Congrats, you have a new Executive Director! Now it’s time to set them up for success!
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Successfully navigating an executive leadership transition is one of the board’s most important jobs. It’s a big lift to find the organization’s next inspiring leader, and it’s important to celebrate the hiring milestone. But, as much as we may wish the job was finished when the offer letter is signed, one of the most critical phases of the leadership transition has just begun.  

Picture this scenario: Your paid leader is suddenly no longer at the helm. As the Chair of the Board of Directors, what do you do? The boat is heading in what appears to be a decent direction, and you think you can probably find another leader “pretty quickly.”

Let’s play that strategy out: Are you assuming the organization will continue on its course unaffected while you organize a Search Committee, look over your strategic plan and vision, find and refresh the job description, advertise and post on social media, wait for applications, sort through resumes, and go through several rounds of interviews?
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And in this assumption what happens if the “right one” isn’t in that first pile? Perhaps you have a Board member with extra time on their hands to keep the operation bobbing along, but have they run a nonprofit in this sector before? Maybe you believe the second-in-command can do double-duty, but do they have the bandwidth and are they interested in applying for the position?
A reality check: The average search for a nonprofit leader is now 9-12 months. Even if you hire a search firm to manage this process, the gap between leaders might be at least 6 months! 

Or the decision may be entirely personal in nature – illness, changing family needs, or retirement. Some reasons for leaving will allow for more notice than others. Some will be on better terms than others. Some leaders will have more to give than others by the time they choose to leave. Obviously, it’s impossible to account for the specific details around each situation, but there are some clear steps that you will need to take regardless of why you are leaving. 

There are many questions facing an Executive Director when considering departing their organization, such as:

• What will happen to the organization if I leave?
• Will the board be able to manage this transition and how much time and support will they need from me?
• How can I help staff with this transition?

​After 11 years as Executive Director of Issaquah Food & Clothing Bank, Cori Walters stepped down from her role, leaving big shoes to fill. In her time with Issaquah Food & Clothing Bank, she helped to facilitate monumental changes to make the organization more successful in its mission to provide basic needs for the community and promote self-sufficiency. This has resulted in a strong foundation that grounds the staff team, board, and strategic partners in a firm belief that the future will be successful for Issaquah Food & Clothing Bank. 

The Valtas team has been incredibly fortunate to identify and hire a consulting team of Interim Executive Directors (IED) with a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences.  We are frequently asked what it takes to be a successful Interim Executive Director.

​There are many overlapping skills between someone who serves as an executive leader in a nonprofit and a consulting Interim ED or CEO.  There are also a few key differences between a regular Executive Director role and an IED.  Each nonprofit has some variability and nuance – different types of business models and program delivery, staff size, and funding complexity all impact the role of a nonprofit leader.