Third Sector Company

Hiring The

Interim Development Director

A Guide To Effective Interviewing For The Third Sector Company Interim and

Prospective Clients

By Jeffrey R. Wilcox, CFRE 1

PREPARING FOR THE INTERVIEW For The Position Of Interim Development Director

The hiring of an Interim Development Director, Development Director is a strategic leadership decision that incurs additional costs for an organization and the decision will demand a significant return on the investment of limited funds.

The purpose of this interview preparation guide is to help you put your best foot forward to a group of individuals that usually have limited experience in hiring nonprofit professionals and virtually not experience hiring an interim to serve as an acting Development on a short-term basis. It is up to you to not only sell your skills as they relate to what the client is seeking, but to also help the organization understand the benefits of hiring an interim.

At Third Sector Company, we encourage our clients to take full advantage of the unique talents and skills that an effective interim director can offer. We believe these skills and talents should be different from the attributes sought in the permanent replacement. Our experience has shown that the management of people, processes and politics to affect a positive transition are a unique set of leadership qualities that are needed in addition to the proven experience they are looking for in quality nonprofit management.

We guarantee that all of our recommended candidates at Third Sector Company are trained to provide these highly unique skills and to follow established protocols for leading agency operations on a short-term basis, while working to effectively manage organizational transition. It is important to review the materials and notes that are a part of every Third Sector Company affiliates meeting to make sure you are able to answer important questions about interim Development management.

Our Interview Guide encourages our clients to consider the following variables for evaluating the candidate for appointment as interim:

 Presents the skills necessary to complete the most pressing obligations of the organization over a four- to eight-month period;  Demonstrates the experience necessary to advise senior staff and board members about the most pressing challenges currently facing the organization and recommend ways to lessen or alleviate those challenges;  Exhibits the professional style to effectively work with people at all levels of the organization during a time of transition and change;  Possesses the reputation for handling transitional situations well and to the satisfaction of those involved;  Negotiates the appropriate role of an interim manager as compared to the roles and responsibilities of the permanent successor; and  Presents a very positive first impression that will engage people in supporting a transitional leader.

We are complemented that you are a part of the Third Sector Company family of professionals and hope that this guide is an additional tool of our company to help you and our client find higher ground during transition. Our thanks to Sunny Breed, Vice President of Affiliate Relations, for helping to compose and compile this guide. She is available to help you throughout the process as needed. She can be reached at (562) 951-9514,

JEFFREY R. WILCOX, CFRE President and Chief Development Officer

- 2 - Interview Preparation Step #1: ARE YOU READY TO CREATE A FAVORABLE FIRST IMPRESSION? Setting The Stage For Good Discussion & Dialogue

An interview session, even for the most experienced professional, can create anxieties for everyone involved. A good introduction process helps to alleviate those anxieties that can stand in the way of working together. The goals of the introduction are to immediately begin sharing important information, creating a forum for the exchange of ideas throughout the meeting, and facilitating participatory discussion about important matters.

Be prepared to answer any of the following questions from your interviewers:

 Please introduce yourself to the group in a brief and unique fashion.

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 Tell us briefly about your nonprofit Development experience.

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 Tell us briefly why you are interested in serving as our interim.

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 Tell us briefly why you think you would make a good interim for us based on what you currently know about our organization and our current situation.

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Interview Preparation Step #2: ARE YOU READY TO CONVINCE THE CLIENT THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY MANAGE THE MOST PRESSING TASKS & OBLIGATIONS? Discussing The Current Needs of The Client Organization

Using the Scope of Work prepared by Third Sector Company, outline below the five most pressing tasks that the Interim will be facing upon hire:

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For each of the five priority areas, be prepared to answer any of the following questions that assures the client you have an understanding of the urgency and are ready to provide leadership:

 Tell us briefly about your experience in leading an effort to successfully manage a similar situation.

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 In your experience, what has been the biggest roadblock for organizations like ours to successfully managing a situation like this?

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 Briefly explain what would be your first steps in approaching this situation at our organization.

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 Given this particular need, what do you see as the appropriate roles for the Interim Development and for the board in working together to successfully manage it?

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 Tell us briefly what, in your opinion, is the appropriate role of an Interim Development Director in approaching this challenge during your time with us.

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______- 4 - An important aspect of the interview is to ask questions of the interviews for clarity and to invite dialogue. Here are a series of questions you might consider asking as you discuss the most pressing tasks and obligations:

How long has this situation been a challenge for the organization? What, in your opinion, has caused this situation to become such a challenge at the present time? What efforts are already underway to address the situation? Was this particular situation a factor in the position being vacated? What do you think can be reasonably accomplished with good interim leadership over a four- to eight-month period towards resolving the challenge?

Interview Preparation Step #3: ARE YOU CLEAR ON THE ROLES & FUNCTIONS OF AN INTERIM DEVELOPMENT POSITION TO SET REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS? Creating A Mutual Understanding

Interim Development Management is the core competency of Third Sector Company. We work with both you and the client to make sure that the maximum benefit will be realized by everyone involved for having made the decision to secure an acting senior Development.

