Succession Management
Introduction
Over the next five to 10 years, shifting demographics and sectoral changes will result
in significant turnover at the executive director and CEO level in the non-profit sector.
As baby boomers reach retirement, it will have a major impact on the skills and
experience available in the workforce, with senior and key positions becoming tougher
to fill.
This poses both a challenge and an opportunity, and makes succession management
one of the most important human-resource practices for today’s non-profit
organizations.
Effective succession management supports stability, sustainability and success by
ensuring the organization enjoys continued access to the leadership it needs—today
and into the future.
Despite its key role in organizational sustainability, succession management is an
issue many organizations ignore. Because many non-profits consist of fewer than 10
employees, they often address the issue reactively—in response to a sudden vacancy,
for example—rather than planning ahead for future needs.
With careful planning and preparation, organizations can effectively manage the
changes that result from a generational transfer of leadership as well as the ongoing
changes that occur regularly when key employees leave an organization.
There is no single “best” way to manage succession management. This toolkit
addresses some of the unique circumstances and issues non-profit organizations face,
and provides flexible tools that can be adapted to the distinctive culture, goals,
outcomes and organizational contexts of your organization.
NOTE: While the executive-director title is used as an example throughout these
materials, the strategies are applicable to any senior staff person—president, CEO,
senior manager, general manager, etc.
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Define the role
The first step in any succession management plan is to ensure you have a complete
and up-to-date job description on file for every key role in your organization.
To attract and identify potential successors for critical positions, you need to be able to
communicate what the role entails and the knowledge, skills, competencies and
experience required for success. The job description provides this information in a
concise format.
Ensuring that job descriptions are regularly updated and prepared prior to recruitment
or promotions can ensure a smooth succession planning transition by clarifying the
requirements of the role, guiding the recruiting and selection process, and providing
the new hire with core information about the expectations, duties and responsibilities,
and reporting structure of the job, as well as an overview of the organizational
essentials, such as mission, vision, culture and brief history.
>> SEE THE APPENDIX. You’ll find a job-description template in the appendix that
can be used to guide your succession-management efforts. This template is based on
an executive-director role, but you can use the guidelines to develop a job description
for any senior or executive role in your organization. This job description can be used
in your recruitment efforts and kept on file for future performance reviews and
management processes.
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Evaluate and plan
In its simplest definition, succession management provides a plan and process for
addressing the changes that occur when someone leaves. Most succession
management plans focus on the most senior manager—the executive director—but all
key positions should ideally be included in the plan. Key positions can be defined as
those positions that are crucial for the operations of your organization and, because of
the skill, seniority and experience required, will be hard to replace.
Whenever size and resources permit, succession management should involve
nurturing and developing employees from within an organization. Employees who are
perceived to have the skills, knowledge, qualities, experience and the desire can be
groomed to move up to fill specific, key positions.
The succession management process involves:
•
Determining a succession-management philosophy and approach for your
organization
•
Assessing their current and future needs based on either their strategic plan,
goals and objectives, or priority programs and projects
•
Matching these to the capabilities of the existing workforce
•
Developing a plan to manage the gaps that will arise when individuals in key
positions leave or are promoted
•
Meeting future talent needs through training and development for existing staff
as well as external recruitment
Let’s start with the first step: identifying the right approach. These guidelines will guide
you through the process of creating an approach that fits the unique requirements of
your organization. Once you’ve completed the exercise, the document can be kept on
file for future reference.
Succession-management planning guidelines
Context
In this section, outline the context for creating a plan for succession management
identifying the various groups that will be included. It is an expression of your
organizational focus and philosophy on succession management.
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For example:
Board: Our organization strives to build a strong board with good continuity of
leadership, with a focus on educating about governance. To ensure an ability to think
big-picture and be visionary, we recruit board members from other roles of
engagement with our organization.
Salaried Employees: Our organization leads employee hiring decisions with a
philosophy to attract bright young minds that may only stay with us for 2 – 3 years. The
size of the organization means there is little room for advancement because it is very
flat. Our strategy is to create a desirable work place, and have the bright young minds
for as long as their work is challenging. They may leave to learn more in an external
role and then return later.
Current Situation
In this section, outline conditions or events that are likely to affect organizational
strength.
For example:
1.
2.
Board
a.
Board chair – will be new in 2014. Require successor for March 2016.
b.
Vice Chair – to be determined in 2014
c.
Past Chairs –All five are strong community leaders with other influential roles
d.
Potentially little board turnover this next year
e.
Treasurer vacancy for June 2014. Working on successor.
Salaried Employees
a.
ED – Retiring late 2015
b.
Associate ED – stable and very strong in his role
c.
Leadership Team stable - two full-time and very strong in their roles.
d.
Additional Employees – at different stages of development.
Strong administrative component at the start of 2014
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Potential Additions
Keeping in mind that organizations are fluid and roles can change depending on
strategic plans and priorities, it is useful to consider potential additions. In this section,
outline potential growth, new roles or positions to be recruited.
For example:
1.
Board
a.
By spring of 2014, identify and recruit potential board members
b.
By fall of 2014, identify Vice Chair (or Co Vice-Chairs) - one (or both) who
can move into Chair role in 2016
c.
As our organization expands its geographic reach, consider board members
from
different geographic areas
2.
Hire new CEO
3.
Salaried Employees
a.
Additional Employees – likely to hold steady
b.
Other – addition of salaried employees to develop new programs if required
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Evaluate your internal capacity
Once you’ve established the context and focus for your succession-management plan,
you can begin the more in-depth process of identifying your internal capacity (the
people-power you already have in your organization) and your future needs.
