When your Executive Director resigns, the first impulse is to find a replacement as quickly as possible. But that’s not always the wisest course of action. Interim Executive Directors keep your organization going when your Executive Director leaves. Interim Development Executives can be temporary replacements for a vacancy, or can be engaged to set up a development function that will be implemented by future or existing staff.

Your organization is unique. It needs someone at the helm who understands and is passionate about the mission, can navigate the many constraints on your services; can relate to all the different personalities involved, and can do it all within your financial realities. Staff is understandably unsettled, and may need some time to adjust to the loss of the status quo.

Finding this person takes time, and the process shouldn’t be rushed. How do you keep the organization moving forward while a complete and thorough search is made? Many nonprofits turn to an Interim Executive Director.

Benefits of an Interim Director

There are several advantages to having an Interim Executive Director:

· Time: Although finding a full-time permanent Executive may take months, an Interim can be on board within a few weeks. This keeps the organization moving, takes the administrative details off the hands of the Board of Directors, and lets the Search Committee focus on finding the best person for the job.

· Credibility: Hiring an Interim ED demonstrates to staff, supporters and public that you take the Executive search seriously, and will devote the needed time to fill the position. You show that you understand an Executive Director is necessary to the well-being of the organization, and the role should not be left open for an indeterminate amount of time.

· Objectivity: An external Interim ED doesn’t want to be the full-time Executive. The Interim comes in with a fresh pair of eyes and a full complement of experience to apply to your organization, without worrying whether any one action or honest report to the Board will jeopardize a future hiring. Staff is aware that the Interim will not be aboard for long, and is usually more forthcoming with honest appraisals of the organization.

· Staff Relations: Staff is frequently unsettled when you lose a long-time Executive Director. If the former ED was well liked, the Interim creates a buffer between old and new, allowing staff time to adjust to the idea that things won’t be done the same way. If there were unresolved issues with the former ED, an Interim can relieve anxieties and stress, draining away some of the problems before the newly hired ED is confronted with them.

· Board Support: The Executive Director is the primary point of contact between staff and the Board of Directors, maintaining the momentum of board activities. During the months of the search, the Interim fulfills that role, addressing board concerns, representing staff in board meetings, and ensuring staff response to board requests. In addition, the Interim brings a new set of eyes to Board/Executive interaction, and can offer guidance on alternative ways of handling concerns.

· Hiring Assistance: Including the Interim Executive Director in the hiring process provides the Board of Directors with on-the-ground expertise. By the time you receive resumes, the Interim has enough experience with daily operations to comment on a candidate’s qualifications. The Interim can arrange for staff interviews with the candidate, observe candidate-staff interactions, and report to the search committee. Having the Interim interview final candidates provides additional insight, particularly noting the kinds of questions the candidates ask of someone who is actively part of the organization.

Why not an Internal Interim?

It may be tempting to use an internal candidate to act as Interim, but be very cautious. If the internal candidate is also expected to do his or her own job, then both the Executive position and the candidate’s current position will be short-changed. It’s not fair to the internal candidate to then be judged on less than optimal results, when the external candidates don’t have that strike against them. In addition, if the internal candidate is not chosen for the promotion, you are faced with a de facto no confidence vote. By using an external Interim, an internal candidate who is not selected can better understand that there was a better candidate for the job, rather than experience it as a failure.

It’s always unsettling when your Executive Director leaves. Finding and transitioning to a new Executive Director is draining on all those involved. But you may have just been given the perfect opportunity to get a fresh perspective on your organization, expert advice, and the benefit of a wide range of experience. Consider an Interim.