When appropriate remind the client of the benefits of bringing on an interim to their organization by being prepared to have answers to the following questions based on our marketing and training materials and your knowledge of the client and their needs:

 What are the advantages for an organization like ours to consider engaging an Interim Development Director while we search for a permanent replacement?

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 What are the disadvantages for having an interim?

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 Wouldn’t it be easier and most cost effective for an organization like ours to promote an internal person who already knows our organization, appoint a board member, or just wait until we find the right candidate for the job?

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 In your opinion, how important is it that an Interim Development Director have direct experience or credentials in the specific programs that we offer and the populations of people in need that we serve?

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 Tell us about your interim Development management experience.

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Interview Preparation Step #4: DO YOU UNDERSTAND HOW TO ENTER INTO A NEW CULTURE AND MANAGE IT? Managing An Effective Transition In An Organization

The vacancy of the Development Director position creates an especially large challenge for nonprofit organizations for the following reasons:

 The management culture of the previous Development Director is reflected in the processes and people involved at all levels in the organization  The circumstances of vacating the position are having an immediate effect on the processes and people involved at all levels in the organization  The announcement of how the vacancy will be managed and by whom creates anxieties for the people involved at all levels in the organization  The perceptions of what needs to be “done” or needs to be “fixed” are as varied as the people involved at all levels in the organization  The roles of Development staff, board members, and committees are unclear for a period of time until an interim is brought on board or a permanent successor has been named

Be prepared to provide answers to the following questions:

 Tell us how an effective Interim Development Director goes about learning the culture of an organization in a relatively short period of time.

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 Give an example of how you successfully enhanced the culture of a nonprofit organization in a relatively short period of time.

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 What are the most significant activities an Interim Development Director can orchestrate that will affect the culture of a nonprofit organization?

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 In your opinion, what is the role of the Board of Directors in establishing and maintaining a culture for a nonprofit organization?

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Here are a series of questions you might consider asking the interviewers as you discuss the current culture of the organization and ways in which you will engage with and enhance the operating culture:

How would you describe the current “culture” of the organization? What “cultural” enhancements or changes would you like to see take place while the Interim Development Director is engaged with your organization? What do you think is the role of the Board of Directors in shaping, maintaining or changing the culture of a nonprofit organization?

Interview Preparation Step #5: ARE YOU DEMONSTRATING GOOD NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT KNOWLEDGE & LEADERSHIP? Walking The Talk About Good Management

At anytime during the interview process, you may be a called upon to assure the interviewers that you have experience with and possess good nonprofit management knowledge. We recommend that each candidate prepare a very brief description of three accomplishments from your career that demonstrate your expertise and talents. Quantify the result if possible. If you contributed to a larger result, you may include the end result but do not take full credit for the final result unless you did it. The honesty and integrity of recognizing your leadership role and its impact is more important than taking credit for everything.

At Third Sector Company, most of our clients are looking for one or more of the following attributes as especially essential to the challenge facing the Interim Development Director:

Adaptability Innovation Planning and Organizing Creativity Leadership Problem Solving Dependability Motivation Professionalism Diversity Oral Communication Teamwork Ethics Written Communication

Be prepared to receive questions about your skills in each of these areas with possible examples that will engage the interviewers in dialogue in further exploring your abilities and experiences. As part of our interviews, we encourage Third Sector Company clients to select what they perceive as the top three desirable leadership qualities in their interim manager.

Three accomplishments that demonstrate my expertise and leadership, with the results I achieved:

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2. ______

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3. ______

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My 3 minute vignette:

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Interview Preparation Step #6: THE FINAL QUESTIONS … Moving Towards A Hiring Decision

There are three stages to wrapping up the interview session.

Additional Questions From The Candidate The first stage is to see if the candidate has any additional questions that have not been covered about the needs of the organization, the culture of the organization and the leadership qualities perceived as needed most.

Identify up to three specific questions in advance to have ready for the interview meeting:

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- 9 - Availability & Salary Expectations Have Been Verified The second stage is to clearly identify what both parties are expecting during the engagement. Be prepared to have answers to the following questions:

 Let’s reconfirm your availability over the next four to eight months to provide interim leadership to our organization … how many hours a week are you available to work at the agency? ______(Please note that interim managers generally contract their services for 28 to 34 hours per week)

 Do you have any vacations or plans that you would want us to be aware of during the next four to eight months? ______

 Is the salary range that has been established for this position within your expectations for considering and accepting the engagement? ______

The Next Steps In Hiring Process Are Clear The final step in the interview process is to clearly understand what the next steps will be in the engagement process following the interview. It is possible that the hiring process as initially described to Third Sector Company may have changed. Record the information as it is presented to you and be sure and let Third Sector Company of the process that was presented to you.

 Next steps in the hiring process for the Interim Development Director.

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When The Interview Is Over … A Personal Reflection and Points of Discussion with Third Sector Company

What was the best part of the interview? ______

Where there any parts that you felt could have been improved? ______

What would you like improve upon in preparing for your next interview? ______

What would you like to see the client improve in preparing and conducting an interview? ______

Do you still want the job? YES NO Do you think you will get the offer as a result of this interview? YES NO

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