Support Center for Non-Profit Management
Executive Transitions

Transition Planning and Management Services During this phase of the transition process, our ETMS Specialists:

  • Establish and coach the Transition Committee to prepare the organization for the upcoming change
  • Clarify the roles and responsibilities of the Transition Committee and the ETMS Specialist
  • Develop a transition plan with an appropriate timeline for managing the transition
  • Initiate the process of finding an Interim Executive Director for the organization though the Support Center’s IED Referral Service
  • Conduct a comprehensive organizational assessment by interviewing key stakeholders (board members, funders, staff, constituents), and reviewing documentation regarding governance, finance, fundraising, program operations and accountability
  • Identify key issues influencing the transition
  • Make recommendations regarding potential trouble areas and opportunities for increasing capacity during the transition
  • Identify and clarify priorities and leadership roles of the board and staff
  • Draft organizational expectations, requirements and attributes for the new executive director
  • Assess and formulate appropriate infrastructure, board and staff change
  • Build and renew relationships with key stakeholders
  • Create a job description consistent with the organization’s current and future leadership needs as revealed by the organizational assessment

Search, Recruit, Select & Hire
During this phase of the transition process, our ETMS Specialists:

  • Develop a strategic search plan and timeline with the Transition Committee
  • Coach the Transition Committee on the entire “Search, Recruit, Select & Hire” process which includes the following:
    1. Recommendation of various places to post the Executive Director Job Announcement (Internet, Print Media, Mailings, Email Blasts, etc.)
    2. Strategic use and importance of networking to widen the applicant pool
    3. Creation of appropriate and legal interview questions
    4. Fair, legal, and applicable evaluation of the job applicants
    5. Vetting of incoming resumes and adhering to the established evaluation criteria during screening
  • Make candidate recommendations to the Transition Committee
  • Sit in on select candidate interviews upon request
  • Offer sample documents to assist the Transition Committee throughout the process (applicant evaluation forms, employment applications, employment offer letters, employment contracts, etc.)

Post-Transition Services
During this phase of the transition process, our ETMS Specialists:

  • Facilitate the Orientation Process for the new Executive Director
  • Assist the board and the new ED in clarifying their roles, responsibilities and expectations for their working relationship
  • Facilitate board development to foster an effective working relationship between the board and the new ED
  • Facilitate the process of establishing Performance Goals and an Evaluation Plan for the new ED
  • Assist the board and the new ED in creating an effective Communication Plan
  • Assist the board and new ED in establishing a Professional Development Plan for the new ED
  • Coaching (one-on-one) to further develop pertinent skills and increase productivity and performance for the new executive director’s professional and personal success
  • Mentoring (one-on-one) to support and assist the new executive director with the challenges and questions that arise while managing the day to day operations of the organization
  • Peer network of new executive directors that meet quarterly to discuss issues and to share ideas and creative ways to solve problems from funding to management
Transition Resources & Information

Transition Clients

The Support Center’s Executive Transition Management Services (ETMS) program provides coaching and consulting services by Transition Specialists that can help an organization with pre-planning for a transition; new CEO search, recruit, selection and negotiation; and post-hire support. The Support Center also helps organizations find an appropriate Interim Executive Director through our referral service and can provide coaching for an Interim Executive Director.

Recent ETMS Clients include:

  • Association of Independent Video and Filmmakers (NYC)—Interim Executive Director
  • Arab-American Family Support Center (NYC)—Interim Executive Director
  • Brooklyn Conservatory of Music (NYC)—Executive Transition Management & Interim Executive Director
  • Center for Constitutional Rights (NYC)—Interim Executive Director
  • Community Health Care Association of New York State (NYC)—Executive Transition Management
  • Clearwater a.k.a. Hudson River Sloop Clearwater (Poughkeepsie, NY)—Executive Transition Management
  • Columba Kavanagh House (NYC)—Executive Transition Management
  • Emmanuel Community Economic Development Corporation (NYC)—Executive Transition Management
  • Fellowship of Reconciliation (Nyak, NY)—Executive Transition Management & Interim Executive Director
  • Funding Exchange (NYC)—Executive Transition Management
  • Gilda’s Club (NYC)—Interim Executive Director
  • Girls Vacation Fund (NYC)—Executive Transition Management & Interim Executive Director
  • Hebrew Immigrant Aids Society (NYC)—Development Officer Transition Mgmt. & Interim Development Director
  • Inform, Inc. (NYC)—Executive Transition Management & Interim Executive Director
  • Libraries of Middlesex Automation Consortium (NJ)—Executive Transition Management
  • Lotus Music and Dance (NYC)—Interim Executive Director
  • New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Assault (NJ)—Interim Executive Director
  • New Jersey Charter Public Schools Association (NJ)—Interim Executive Director
  • New York Disaster Counseling Coalition (NYC)—Interim Executive Director
  • Rodale Institute (PA)—Executive Transition Management & Interim Development Director
  • Shelter for the Homeless (CT)—Interim Executive Director

Transition Resources

Transition Training

Support Center for Non-Profit Management