Position:
Executive Search Consultant (Director of Search)
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Job Category:
Job Description:
Position Overview
The Director of Search plays leadership role on our consulting team as a trusted advisor and
strategic partner to clients, cultivates an extensive network among prospective nonprofit
leaders, and plays an active role in our efforts to build an antiracist consulting practice.
The Director of Search leads 8-10 executive search engagements each year, working on a team
of 2-3 to help nonprofits, foundations, and associations find exceptional senior leaders. The
Director of Search works closely with Search Associates and reports to Good Insight’s CEO.
The Director of Search handles full-cycle recruiting for client projects on a mostly autonomous
basis. They serve as a primary point of contact for the Search Committee Chair and advise on
every aspect of the search process, including leading the client through hiring practices that
ensure racial equity throughout the entire process. Their responsibilities range from consulting
on executive transitions, developing
The ideal candidate will bring an advanced understanding of how the nonprofit sector is central
to solving community issues. They will have exemplary analytical skills and be able to distill
large amounts of complex information into strategy, direction, and advice to Good Insight’s
clients. They are a successful project manager and are adept at using technology to manage
processes and procedures. They bring executive presence and are able to represent the firm to
current and prospective clients.
All applicants must demonstrate an advanced understanding of racial equity, barriers to
nonprofit leadership presented by structural racism and white supremacy culture, and a
personal commitment to advancing racial justice. They have high standards for nonprofit
leaders and boards and stay current with research, thought leadership, and trends in nonprofit
leadership development. They will be driven by connecting with accomplished professionals,
and the opportunity to help shape the future of the nonprofit sector.
Key responsibilities of the Director of Search include:
Project Administration
● With the Search Associate, develop project management plans and monitor
deadlines and deliverables for client projects.
● Plan and lead all client-related meetings, communications, and presentations.
● Monitor and apply human resources and talent acquisition best practices to all
Good Insight work.
Plan and Prepare for Searches
● Build rapport with search committee members and hiring managers to understand
each client’s hiring needs, priorities, and trends.
● Create a custom discovery process and stakeholder engagement strategy
(interviews, surveys, focus groups) to gain comprehensive understanding of the
nonprofit, industry, and position requirements.
● Identify and communicate key trends, challenges, and opportunities based on the
stakeholder engagement. With Search Associate, draft findings into reports to
share with the Search Committee.
● Lead development of job announcements, candidate profiles, and other compelling
talent acquisition materials that highlights the position to prospects.
Recruit and Correspond with Candidates
● Set search strategy and direction by clarifying required skills and responsibilities
and using innovative techniques to build a pipeline of prospective candidates
through job boards, key networks, LinkedIn strategies, and client communications.
● Develop tools, processes, and products that ensure equitable and inclusive
recruitment process that addresses unconscious and implicit bias (i.e., affinity bias,
confirmation bias, etc.)
● Research and identify prospective candidates through focused industry research,
network sources, relevant prior searches, and internal sources. Lead outreach to
prospective candidates and sources to elicit interest, obtain referrals, and collect
feedback about the market, landscape, or client reputation.
● Review application materials and assess candidate qualifications and alignment
with key criteria
Assess, Select, and Onboard Finalists
● Develop structured interview protocols and scorecards that reflects the position’s
key criteria and support best practices to eliminate implicit bias during the hiring
process. Ensure a positive candidate experience throughout entire recruitment
process.
● Lead all interviews and debriefs and work with Search Associate to develop and
implement skills-based exercises to evaluate candidates’ performance on tasks
related to the position.
● Check references, including identifying additional areas of inquiry, summarizing
responses, and presenting findings to Search Committee. Help initiate client offers
to candidates.
● Help Search Committee with onboarding plans to assure a strong start to the role
and provide 30-60-90-day check-ins to incoming executive and board members as
needed.
● Refer clients to technical assistance resources, including consultants, associations,
and coaches.