First, you need to review your organizational chart and evaluate whether logical career
progressions exist within the organization. If they do not, consider whether roles can
be redefined or responsibilities can be redistributed. This is an important conversation
that involves many stakeholders, including the board, executive, and any persons who
might be impacted by changes to the organizational chart.
Next, you need to identify candidates who might be ready, willing or able to fill key
positions. The ultimate goal of succession management is to ensure the organization’s
need for talent is met, whether by creating a match with the skills and aspirations of
existing employees or—where necessary—by recruiting from outside.
It’s important to remember that executives and your board of directors might not have
all the information necessary to determine whether people are ready, willing or able to
fill key positions, so consider involving direct supervisors and even front-line staff in
this process to ensure that all relevant information is considered.
One strategy to gather this information is to allow candidates to self-select into the
succession management program. You can do this by giving employees opportunities
to express and document career aspirations as part of the performance review
process. This also offers the added benefit of identifying candidates that may have
otherwise been overlooked.
The Succession Management Planning Worksheet below is designed to guide the
process of evaluating your internal capacity. When you have completed the worksheet,
you’ll be able to clearly see where your organization has talent gaps, where there are
opportunities to nurture talent into more senior roles, and which roles are at highest
risk of going unfilled.
Because organizations vary greatly in size and structure, you may need to adapt the
Succession Management Planning Worksheet to fit your organization. For example, if
your organization is large, you might use a separate worksheet for each program area
or business function to help focus the exercise by organizing information around
logical career paths. You might also consider adding different role categories than the
ones offered in the template.
For smaller organizations, you might find that classifying the roles into categories is not
necessary, because there are so few roles. And organizations with five or fewer
employees might find that it’s not necessary to complete the table at all, but you might
still use the column headings as a guide for questions to consider when evaluating the
needs and capacity within your organization.
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>> SEE THE APPENDIX. You’ll find a Succession Management Planning
Worksheet in the appendix that can help guide your succession-management
processes. It’s a living document that needs to be updated at various intervals
throughout the year in order to maintain its relevance. Ideally, you should update it
annually and review it whenever a new employee is hired or an employee leaves the
organization.
Consider volunteer support
Non-profit organizations are in a unique position to engage additional expertise and
talent to fulfill their missions through volunteers.
In the absence of a dedicated HR Director or Manager and rather than having to
engage paid consultants for external expertise in HR related areas, one recommended
approach is to engage volunteers who have specific skills and knowledge in various
areas of HR management.
In the area of succession management, you may consider engaging a specifically
skilled volunteer (or knowledge philanthropist*) to provide you with professional
expertise. This person can support you or your team and lead you through a process
to develop a succession plan, recommend leadership development plans for current
salaried employees or provide executive search expertise to recruit an ED or other key
management position.
Before you begin any volunteer recruitment process, the first step is a clear description
of the skills, experience and expected deliverables you require for each role. Position
descriptions improve your chances that the right volunteer with the right skills will
apply. They also set clarity around required deliverables, improving successful
execution by the volunteer.
>> SEE THE APPENDIX. You’ll find a skilled-volunteer template you can use to
create a role description for any skilled volunteer position. You’ll also find an skilledvolunteer example for a position description created by Vantage Point, a non-profit
organization specializing in learning and professional development for non-profit
executives. This position description was developed to engage an HR knowledge
philanthropist in succession management. This resource is intended to help you
access and engage human resource professionals in a voluntary capacity to plan and
implement succession management plans/strategies in your organization.
*A knowledge philanthropist is someone “who lends her own specific knowledge, skills, assets and talent to a not-forprofit organization in order to work with them to achieve their mission. This kind of volunteer provides her brain and her
head, rather than primarily her hands.” Kelly, C., Gerty, L. (2013) The Abundant Not-For-Profit: How talent (not money)
will transform your organization. Vantage Point, Vancouver BC. http://www.thevantagepoint.ca/content/abundant-notprofit
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Establish a task force
When your organization faces a current or projected talent shortage, one
recommended approach for addressing the issue effectively is to establish a task force
led by select members of your board of directors.
In the event of a planned or unplanned vacancy, the task force is responsible for
drawing up a plan of action and effectively communicating it to the rest of the staff as
soon as possible. This demonstrates that the organization is taking decisive action and
reassures employees and stakeholders that appropriate and swift measures are being
taken to address the issue and ensure the organization continues to function smoothly
and deliver service to its clients and the community.
As part of their search for a new executive director (or any other level-level employee),
the task force will need to answer a number of key hiring questions:
•
Should we hire from within or look for an external candidate?
•
Whether we hire internally or externally; what is the ideal position profile and
description based on where we are as an organization today – and where we
are headed?
•
What kind of impact will this change have on our capacity to deliver on our
mandate and on our relationships with our clients, donors and volunteers?
•
What do we tell our stakeholders?
•
How do we proceed?
The best way to create a plan of action and communicate effectively with employees,
volunteers and other stakeholders is to draft the terms of reference.
>> SEE THE APPENDIX. In the appendix, you’ll find a search-board reference
template that you can use to guide the task-force search efforts. Use it to identify the
information you need to determine the roles, responsibilities and activities the search
will require. Sample information has been included: replace this information with
responses tailored to your organization’s unique needs.
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Define the recruitment process
With a task force and the terms of reference established, the recruitment process will
need to be mapped out in detail.
Before you begin the search, you’ll need to establish the objectives and establish clear
guidelines and timelines to keep the process on track.
