Support Center for Nonprofit Management: ETM Services VS. Search Firms

ETM Services VS. Search Firms

The Support Center’s Comprehensive Executive Transition (ETM) Services provide organizations with a broader and deeper scope of services than traditional search firms at a more affordable price.

With ETM, nonprofits receive three services instead of the one service traditional search firms offer. For example, unlike most search firms, the Support Center offers an in-depth and comprehensive organizational assessment to identify strengths and weaknesses and determine where the organization is going in order to find a new leader that best fits the organization’s current and future needs. Further, ETM provides post-transition services, which significantly increase the likelihood that the new executive director will enjoy a long tenure with the organization.

ETM vs. Search Firm

Pre-Transition Process Features/Benefits ............................................Search .............ETM
Emergency Succession Planning – works with executive director, board and staff to develop a plan for the sudden departure of an executive director.		√
Executive Director Succession Coaching – provides long-tenured executives and board leaders with personal coaching and organizational assistance in preparing for succession.		√
Transition Process Features/Benefits
Transition Planning – sets up a Transition Committee with roles and responsibilities, and develops a plan for managing the transition.		√
Interim Executive Director Referral and Placement – provides strong, temporary leadership to ensure the continuity of operations.		√
In-depth Organizational Assessment – helps Transition Committee understand the organization’s past, present, and future to discern the attributes needed in the next executive director, the vision for the organization over the next 18 months, and the capacity issues that can be addressed before and after the new executive director comes on board.		√
Executive Job Scope – updates the job description based on the results of the organizational assessment and search plan.	√	√
Comprehensive Recruitment and Selection – develops a diverse candidate pool and assists with the interviews and the hiring process.	√	√
Post-Transition Services
Support New Executive Director - helps Transition Committee establish support mechanisms for the new executive director, and foster an effective working relationship with the new executive director.		√
Develop Evaluation Plan – ensures that a plan (developed by board and new executive director) is in place to evaluate the performance of the new executive director.		√
Coaching for the New Executive Director – ensures that the new executive director gets help in developing pertinent skills for professional and personal success.		√
Peer Network – involves the new executive director in a group of other executive directors to discuss issues, and to share ideas and creative ways to solve problems.		√
Other Features and Benefits
Transition Specialists – seasoned nonprofit experts with deep experience in organization capacity building.		√
Nonprofit – the Support Center is a nonprofit organization like its clients.		√
Designed for Nonprofits – ETMS is designed specifically for nonprofits		√
Excellent Value – three services (assessment, recruitment, and post-hire help) that typically cost between $15,000 to 25,000.		√