Is an interim director the best option at this time? If you're looking for a new director, you're usually facing a five to six month search process to recruit and bring on a new leader. This is a time of extra work for the board, anxiety on the staff, and potential concern by your funders. As experienced interim directors we bring calm, stable leadership at a time of uncertainty. We'll step in quickly and assess things. Then we'll focus on the systems, from financial oversight to board involvement and HR that you need to be in good shape for a good transition. We'll provide leadership for the staff, and help them be sure that your programs, the essential work of your organization, can continue.
At the time we engaged our interim ED, the board was frustrated, anxious and concerned with the direction we were heading. He immediately calmed the board, listened closely to the staff, reassured them during this sensitive time, and helped us plan to stabilize the organization. This included community contacts and relationships that were essential to our organization. It was an excellent choice to bring on a professional with nonprofit expertise and such communication and management skills.
I had the pleasure to work with an interim executive director for the past 5 months and would recommend him without reservation. We engaged him for a very unique set of circumstances and a non-traditional role at the Dental Foundation of Oregon. Despite many challenges, his thorough and collaborative approach to engaging stakeholders and providing key recommendations to leadership produced critical discussions and decisions at a key time for the organization. As a result, there was collective buy-in from the board and we are very happy to see the positive movement and momentum for the future, while ensuring all necessary operations and grants were covered during the transitional process. I greatly appreciated and valued having an interim ED as a thought partner, and his even keeled demeanor and approach to sensitive topics were extremely valuable to the organization(s) involved. I highly recommend his expertise and services, and hope to work with him again in the future if an opportunity presents itself.
