A well-established charity entered a period of significant uncertainty following the departure of its Chief Executive. Rather than rushing another permanent appointment, the Trustees recognised the need for an experienced interim to stabilise the organisation and prepare it for its next permanent leader.
After more than twenty years of stable leadership, the charity had recruited a permanent successor independently. Eighteen months later, that appointment ended, leaving the organisation facing operational and leadership challenges. Staff engagement had declined and the Board lacked the assurance needed to lead the charity into its next chapter.
The brief appeared extremely challenging. A relatively small charity with limited resources, the organisation initially questioned whether engaging a search specialist represented good value. The Board also believed a locally based leader with regional healthcare and charity experience would be essential.
We began by working closely with the Chair and Trustees to understand the organisation's challenges, ensuring the appointment focused not on replacing the previous Chief Executive but on providing the leadership required for recovery. A targeted search combined proactive networking with carefully focused advertising across the North West, with regular, honest communication maintaining board confidence throughout. The search completed in five weeks and produced three exceptional candidates and one successful appointment.
All three shortlisted candidates met the client's key requirements, demonstrating that a highly specific brief could still produce genuine choice. A locally based interim Chief Executive with the experience required to stabilise the organisation accepted the role. The Chair praised the quality of the search and acknowledged that engaging a specialist had exceeded expectations.
Every engagement begins with a conversation.