A recruitment and transition reference document is designed to identify these key
elements of the recruitment process and ensure everyone involved in the process is in
agreement about the best way forward. The document is also essential in coordinating the efforts of everyone involved—including the task force, the board,
external advisors and employees.
Preparing this type of document in advance of any major changes to senior leadership
ensures that the board and all stakeholders involved in the transition process are
prepared to move quickly in the event of planned or emergency succession.
>> SEE THE APPENDIX. You’ll find a recruitment and transition template in the
appendix that you can use to develop your own recruitment and transition reference
document. Although this template addresses the recruitment and transition of the ED
role, it can be adapted for different organizational structures and a variety of
organizational roles.
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Onboard the new hire
Once you’ve found the right person to fill a senior role, it’s important to have an
onboarding and orientation process in place. There are two key documents that can
help a new employee who is moving into an executive role get up to speed quickly: an
onboarding checklist and a contingency inventory.
Onboarding checklist
The onboarding checklist is a document that outlines the major steps to be addressed
during an employee onboarding for a particular position.
Some of the information on the checklist will be relevant to all positions in the
organization, and some will be relevant only to employees at the executive level.
Information that is not relevant to a particular position can be removed or modified to
be more relevant. For example, a front-line employee might not need to know specific
financial details for the entire organization, but funding relationships and budgets for
her particular program might be relevant. Be sure to partner with employees
throughout the organization when developing the onboarding checklist to ensure that
the new incumbent receives a well-rounded and thorough orientation.
>>SEE THE APPENDIX. You’ll find an onboarding checklist template in the
appendix that you can adapt and use to ease the transition period for a new executive
director or other senior staff member. This list may be used as a template and can
easily be modified to address the organizational structure of a variety of not-for-profits
or as an onboarding checklist for a variety of positions that may be staffed as a result
of succession planning. Ensuring that the onboarding document is regularly updated
and prepared prior to recruitment can ensure a smooth succession planning transition.
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Contingency Inventory
The contingency inventory is essential to the transfer of key knowledge in your
organization. It’s a document that is updated regularly with critical information and
made available to anyone at the senior leadership level. It provides a reference
document for a variety of critical positions and ensures that important information is
transmitted to employees who move into new positions through succession
management processes. This information may also be required for a variety of other
reasons, including unexpected employee departures.
The ultimate goal of the contingency inventory is to improve institutional memory and
to transfer organizational knowledge. One area that is often overlooked is “how” the
work is done. This is especially important for front-line and mid-level positions where
the majority of direct service (the work of the organization) is performed. For these
types of positions, it might be necessary to supplement the contingency inventory with
a procedures manual, so that business will continue as usual in the absence of a key
individual.
A contingency inventory isn’t meant to replace other forms of skills transfer. One-onone coaching, on-the-job interaction, and discussion groups are also important
strategies to help leaders and emerging leaders develop both soft skills and hard skills
and to learn about experiences doing the work of the organization. Developmental
assignments also provide employees with challenging work that facilitates learning,
often while achieving organizational objectives.
Large and complex organizations may find that they have too much information to fit
into a single contingency inventory. In these cases, the responsibility for documenting
certain types of knowledge can be delegated to supervisors and other staff. For
example, supervisors might keep track of program-specific information, such as
policies and procedures, contracts, fund development and grants, facilities
management, and document security and passwords.
Regularly updating this inventory on an annual basis ensures that critical information is
easily accessible for senior leadership whenever required.
>> SEE THE APPENDIX. You’ll find a contingency inventory template in the
appendix that can be adapted to variety of organizational structures and positions to
facilitate the process of essential knowledge transfer. For shorter-term vacancies,
remove the items that are not relevant to the position, or that apply to more than one
position and are captured else-where. This will ensure that the Inventory is focused
and the document will be more manageable for the successor to use. You may also
consider adding sections that are relevant to a particular program or workgroup. For
example, perhaps a schedule of important reporting dates would be helpful.
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Appendix
Job-Description Template
Executive Director Job Description
[YOUR LOGO]
Executive Director
Job Description
[DATE]
Responsible to
To whom will the Executive Director be accountable? In most cases, it is the Board of
Directors.
The Organization
Spend a couple of pages describing in detail your organization’s mission, vision,
values, history, current state of affairs, and your culture. It’s important to give potential
candidates enough information to understand the context surrounding the role and for
them to assess if their values and culture align with yours.
Summary and Purpose
Spend about a page outlining why your organization is searching for a new leader and
at a high level, what you feel the next generation of leadership will do for your
organization. Will they build on strong existing foundations? Or are you seeking
someone to take the organization in a radical new direction?
Based on the organization’s current priorities, what are the essential attributes of the
new leader? Some examples might include:
•
Thinking and leading strategically
•
Understanding the difference between leadership and management
•
Strong financial manager
•
Entrepreneurial mindset
•
An eye for scalability
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Priorities and Expectations
Think about the successful candidate’s first six months in the role. What will they have
accomplished? Drafting goals and outcomes up front will allow you to develop and
evaluate the new executive director in the critical time of transition. Be sure to keep
this list realistically manageable, and at a high level. This could be 4-6 bullet points on
top goals and key areas of focus.
Duties and Responsibilities
What will be the ongoing responsibilities of the executive director? These are the dayto-day responsibilities required in the role outside of annual goals and priorities. They
are also at a high-level.
For example:
•
Participate with the Board of Directors in developing a vision and strategic plan
to guide the organization
•
Oversee the efficient and effective day-to-day operation of the organization
•
Work with the staff, Finance Committee, and the board in preparing a budget;
see that the organization operates within budget guidelines.
