profit Sector Seeks Senior Leaders
From Hunt Scanlon Media
While there are some signs of cooling, staff transitions continue at an historic pace and the demand for non-profit executives remains strong, according to Michelle Kristel, managing partner of McCormack+Kristel. “Racially and ethnically diverse candidate panels, a founding principle of our practice, and leaders skilled at creating diverse, equitable, and inclusive cultures continue to be priorities for our clients,” she said. “Well-qualified candidates, particularly diverse leaders with track-records of success, are being presented with an abundance of opportunities. We have always advised our clients that interviews are a two-way street, with candidates assessing clients as much as clients are evaluating them. At no time has this been more true. Perhaps related to the profusion of opportunities and increased scrutiny of organizations and boards, we are also seeing an increase in late-stage candidate withdrawals.”
For the sake of organizational stability, many CEOs paused planned departures at the height of the pandemic. As pandemic conditions improve, McCormack+Kristel is seeing an uptick in CEO resignations and a continuation of the generational transfer of leadership that has been unfolding as baby boomers reach retirement age. “For those organizations with the foresight to do succession planning, the leadership transition can often be efficient and relatively painless,” Ms. Kristel said. “For those who haven’t, the search for a new CEO can be long, time-consuming, and perilous, especially when finding the successor to a founder or long-term, respected leader. No one is likely to be a younger version of the departing leader, nor should they typically be.”
For McCormack+Kristel, non-profits with a clear and relevant mission and a mix of funding sources are thriving. “Those who have outlived their mission or who rely too heavily on government contracts are most at risk,” said Ms. Kristel. “In the HIV/AIDS sector, for example, we have seen many smaller service organizations such as HIV prevention organizations merge with primary care providers in their communities. Private sector funders look for synergies and overlapping services among the organizations they support, and they frequently encourage such consolidation.”
Mission has always been the motivating force for non-profit leaders. “The pandemic both exacerbated and exposed inequities in healthcare, housing, and food security,” said Ms. Kristel. “The documented, brutal murders of black men amplified a national conversation about systemic racism. And local and national politics and policies are becoming increasingly hostile to women and LGBTQ people. In the wake of seismic cultural and economic disruptions, organizations advancing equality and addressing injustice in its myriad forms are more attractive than ever to board and staff leaders, volunteers, and donors.”
The Great Reexamination
The Great Resignation has been fueled by a great reexamination, according to Ms. Kristel. “The current state of national and global affairs has caused many to look inward, prompting questions about our purpose, about where we live and how we work,” she said. “In answering these questions, many corporate executives, particularly those looking to write the last chapter of their professional story, are motivated to leverage their accumulated skills in service of a greater societal good. While many executives find fulfillment in volunteer and board service, others, often in what Dante called the middle of life’s journey, making work the primary opportunity to give back is essential for personal satisfaction and emotional health.”