Our Process
As an executive search firm, we work in conjunction with your Human Resources department and leaders to recruit executives to fill the vacated chairs in philanthropy and nonprofit senior management. Most searches are for Foundation and Association Presidents, Chief Executive Officers, Executive Directors, Chief Advancement Officers, Vice Presidents, Vice Chancellors, and Directors of Development. We also place senior and mid-level Planned Giving Officers, Major, and Leadership Gifts Officers, Corporate and Foundation Giving Directors, Capital Campaign Directors, and university Alumni Executives for universities, private schools, health care systems/hospitals, academic medical centers, social service agencies, arts organizations, museums, foundations and associations. Beyond recruitment, our work continues with our clients to help facilitate successful hiring closures.
Our four step recruitment process allows our team to keep client leadership and available HR Staff aware of the progress of their hiring searches and closures, while ensuring that things move along at a pace that honors their organizations, as well as the talented prospects that we have found for them.
Step One – Build the Talent Pool
In order to properly place a candidate for a fundraising professional or a foundation executive role, we work hard to learn as much about our client organization, their leadership, and the position they are looking to fill as we possibly can. We will read through marketing materials, conduct interviews and on-site visits with client leadership, and engage the client for possible candidates or candidate attributes. Then, through our extensive database and industry connections, as well as conforming to any of the client’s existing HR requirements, we build a large pool of candidates specifically for the client, contacting them and preliminarily organizing them.
Step Two – Develop Pool of Top Candidates
Through extensive interviews and analysis (of résumés, referrals and interview notes) of the broader candidate base, we work to develop a smaller pool of the most qualified candidates, based on client parameters, as well as candidate experiences, skill sets and organizational fit.
Step Three – Report to Client
Through a series of classified communications, the Paschal•Murray search consultant(s) will deliver a concentrated list of best available candidates to the organization. Essentially, we weed through thousands of applications to bring our clients the absolute best. Those candidates are informed of their status, and either the search consultant or someone from within the client’s hiring team sets up interviews and appropriate follow-ups.
Step Four – Work to Closure
This final step has everything to do with our clients. Your Paschal•Murray search consultant will stand ready to assist with scheduling, interviews, follow-up meetings and closure communications. Following the fulfillment of our work, each consultant will do a follow up interview with the client’s search team to determine the efficacy or their work and the satisfaction of our client.