•
Accountable for the recruitment, management and ongoing development of
salaried employees and knowledge philanthropists.
The Candidate
What skills, knowledge and experience are you looking for in the successful
candidate? Are there a certain number of years’ experience required? A certain degree
or designation?
Contact Information
Who can potential applicants contact for more information? What should candidates
include in their application package? What is the ideal way to receive an application?
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Succession Management Planning Worksheet
Guidelines for completing the Succession Management Planning Worksheet
•
It is useful to have your organizational chart on hand for reference in
completing this worksheet
•
Begin by completing the first column (Role) before moving to the second
column (current person) and continue filling in information until you reach and
complete the last column (Development & Transition Steps). This is the easiest
way to approach the worksheet as each column will inform the next.
•
Once the worksheet has been completed review the table to identify empty
boxes representing vacant positions or lack of successor. Colour code empty
boxes as appropriate for easy reference.
•
It is then suggested to colour code the ‘Short-term status’ individuals for quick
reference as to this person’s readiness to move into a more senior role if the
occasion suddenly arose (perhaps because the current employee won the
lottery and has suddenly left).
•
Using the colour coding that reference both vacancy and readiness identify
positions requiring critical attention as well as employees requiring various
degrees of development and transitioning processes.
•
Identify the ‘Action Required’
•
If possible link the actions to ongoing professional development for individual
employees
•
It can be useful to make a list of points that you interpret from the chart once it
has been completed
Please see the next page for an example of a completed worksheet.
Note: This is a living document that is best updated at various intervals throughout the
year in order to maintain its applicability. It is suggested to update it regularly on an
annual basis as well as to review as well as use the document for reference on the
following occasions:
•
A new employee is hired
•
An employee is promoted
•
An employee is leaving or has left the organization
•
A new position is created
•
Strategic Planning is occurring
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Current
Information
Type of
Role
Role
Current
Person
Vacancy
Impact/Risk
Shortterm
Status
Impact
of
Vacancy
If current
person
wins the
Lottery
Vacanc
y Risk
Longer-term Planning
and Development
Development &
Transition Steps
Key
Senior
Leader
Roles
Key
Operatio
nal
Roles
Potential
Internal
Success
ors
Legend for anticipated ease of transition and development opportunities
Easy
Transition
Minor
Development
Significant
Development
No Successor
(High Risk)
Roles that
Require
Attention
Action Items:
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_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
______________________________
Interpreting the Chart:
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
______________________________
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Worksheet Example
Current Information
Type of
Role
Key Senior
Leader
Roles
Key
Operational
Roles
Potential
Internal
Successors
Role
Current
Person
CEO/ED/
President
Diane
V.P/
Assoc. ED/
Sarah
Director of
Operations
Jane
Director of
Marketing
Kavita
Director of
HR
Thomas
Director of
Finance
Hayan
Project
Manager
Maureen
Vacancy Impact/Risk
Short-term
Status
Longer-term Planning and
Development
Impact of
Vacancy
Vacancy
Risk
If current
person wins
the Lottery
Development & Transition Steps
LOW
Sarah
N/A
LOW
Kavita, Diane
N/A
LOW
Gary
Development plan for Gary
LOW
Andy
Development plan for Andy
HIGH
Jamie
Begin transition process for Jamie to
D of HR
HIGH
-----
High Priority- create plan for external
hire to be prepared when need arises
Pam
Intensive development plan for Pam,
ideally with input and transition
planned with Maureen
HIGH
MED
HIGH
LOW
HIGH
HIGH
LOW
HIGH/
DEFINITE
HIGH
Program
Manager
Jamie
Program
Coordinator
Carol
Communica
tions
Coordinator
Andy
Customer
Service
Specialist
Pam,
Operations
Coordinator
Gary
Easy Transition
Minor Development
LOW
Significant
Development
Carol
Given that Jamie is likely to transition
to Director of HR, transitions can
begin for Carol to PM position.
No Successor
(High Risk)
Roles that
Require Attention
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Action Required:
1. Director of Finance role, requires immediate plan
2. Director of Human Resources role, transition of promotions should begin
3. Project Manager role, development and transitions should be intensified
Interpreting the Chart:
•
Strong and stable senior leadership
•
Current ED role is stable and lottery backup plan is stable
•
Assoc. ED role is stable and lottery backup plan is stable
•
Director of Operations role is currently stable but requires successor
development to establish lottery backup
•
Director of Communications role is stable, lottery backup plan is stable, longterm requires some thought
•
Director of HR role has high likelihood of transition, lottery backup plan is
stable, however development for successor is required
•
Director of Finance role is in a critical state and requires discussions and
planning for external succession
•
Director of Community investment role is stable, lottery backup plan is stable,
long-term require some thought
•
Project Manager role, high likelihood of vacancy and development and
transitions of successor should be a priority
•
Program Manager role, high likelihood of vacancy given current person
upcoming transition to Director of HR role. Transition should begin with
successor for this role.
•
Opportunity to review various coordinator roles to identify appropriateness of
the role, responsibilities, etc. in anticipation of upcoming recruitment processes.
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Skilled-Volunteer Template
Volunteer Position Description
[YOUR LOGO]
Position Title
Volunteer Position Description
[DATE]
Link to the Mission:
State the mission of your organization and how this person will contribute to it. Even if
your mission is disconnected from the position (i.e. no direct client interaction), all
volunteers are connected to the efficiency and thus effectiveness of your organization.
Make it clear why this role is important to the greater cause.
