AAW HOW TO: Recognise the Value of Recruiting an Interim Leader
As we continue to explore the top trends in charity recruitment, we hope you enjoy these pieces of wisdom from our search team! Do get in touch if you’d like to find out more.
77% of businesses across all industries report that leadership is lacking. This tells us that hiring leaders who can manage and inspire teams is challenging.
We know this only too well - finding and retaining good leadership is challenging for any organisation. However, it can be especially challenging in the non-profit sector with limited resources. This is especially true if someone in a leadership role leaves abruptly without a succession plan.
In this case, you might consider recruiting an interim leader. These individuals can bring their experience and skill set to your organisation and can also be helpful during a period of transition or uncertainty. So, let's examine how an interim leader could be invaluable for you.
What Is an Interim Leader?
In the non-profit world, an interim leader is someone who takes over from a departing leader, but only temporarily. Think of it like a substitute teacher who runs the show until a full-time teacher is hired.
It's just like that but for executive management. They're in charge of keeping things running until you find a new, permanent recruit. However, that doesn't mean their skills are less impactful or necessary.
Organisations and charities may also need interim leaders when undergoing changes like a merger or restructuring. They can help to navigate an organisation through periods of transition.
Interim Leader Job Roles
Ultimately, exactly what you can expect will depend on the interim leadership role you fill. However, they generally assume the responsibilities of an executive, such as a Director of Fundraising or CFO, and often step in during transition periods.
Their main goal is to maintain the organisation's stability and progress. Their primary tasks are ensuring:
The organisation doesn't suffer from any gaps in leadership
The team's workflow remains on track
The organisation’s mission is upheld
Interim leaders establish relationships with key stakeholders, donors, board members, and employees to do this, which keeps everything running smoothly.
This means these individuals must be skilled communicators and adaptable problem solvers. They must identify areas that need improvement and oversee the implementation of changes that will improve the organisation's operations. While doing all of this, they also have to ensure that staff morale remains positive.
Overall, an interim leader's role is to:
Provide a sense of stability
Keep everyone motivated
Ensure the organisation is moving in the right direction during a transitional phase
They should act as an integral part of your executive management team just as if they were a permanent employee.
Benefits of Hiring an Interim Leader
Most charity and non-profit organisation leaders understand the necessity of hiring an interim leader. You have to fill that role to continue day-to-day operations. However, there is a lot of value in temporary leaders, too.
Interim leaders come in with a wealth of experience, knowledge, and skills that they can share with the team to ensure the smooth running of the organisation.
With years of experience, the interim leader can:
Assess the team's abilities
Identify areas of improvement
Maintain and sometimes improve the organisation's operational efficiency
Here are a few other benefits of hiring an interim leader.
Reduce Hiring Pressure
Most hiring teams rush to fill the role when a non-profit or charity organisation finds itself without a leader. However, with an interim leader in situ, the team can focus on their day-to-day tasks without worrying about the leadership gap.
It provides ample time and space for the recruiting team to search for the best candidate instead of rushing the process. Doing so helps to avoid compromising the organisation's performance or mission due to a lack of leadership. It gives them time to focus on finding the perfect fit instead of hastily filling the role.
Increase Morale
An interim leader can bring a fresh perspective to the team, inspiring innovative ideas and collaboration. They can also act as a mentor or coach, supporting team members during transition times and allowing individual team members to develop new skills and grow in their roles.
An impartial perspective can help to identify areas for improvement and maintain motivation levels. The team can stay focused on its mission with the interim leader's support. It's a win-win for everybody involved.
Seamless Transition
Hiring an interim leader for your non-profit organisation can help to make the leadership transition seamless. Usually, they can also make recommendations to the board when searching for a permanent leader, and once you find a permanent leader, they can help them get up to speed on your organisation's goals and mission.
Basically, they ensure continuity in leadership to ensure that you won’t experience significant disruption. Not only will this ensure that your organisation stays on track, but it can help with operational efficiency and employee moral too.
Cost-Effective
Finally, hiring interim leadership can reduce expenditures in the long run and be a more cost-effective solution. By filling the leadership gap, you can avoid hiring someone out of necessity and making a costly mistake. One bad hire can cost your organisation time and money, negatively affecting your mission.
Additionally, an interim leader ensures you're searching for a permanent candidate without undue pressure or burdening the hiring team.
All these factors translate to efficient use of resources. They also increase the chances of finding the right person for the role. After all, that should be your focus at the end of the day.
How to Hire an Interim Leader
Hopefully, you can now see the value of hiring an interim leader for your organisation, so the next step is to consider how to go about recruiting an interim leader. If your team is already stretched thin, then you may well need some help, and interim recruiting services like the AAW Group could well benefit you.
Interim recruiting services are able to help your organisation by sourcing, assessing, hiring, and even in some cases onboarding top talent. These services help minimise the stress of leadership transitions by doing the leg work for you. They make it easy for your organisation to continue to thrive while saving costs and reducing hiring headaches.
How We Can Help
Do you need a competent and experienced interim leader for your non-profit organisation? The AAW Group can help you find the perfect candidate without compromising quality. We have an extensive network of skilled professionals; whether you’re in need of an Executive Leader, Head of Function, or Senior Manager, we can help.
Contact us today for our trustworthy interim management services.
