Finding Exceptional Leaders for Nonprofits and Helping Nonprofits Make the Most of Leadership Change

Here’s what we offer to help you make a better choice:

• Pre-search assessment and planning to help you calibrate the job to where your nonprofit is headed, not where it has been.
• A national candidate database to build the strongest possible candidate pool and ensure diversity.
• A nationwide and deep network of referral sources to target the best leadership in the nonprofit sector.
• A rigorous and time-tested multi-stage interview process that brings the power and wisdom of our hundreds of searches to your selection process.
• Unique executive transition management services that spot legacy issues that might otherwise undermine the new executive’s performance.
• Post-hire services that help your new executive get off to a fast start by ensuing clarity about roles, goals and responsibilities.
• Comprehensive Services and flat-rate pricing based on the actual work provides you with better, more comprehensive services than firms that provide “just search” and who charge an arbitrary percentage of salary.

Click here for a copy of the full description about Executive Search & Transition Services (PDF)

Helping Nonprofit Boards & CEOs Build Leaderful Organizations

Here's how we can help you build a leaderful team and ensure leadership continuity:

• Reduced risk through Succession Basics - create a backup plan for unplanned absences of the chief executive (and the senior executive leadership if appropriate), and impliment a board-adpoted succession policy to address planned transitions. Minimize the risks of traumatic transitions and disruption to mission work when a planned or unplanned transition occurs.
• Build a leaderful team through Leader Development and Talent Management Planning/Consulting - develop a plan that advances leader development in your organization and links leadership development to strategic goals and the business plan.  The plan also identifies training/developmental opportunities, provides guidance on senior management structure and identifies key hires to round out a team or skill sets. For larger organizations, more advanced planning results in a Talent Management Plan. Broaden and deepen your leadership team, help them grow and step up in new ways; deepen your "bench strength" around mission-critical competencies. Develop a develop a blueprint for growing the leadership team needed for long-term success; make senior management jobs more manageable.
• Ensure continuity through Departure-Defined Succession Planning - assistance for chief executives and boards where the executive plans to leave in one to four years. A combination of coaching and planning focused on preparing the executive for his/her transition, strengthening the board, preparing the organization, and increasing leadership capacity in preparation for the transition. Provides executives with a clear exit and handoff while increasing the Board's and management team's fluency on leadership and leadership needs, and the link to strategic priorities.

Preparing Executives and Organizations for CEO Transitions Occurring in 1 to 4 Years 

Here's how we can guide the organizational and personal preparation that ensures a well-planned chief executive handoff:

• Departure Coaching for the CEO – provide coaching to ensure that the CEO is ready – personally and professionally – for the transition.
• Organizational Sustainability Review or Audit – conduct an in-depth review of the vital factors that most influence organizational sustainability; provides the information that will be key to transition planning and pre-transition capacity building work.
• Succession Policy – craft a board-approved succession policy; guides the succession process and ensures that the board is versed on best practices in CEO succession/transition.
• Emergency Backup Plan – draft a plan to cover short-term and permanent CEO absences; a critical risk management tool, the planning process illuminates bench depth issues and cross-training needs.
• Transition Planning – develop the plan that clarifies the organization’s capacity-building needs and provides guidance to prepare the board and staff for the transition.
• CEO Job Review & Planning – “unpack” the CEO’s job to determine critical accountabilities as well as responsibilities that are better delegated or reassigned; calibrates the job to future leadership needs.
• Compensation Research – provide compensation comparisons; ensures that board has factual information regarding its competitiveness as an employer and time to make adjustments prior to the transition.

Click here for a copy of the full description about Departure-Defined Succession Planning Services (PDF)

Helping Nonprofit Executives Build Strong, Talented Teams

Here's how we can help you find exceptional people to join your team:

• Recruit for vacancies resulting from both planned and unplanned departures.
• Help fill newly created senior management positions, including working with the client to define the position.
• Plan the succession and handoff for senior management positions, especially those involving long-term incumbents.
• Help organizations assess their management team bench depth and structure.
• Develop emergency backup plans for senior management teams.
• Senior management of nonprofits is our exclusive focus - chief executives, chief operating officers, program heads and chief development officers.