Qualifications:
List:
•
Experience level
•
Specific skill sets, and direct experience
•
Personal qualities
•
Preferred talents you require for this position
•
Include: An interest and commitment to the not-for-profit sector
Time Commitment:
Clearly outline how many hours over what time period you would like the role to last.
Be as specific as possible about when and where the hours are to be executed. If you
are flexible, highlight your ideal scenario and mention that you have flexibility. Indicate
if some of the work can be done from home.
Deliverables:
•
Be very specific about the tangible outputs you expect and list them
individually.
•
Think about this as project planning – outline the steps required for the
volunteer to successfully complete the project/role.
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•
The more specific you are the better chance the right person will apply.
•
Specifics give volunteers clarity, just as a clear job description gives your staff
clarity to successfully execute their role.
Accountability:
Make sure staff and the volunteer know who the responsible staff person is. Clear lines
of communication and accountability are as important with volunteers as with salaried
employees. This also provides a context for handling potential conflicts.
Benefits and Recognition:
•
List what the volunteer will gain – i.e. knowledge of subject area, contact with
new people, learning about the voluntary sector, specific development
opportunities they will have in this role.
•
You might not be paying volunteers with money, BUT you can pay people in
other ways. A letter of recommendation, a reference on LinkedIn, opportunities
to learn, credit on final materials, and invitations to networking events are good
examples of worthy recognition.
•
It is also important to identify and focus on each volunteer’s unique motivation.
You may want to include: At the outset, we will discuss your learning
objectives, and keep those in mind throughout your engagement.
•
Another example of personal benefits to include: In this position you will have
an opportunity to invest in your community, contribute your skills, learn about
the NFP sector and meet new people.
How to Apply/Contact:
•
Include: If interested, please send your resume (allows you to assess skills),
and a brief letter outlining your interest (allows you to assess motivations) to:
name, position, email, phone.
•
For certain roles you may also want to ask for examples of previous work i.e.
graphic design portfolio, website design examples, writing samples, etc.
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Skilled-Volunteer Example
HR Knowledge Philanthropist Position Description
Human Resources Specialist; Succession Management
September 2013
Link to the Mission:
At Vantage Point, we inspire and build leadership in the voluntary sector. We believe
people, more than money, are the key to creating change in our communities. We
work with not-for-profit leaders to transform their organizations to successfully leverage
the abundance of untapped talent in the community.
In order to further our mission we recognize the importance of planning for the future
and implementing succession management strategies to ensure continuity of
leadership at Vantage Point. We define succession management as “the planned
growth of people in and for your organization.”1 Rather than a “project”, developing
strength in succession management is about creating an organizational culture that
builds true continuity of leadership. As a result, Vantage Point is seeking an HR
Expert to review and recommend changes and/or new succession management
strategies where required.
Qualifications:
•
Minimum 2-3 years professional experience in HR management and theories
•
Experience designing effective succession management strategies, policies
and processes; ideally for not-for-profit organizations
•
Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
•
Strong analytical skills
•
Excellent interpersonal skills
Time Commitment:
Approximately 12 hours per month for three to four months, between September and
December 2013. Hours and location of work are flexible.
1
Jeffrey Wilcox, Third Sector Company at http://www.thirdsectorcompany.com/people.html
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Accountability:
The HR Specialist will work directly with the Director of Engagement
Deliverables:
•
Assess current succession management policies and processes (and other
related such as mentoring, etc.) for paid employees and external talent
(volunteers)
•
Interview key employees and external talent for input (as necessary)
•
Conduct research into succession management in the context of not-for-profit
organizations
•
Create a report including recommendations to improve succession
management policies and processes
•
Review recommendations with Vantage Point employees and revise per input
•
Educate all appropriate internal staff (and possibly external talent) on new
succession management policies and/or recommendations for changes to
onboarding processes
Benefits:
•
You will build your knowledge and portfolio and impact your community in a
significant way by contributing your talent and ability.
•
Opportunity to work directly with not-for-profit leaders and positively impact
their professional leadership development.
•
Identify and work towards your own specific community investment objective(s)
in collaboration with others on the Vantage Point team.
Recognition:
Vantage Point will provide a LinkedIn recommendation at the successful conclusion of
the project, and serve as a reference as appropriate.
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Search-Board Reference Template
Terms of Reference for ED Search Task Force
[YOUR LOGO]
Board Terms of Reference
[Name of Organization]
[Search Task Force (or Team)]
[Last Updated]
Goal- What is the ultimate goal of this task force?
Example: The task force will ensure a strong continuity of leadership in the executive
director (ED) position leading up to and during the entire transition process to a new
ED.
Role - What will the task force do?
Example: The task force will lead the process to recruit, select and onboard a new ED.
Core Values for Guiding the Task Force
What values will guide the work of the task force? These may be the same as the
organizational values, or in addition to.
Example:
•
We value a culture of “critical inquiry” which includes valuing innovation.
•
We value a culture of mutual respect, diversity and learning.
Objectives
Example:
1.
Reassure staff and board regarding continuity of leadership.
2.
Mitigate operational and reputational impacts as a result of losing a senior
member of staff with significant institutional knowledge.
3.
Craft a strong position profile and role description to ensure an adequate
candidate pool from which to select candidates for interviews.
4.
Structure and conduct the interview process itself, and make a recommendation
to the full board regarding who it feels should receive an offer.
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5.
Install a new ED with the proven ability and passion to lead the organization.
6.
Do all of the above in a way that is consistent with [name of organization] brand
and program standards.
