Tips for Transitioning into a Senior Nonprofit Role

Source: www.bridgestar.org

Successfully transitioning into a senior nonprofit management role takes teamwork. Both the individual taking the position and the organization welcoming the new hire should be equally committed to making the onboarding process a success.

Even the most confident professionals feel some understandable anxiety when starting a new job. And people moving into positions of senior leadership at a nonprofit—however experienced—aren’t immune from such anxiousness. Luckily, there are numerous ways in which both the new recruit and the organization can make the transition easier—and pave the way for success over the long haul.

Onboarding—a systematic method for transitioning new staffers, including senior leaders —starts during the interview process and lasts well into the first year on the job. While important for anyone taking on a senior nonprofit role, it can be especially important for the for-profit professional moving into the nonprofit sector. The transition from a hierarchical, bottom-line-oriented corporate culture to the mission-driven, consensus-oriented nonprofit milieu can be quite challenging. Being aware of the challenges can make this change easier to manage.

For this article, we’ve tapped the experiences of a three senior nonprofit leaders and insights from members of Bridgespan’s Executive Search team to better understand the challenges that can arise during the onboarding process, and offer some steps that individuals and organizations can consider to help the transition succeed.

The Interview Sets the Stage

The interview is not just an opportunity to demonstrate one’s capabilities. It’s a process through which the job candidate can assess how closely his/her goals, desires, and work style match that of the organization’s. From the organization’s perspective, it’s an opportunity to ensure the individual is the right candidate. For both parties, the information gathered—both strategic and tactical—can help plan a successful transition.

That’s the view of Chuck Carter, chief operation officer (COO) of Crittenton Women’s Union, a nonprofit organization promoting women's economic independence, based in Boston. Carter, who became Crittenton’s COO in 2007, had been looking for a second-in-command position at a nonprofit where the chief executive officer (CEO) would be willing to mentor him in becoming a CEO in his next position.

During interviews, Carter asked CEOs how much coaching they’d provide. Moreover, he explored the extent to which he’d be able to help drive the direction of the organization. (He accepted the Crittenton position, he said, in large part because of CEO Elizabeth Babcock’s answers to his questions.) From a tactical perspective, he learned how Crittenton’s various teams worked and how, as a COO, he would be expected to help them perform—particularly important for Carter, as he oversees a staff of 100.

He also tried to clarify his role as the CEO’s potential new “partner” by asking, “Who would be responsible for which tasks, and by what processes would they settle conflicts?” In fact, discussing how the CEO and COO would work together later helped Carter and Babcock overcome a crisis that arose at the time Carter started his new position. The details are less important than the fact they were able to work in tandem right from the beginning.

Before the Start Date

It can take six months or more to fill a nonprofit senior leadership position, and once an offer is accepted, an organization frequently wants the recruit to start immediately. However, the organization and the individual need time to prepare. And, there’s plenty that a new hire and the nonprofit can and should do before the first day. Read more HERE