Click here for a copy of the full description about Senior Management Search Services (PDF)

Helping Nonprofit Executives Build Organizational Strength & Capacity

• Sustainability Review - a quick, affordable review of the organization’s strategies, leadership and resources. This brief review clarifies “the big questions” about strategy, leadership and resources resulting in a three to five page overview report.
• Sustainability Audit - building off of the Sustainability Review, the Sustainability Audit takes a deeper look at the organization’s strategies, leadership and resources. Going beyond the “big questions” identified in the Review, we work with leaders to look at underlying issues and drivers. The Sustainability Audit includes an in-depth look at financial conditions and trends, a review of fund development performance and outlook, a thorough review of the organizational/business strategy, the program strategy and the operational strategy. The product is a comprehensive sustainability audit report with agreed on actions and alignment among the leadership about implementation.
• Sustainability/Capacity Planning - building off of the Sustainability Review or the Sustainability Audit and using our time-tested Strategy Review and Leadership Planning model, we work with leaders to develop the roadmap to renew the organization’s strategies and business model, build leadership capacity and address identified resource challenges. The product is a comprehensive sustainability plan.
• Change Management Support - sometimes the changes are so large that they require a wholesale rethinking of the organization and how it carries out its mission. This may mean a major shift in services, consolidation of existing programs, consideration of new collaborations or even a merger. Completing the Sustainability Audit clarifies the situation and the options. Change Management Support service provides a sounding board, thinking partner and experienced advisor on the implementation of the changes needed to successfully sustain the organization and mission work.

Click here for a copy of the full description about Sustainability Reviews & Planning Services (PDF)

Cost-Effective Services that Ensure Better Hires for Mission-Critical Positions 

Here's what we off to help you complete a mission-critical hire in a very cost-effective way:

Planning and Preparation

• Plan the Search, and Write the Position Description and Job Announcement - Developing a good job description involves much more than just dusting off the old one. Our experts will help you think creatively and critically about the present and future requirements of the job, craft a position description that “nails it,” and prepare a job announcement that presents the job in a compelling way.

Search and Selection Support

• Build the Candidate Pool and Ensure Diversity - Recruiting a strong, diverse pool of candidates is a critical element of any executive search. Your networks coupled with our networks and proactive outreach by our recruiters will ensure a strong and diverse pool of outstanding candidates. Plus, you’ll benefit from our track record of recruiting leaders of color. We can connect you with great candidates, including people who aren’t looking, but have passion for your mission.
• Manage Resumes and Support the Hiring Team - Managing the “paper flow” and hiring team logistics are among the most overwhelming aspects of an executive search. Our project coordinators are experts at supporting hiring teams. Our state-of-the-art resume management system will ensure that no candidates get lost in the shuffle and that communications are managed in a way that reflects positively on your organization.
• Screen Resumes and Vet Candidates - Save your hiring team the time and frustration of interviewing inappropriate candidates. Let our experienced recruiters screen the resumes, conduct vetting interviews and check references, so that your team can focus its energies on interviewing the top-level candidates and making good choices.
• Manage and Support the Interview Process - A good interview process is another critical element of an executive search. We provide a successful, time-tested multistage interview framework, plus all the questions and supporting documentation. You can even have one of our experienced consultants participate in on-site or phone interviews for guidance and expert perspective for your mission-critical hires.

Ensure Post-Hire Success

• Plan the Announcement, Handoff and Orientation - We can help you plan the announcement of the appointment, as well as the orientation, and ensure that there is a solid handoff from the incumbent where possible.
• Support Onboarding and Plan for Success - There’s truth in the old adage that, “the way things begin is usually the way they end up.” Draw on our deep expertise in managing executive transitions, and ensure that your new hire gets off to a powerful start and a great tenure. We will help you clarify priorities, expectations, conditions for success, and the plan for monitoring and evaluating performance.

Technology-Supported Consulting from the Country’s Leading Experts on Transitions

No matter your location or budget, here's how you can tap TransitionGuides’ wisdom, expertise, tools and decades of experience:

• Exit Plan Coaching for CEOs – Confidential coaching for executives who are thinking about moving on or retiring. Let us help you think through the timing and help you develop an action plan. 
• Emergency Transition Planning – Fast-track planning for boards that have lost or are about to lose their chief executive. We’ll help you develop a roadmap that ensures stability and gets you on the path to a successful search and transition.
• Executive Transition Coaching & Search Support – Expert planning and coaching support for boards who want the benefit of best practices but want to manage their own transition and search projects. Let us help you develop a transition and search plan to manage the turnover of your CEO position and coach you through the process. We can also help you expand the reach of your executive search.
• Succession Basics – Planning to ensure leadership continuity under any circumstance. Let us help you develop emergency backup and cross training plans for your key staff.
• Sustainability Services – Sustainability reviews and planning. Draw on our assessment and planning expertise to ensure the sustainability of your organization. 

Click here for a copy of the full description about TG Connect (PDF)