Membership2
Specify the role that will convene the task force and the other roles and individuals that
will be involved. For example, the task force may be convened by the Board Chair and
include board members, individuals with recruitment or other HR expertise, and others
as as deemed appropriate by the task force (e.g., past board members)
It may also be useful to outline the roles of the various task force members.
Meeting Schedule/Time Commitment
Example: The ED Search Task Force will meet [how often and for how long each
time?] Provide clear expectations in this area to ensure task force members
understand the commitment they are making. Make sure you are clear that task force
members will be asked to step down from the task force if they are not performing!
2
Members of the ED Search Task Force sit as individuals and not as representatives of their organization.
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Recruitment and Transition Template
Executive Director Recruitment and Transition Process
[ORGANIZATION NAME]
ED Recruitment and Transition Process
Initial Brief
Prepared by:
[DATE]
Introduction
This section outlines the context of, and catalyst for, the Ed Recruitment process.
For example:
The current ED has indicated they plan on leaving in the near future, the ED has
announced retirement, etc.
Purpose
This section outlines the desired purpose for pursuing the planning for the completion
of this recruitment process.
For example:
The purpose of this document is to secure agreement from the board for a proposed
recruitment, selection and transition process, as well as for the approach and timing for
defining and then running the process. Support from the board at this time would allow
for further work to be done to engage other individuals in the exercise and to add more
detail to the overall recruitment process.
Objectives
This section outlines the objectives of the recruitment process.
For example:
The entire process should pursue the following objectives:
1. Energize key stakeholders about the work and future of the organization
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2. Reassure staff and board regarding continuity of leadership
3. Mitigate operational and reputational impacts as a result of losing a senior member
of staff with significant institutional knowledge
4. Install a new ED with the proven ability and passion to lead the organization
through the latter stages of its current strategic plan, and beyond
5. Do all of the above in a way that is consistent with our organizational brand and
program standards
Process
This section outlines the process that is being recommended and takes into
consideration the previously identified objectives.
For example:
1. Create and affirm a role profile to guide recruitment
We will need to define a process whereby the organization and key stakeholders have
an opportunity to reflect on who we are now, who we want to be in the future, and what
kind of leader will we need to get us there. The output from this exercise should be a
role description that outlines specific competencies and experience that we collectively
agree a successful incumbent must have. Once this work is completed, it will also be
necessary to review our current compensation strategy, confirm that the approach to
ED compensation is still appropriate, and to define an appropriate rewards package for
a new ED.
Timing: [include an expected deadline for completion of this step of the process]
2. Strike a Search Committee responsible for overseeing the recruitment and
selection process
With the role description confirmed, a search committee will need to be struck. This
committee will also need terms of reference to guide its work. Broadly speaking, this
committee would be responsible for creating an adequate candidate pool from which to
select candidates for interviews; the interview process itself; and for making a
recommendation to the full board regarding who it feels should receive an offer.
Timing: [include an expected deadline for completion of this step of the process]
3. Source candidates and run the selection process
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This part of the process is relatively self-explanatory. Some additional detail will be
needed around where we will build a candidate pool and how the interview process is
to be structured.
Timing: [include an expected deadline for completion of this step of the process]
4. Make an offer to the successful candidate; confirm acceptance
Also self-explanatory. Much of the work at this time will be supported by the earlier
review of the organizational compensation strategy and by the prior assessment of the
appropriate compensation for the re-defined ED role.
Timing: [include an expected deadline for completion of this step of the process, when
the offer should be made]
5. Onboard the successful candidate and oversee the leadership/management
transition
An onboarding process will need to be confirmed, and key objectives of the
leadership/management transition will need to be defined in advance to guide the work
of the current ED and the new incumbent. A communications plan will also need to be
prepared that covers all of the various touch points that the board should have with key
stakeholders throughout the process and through to the announcement of the arrival of
the new ED.
Timing: New incumbent starts January 2014 / Current ED transitions out March 2014.
Recruitment process example:
Phase
1. Create and affirm a
role profile to guide
recruitment
2. Strike a Search
Committee
responsible for
overseeing the
recruitment and
selection process
Deadline
Comments
March 2014
Surveys and interviews with key
stakeholders will start.
April 2014
This activity will run concurrently with
creating the role description.
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3. Source candidates
and run the
selection process
May 2013 to
September
2014
4. Make an offer to the
successful
candidate; confirm
acceptance
October
2014
5. Onboard the
successful
candidate and
oversee the
leadership/manage
ment transition
This will be a fluid process as opposed to a
staged process, e.g. candidates will be
interviewed as they apply versus waiting to
interview all candidates at the same time.
Board needs to agree that we will put off
making an offer until the selection committee
is confident we have found the right person.
Incumbent
starts
January
2015 /
Current ED
transitions
out March
2015
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Role Clarification:
Role clarification for the recruitment and transition process is critical for two reasons.
First, the Task Force overseeing the entire process needs to be nimble and move
quickly. Second, the board needs to feel that it is well-apprised of all steps of the
process and not kept in the dark on key steps and/or developments.
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Onboarding Checklist Template
Executive Director Onboarding Checklist
[YOUR LOGO]
ED Onboarding Checklist
[DATE]
Prior to Employment Date
This is a list of actions that can ideally be addressed prior to the first-day in office of
the new executive director. Ensuring that these steps are proactively addressed
allows the new ED to focus on priorities associated with quick integration and
leadership.
