The Client
A provincial industry association.
The Challenge
Two prominent non-profit organizations were in the midst of a significant amalgamation, working towards forming a single, new legal entity under provincial regulation. As the target date drew closer, the Board faced a challenging situation, necessitating the dismissal of three senior managers. This led to the swift appointment of interim leadership to guide the transition. Concurrently, there was a pressing need to actively recruit suitable candidates to fill these key vacancies. With the fiscal year ending July 31st and Board elections scheduled for November, it became crucial to establish a strong and effective leadership team to steer the newly formed organization towards success.
The Approach
Collaborating closely with the Osborne Interim General Manager appointed by the Board, Osborne’s Talent Acquisition Specialist was engaged for her expertise. Her first task was to tackle the recruitment for the senior finance role. This involved detailed discussions with a Board subcommittee to both understand their specific requirements and to outline Osborne’s recruitment methodology. With this role’s recruitment process well in motion, attention shifted to developing and finalizing the job description for the senior Executive Director position, which received the Board’s approval for publication.
Both recruitment campaigns attracted a significant number of applicants, necessitating a thorough review and screening process. This involved evaluating candidates’ hard skills against the established criteria for each position. Additionally, the specialist employed pre-screen video interviews to assess the candidates’ soft skills. From this rigorous process, a select group of top-tier executives was shortlisted and forwarded to the hiring committee for in-person interviews.
The culmination of this meticulous process was the extension of offer letters and contracts to the chosen candidates, who were met with unanimous enthusiasm. Concurrently, those who were not selected were respectfully informed and thanked for their interest and patience throughout the process.
In the midst of these campaigns, the search for the final program management position commenced, ultimately leading to another high-caliber addition to the team.
The Result
By early November, the organization had successfully established its new leadership team. With this pivotal transition complete, the interim executive, who had played a crucial role in supporting the organization through this period of change, moved on to assist other clients. The once-fractured culture of the organization, evident in the spring, had undergone a remarkable transformation. It was now revitalized, buoyed by an enthusiastic existing staff and the infusion of talented new members sourced by Osborne.