Other Responsibilities
● Represent Good Insight at industry conferences, panels, and events.
● Pursue business development opportunities with Good Insight’s ideal clients.
● Build network of nonprofit leaders. Follow current and impending nonprofit
leadership transitions.
● Develop thought leadership on Good Insight’s equitable hiring practices, trends in
leadership transitions and talent acquisition, and addressing barriers to building a
diverse nonprofit workforce.
● Build proficiency and share knowledge in antiracism in order to co-create new
approaches to executive search and help clients constantly challenge biases and
outdated practices.
● Participate in ongoing opportunities to strengthen relationships among a remote,
dispersed team.
● Ensure consistency of Good Insight’s brand across multiple platforms.
● Gain additional expertise through trainings, meetings, and memberships to
understand Good Insight’s tools, human resources compliance, and trends across
different nonprofit industries.
● Perform other team participation and firm capacity-building roles and
responsibilities as needed.
Experience, Skills & Qualifications
● 10+ years of nonprofit experience, including roles as a nonprofit E.D., a senior
nonprofit leader, a consultant, or a philanthropy professional.
● A sophisticated understanding of interpersonal, institutional, and systemic racism
that can prevent leaders of color from advancing into executive roles the nonprofit
sector, as well as hiring approaches that dismantle racial discrimination, analyze
power, and advance antiracist ideals.
● Experience working with or serving on a Board of Directors, with understanding
how to balance competing demands and build consensus among disparate
opinions.
● Effective working relationships with potential referral sources among communities
of color, including leadership development programs, professional societies,
affinity groups, alumni associations.
● Capacity to handle multiple tasks, remain flexible, prioritize appropriately, and
manage workflow for oneself and others. Able to pivot between projects without
missing a beat.
● Ability to identify and quickly comprehend essential questions, and conduct
research independently.
● Executive presence and outstanding written and verbal communications skills.
Clear and concise writing and editing skills are particularly important to this role.
● Technological proficiency, including as a power-user of MS Office and Google
Drive. You would also use software for document management (Adobe Acrobat),
videoconferencing (Zoom), calendaring (Calendly), project management (Asana),
passwords (1Pass), and different databases, including CRMs (PipeDrive) and
applicant tracking systems (CATS).
Application Process
To be considered for the position, please submit your resume and 1-2 page cover letter that
details your interest and qualifications in the role, as well as, what you hope to gain and
contribute to the Good Insight team. The cover letter will be used as demonstration of your
writing ability.
Resume reviews begin immediately. Early applications are encouraged due to the pace of the
search. For best consideration, please apply by no later than April 18th, but the position will
remain open until filled. Candidates advancing should anticipate these steps in the process:
● Brief interview with Good Insight’s Director of Talent
● Interview with the CEO
● Skills test administered by the Director of Talent
● Final interview with small group of Good Insight team members
The ideal start date is mid-May with some flexibility. Confidential inquiries and applications may
be directed to Kessa Thompson, Director of Talent, at recruiting@good-insight.org.
Compensation & Benefits
While still a small business, Good Insight is committed to offering competitive salaries and a
great working environment. The full-time starting salary for this position is in the low
$100,000's, with business development-related bonus opportunities. We also offer a liberal
PTO policy, federal holidays plus DC Emancipation Day and office closures around winter
holidays. Employees have access to healthcare and tech stipends, and as the firm meets and
exceeds revenue goals, we plan to add retirement benefits and a profit-sharing plan for all
employees in 2022.
Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Good Insight is committed to building a diverse team with the lived experience necessary to
advance racial, social, and economic justice for our clients. We celebrate diversity of all kinds,
including race, sex, religion, national origin, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation,
disability, and age. We do not discriminate for employment opportunities related to these
categories or any others protected by local and federal laws.
We strongly encourage applications from people of color, LGBTQ, women and non-binary
people, people with disabilities, and those who hold an intersectional identity.