How Should the Board Engage a New CEO?
The board of directors may be hiring the first CEO or replacing a CEO that is retiring, moving to a new position or is being terminated. Whatever the reason the board should undertake the task in the same way. The plan, activity and decision for this leadership transition should be governed by an aggressive, patient and intentional search rather than a passive seeking of applicants. First, the board needs to develop a current job description reflecting the current organization and its environment. (See Appendix A for a sample job description.) The board needs to delegate its authority to a Search Committee. That committee initiates a process of identifying candidates. While most nonprofits utilize volunteers in this identification process, an increasing number of larger nonprofits are engaging search firms that have developed a nonprofit search practice.