! Advise team, contacts of new employee’s name and employment date
! Plan office/work station, ensuring it is clean
! Ensure the Contingency Toolkit/Employee Orientation binder are up to date
! Request computer; access to computer drives; e-mail address; telephone local;
other communication devices (if applicable)
! Complete requirements for security system access card and keys
! Update office phone list and provide to all employees
! Complete any HR forms in advance, if possible – including the letter of offer /
acceptance signed by the ED
First Week(s) of Onboarding
The actions included in this list ensure that the new ED becomes acquainted with the
physical and electronic functioning of the organization in a timely and structured
manner. It includes elements that are specific to the role of ED as well as general
information that is relevant to all employees. In addition, it provides the ED with the
opportunity to interact with a variety of employees and acquaints the ED with the
organizational knowledge that each employee possesses.
Office Orientation [Insert name of responsible person]:
! Provide office orientation, including computer, printers, photocopiers etc.
! Review Employee Phone List
! Review telephone and computer systems, including voice and e-mail
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! Obtain two emergency contacts and add to employee emergency contact
document
! Update website with new person’s name and position; welcome them to the
team via social media
! Update telephone system messaging (voice mail tree) to include new employee
and their extension number
! Explain internal and outgoing mail; courier service
! Explain process for ordering supplies
! Provide security pass and keys
! Contact Security firm to add new employee to emergency contact list (if they
live closer to the office than the current contacts)
! Explain how to book meetings, arrange for refreshments, equipment, etc.
! Explain reading files
! Show bike room
! Arrange for order of business cards, name tag etc.
! Arrange for and secure a headshot
HR Admin [Insert name of responsible person]
! Complete the personnel records form and create an HR file
! Complete payroll forms (e.g., direct deposit, Revenue Canada forms TD1 and
TD1BC)
! Review employee time sheets and how to allocate hours
! Review pay periods and statutory holidays payment
! Review benefits package and complete required forms (at 3 months)
! Review business expense claims and petty cash process
Communications/Marketing/Membership [Insert name of responsible person]
! Review email signature requirements and expectations re: written
communications
! Describe internal communications culture and expectations for email and in
person
! Review Brand Identity, Style Guide, including FAQs for new employees
! Review design templates: PowerPoint, Workbooks
! Review major communication methods: website(s), blog, social media, ecomms (approach: digital vs print)
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! Provide key resources
! Orientation to Marketing Plan
! Key relationships in this area
! Current membership approach/structure
Filing and Systems [Insert name of responsible person]
! Review Company folder on Network
! Review document guidelines/naming conventions
! Orient to Customer Relationship Management (CRM) System
Organization Wide [Insert name of responsible person]
! Conduct tour of work area, lunch room, washrooms, coat closet, supply room and
emergency exits
! Provide background and general information on the organization, including
mission, vision and values, as well as organizational culture and philosophies
! Review organizational history timeline
! Discuss People Policies (Human Resource Policies)
! Review full suite of programs and services; provide broad overview
! Provide information about facilities and any relevant agreements
! Review the organizational chart
! Review the relationship with former ED
! Review the relationship with Board (history/relevant committees)
! Review the Succession Plan
! Review the current team (salaried employees and volunteers)
! Review key external stakeholders
Governance/Board [Board Chair and/or Vice Chair]
! Provide background on all current board members (names, history with
organization, membership on subcommittees or task forces, key expertise
area, term limit details)
! Articulate key board priorities
! Provide orientation to board approach and governance model
! Set up weekly check-ins between Board Chair and ED
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! Identify and secure board approval for ED’s short-term (first 3 months) and
long-term (year 1) goals
Finance/Fund Development [Insert name of responsible person]
! Review current finances/budget
! Explain/explore coming year budgeting process
! Current funding relationships
! Status of other donor relationships
! Potential future donor relationships
Evaluation/Key Performance Indicators [Insert name of responsible person]
! Review current evaluation framework
! Review the key performance Indicators and dashboard
Events into ED calendar:
!
Planned team meetings
!
30min meetings with employees who are not direct reports
!
1hr meetings with direct reports (to provide status on their direct reports)
!
Onboarding specific time slots (all individuals responsible for onboarding items)
!
Board meetings
!
Additional meetings coming up with key stakeholders
!
Upcoming conferences
Independently (ED):
! Set up voice mail and email signature
! Read through website
! Recent annual report
! Volunteer engagement eools
! Volunteer onboarding docs (handbook, guidelines, etc.)
! Current governance policies/bylaws
! Go through current committee/task force folders
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Contingency Inventory Template3
Template With Examples
Contingency Inventory
[YOUR LOGO]
Contingency Inventory
[DATE]
Update Information
Contingency Inventory Last Updated:
Name & Title of Person who last updated the Inventory:
3
This version of the Contingency Inventory Template was inspired by the Essential Agency Information document
created by Executive Consulting Canada – Vancouver, British Columbia.
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Critical Information
1) Not-for-profit/Charity Status & Critical Info
Not-for-profit/
Charity Status
& Critical Info
Information/Data
URL Link
(Server /Online)
or File
Last Updated/
Completed
People/
Companies
Include: Name/
Contact
Information/
Comments, etc.
Include: Link and
indicate
location(server/online)
or file cabinet
Indicate when contact
information, etc. was
last updated
Include:
Include: Link and
indicate
location(server/online)
or file cabinet
Indicate when
documents/information
was last updated
File Cabinet C
Reviewed 12/09/2012
N/A
Information &
Documents
Relevant
information/actual
numbers, etc.
Letters Patent
Articles of
Incorporation
Bylaws
Mission
Statement
Board Minutes
BC Society
Number
T:\Governance &
Strategy\Board\Board
Files 2013 - 2015
S-0000046351
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Charitable
Registration
Number
156473 16478 RR
00001
Corporate
Seal
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2) Policy Information
Policies
Information/Data
URL Link
(Server /Online) or File
Last
Updated/Complete
d
People/Contacts
Include: Name/
Contact
Information/
Comments, etc.
Include: Link and indicate
location(server/online) or
file cabinet
Indicate when
contact
information, etc.
was last updated
Include:
Relevant
information/actu
al numbers, etc.
Include: Link and indicate
location(server/online) or
file cabinet
Indicate when
documents/inform
ation was last
updated
Privacy Policy
T:\Governance &
Strategy\Policies\Privacy
12/06/2011Requires Update
People Policies
(HR)
T:\Governance &
Strategy\Policies\People
06/09/2010
N/A
Information &
Documents
Bylaws and
Constitution
Governance
Policies
Investment
Policy
Complaints
Policy
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Fundraising
Policy
Volunteer
Handbook/Policie
s
Conflict of
Interest Policy
Others…
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3) Financial Information
Financial/Banki
ng Information/
E-Commerce
Information/Data
URL Link
(Server /Online) or File
Last Updated/
Completed
People/Contact
Include: Name/
Contact
Information/
Comments, etc.
Include: Link and
indicate
location(server/online)
or file cabinet
Indicate when
contact information,
etc. was last
updated
Auditor
Tisha Laforest
[email protected]
om
409-847-2536
Account
Holders
Authorized
Check Signers
Authorized for
E-Commerce
transactions
Financial
Planner /
Broker
Company
Representative
Name
Authorized for
account
transfers
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Financial
Planner /
Broker
Company
Information &
Documents
Include: Relevant
information/actual
numbers, etc.
Include: Link and
indicate
location(server/online)
or file cabinet
Business
Number:
B-15465124554
T:\BusinessPolicies
\FinancialInformation\2
013
Current and
previous
Charitable
Returns
File Cabinet B
Indicate when
documents/informat
ion was last
updated
12/06/2012
Current and
previous
Society
Returns
Current and
previous
Annual
Summary
(Annual
Reports)
Current and
previous
audited
financial
statements
Company
Books &
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Records
GST/PST
Returns
Blank Checks
Company
Credit Card
1256 1254 1235
12/08/2012
Only Shelley and
Tom have authority
Donor Records
Client Records
Vendor
Records
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4) Contracts & Fund Development/Grants
Contracts
Information/Data
URL Link (Server
/Online) or File
Last
Updated/Complete
d
Information &
Documents (Top
Contracts)
Include: Organization,
Contact Name,
Contract Amount,
Contact
Information/Comment
s
Include: Link and
indicate
location(server/onli
ne) or file cabinet
Indicate when
documents/informat
ion was last
updated
Contract 1
Jamestown
Organization
T:\Contracts\Cons
ulting\Jamestown
Organization\2013
16/03/2011
Include: Link and
indicate
location(server/onli
ne) or file cabinet
Indicate when
documents/informat
ion was last
updated
James Gillis
[email protected]
604-777-2525
75k
Ongoing for 5 years, is
2 years into the
contract, options for
increase…
Contract 2
Contract 3
Pending
Contracts &
Follow-Up
Include: Organization,
Contact Name,
Contract Amount,
Contact
Information/Comment
s
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Fund
Development/
Information/Data
URL Link (Server
/Online) or File
Last
Updated/Complete
d
Information &
Documents (Top
Fund Investors)
Include: Organization,
Contact Name,
Contract Amount,
Contact
Information/Comments
Include: Link and
indicate
location(server/on
line) or file
cabinet
Indicate when
documents/informat
ion was last
updated
Investor 1
MacAulay
Philanthropic
Foundation
T:\FundDevelopm
ent\Investors\Mac
AulayFoundation\
2013
20/09/2013
T:\Governance\Fi
nancialInformatio
n\AnnualReports\
GAS
05/07/2012
Include: Link and
Indicate when
Grants
Evelyne MacAulay
[email protected]
902-687-3174
10k annually
In talks for new
opportunities- should
follow up
Investor 2
Gaming Funds
Gaming Audit
Summary Report
(GAS) (annual)
United Way
Pending or
Include: Organization,
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Recently
Initiatived Fund
Development
Contact Name,
Contract Amount,
Contact
Information/Comments
indicate
location(server/on
line) or file
cabinet
documents/informat
ion was last
updated
.
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About StepUp BC
The non-profit sector contributes as much to this province as traditional sectors such as construction,
mining and agriculture—and its greatest resource is its people.
StepUp BC supports British Columbia’s non-profit sector in finding creative solutions for attracting,
retaining and developing the talent it needs to thrive.
We focus on six key areas:
Developing existing talent. We provide a range of strategies to help non-profit organizations maximize
their existing talent.
Recruiting new talent. We help potential candidates see the exciting opportunities a career in the
non-profit sector offers.
Preparing for leadership succession. We provide guidance on formal succession planning and
long-term sustainability.
Increasing workforce diversity. We support improved representation through greater gender, age, ethnic
and cultural diversity.
Ensuring employee satisfaction. We promote the appreciation, recognition and development of varied
skill sets.
Telling a new story. We’re changing perceptions by spotlighting the non-profit sector as a catalyst
for revitalization and growth.
Whether you are leading a non-profit organization, working for one or considering the non-profit sector
as a career choice, StepUp BC can connect you to the tools and information you need to succeed.
Learn more at StepUpBC.ca
Funding provided through the Canada-British Columbia Labour Market Development Agreement
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