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Pro Bono Nonprofit Job Posting: Reading Partners’s Executive Director, Silicon Valley

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Reading Partners is changing the education landscape. We are a leader in working to solve the literacy crisis in our country by leveraging community volunteers in under-resourced schools. Our diverse and expansive volunteer base provides one-on-one tutoring to students twice weekly, and our program is proven to help children master the reading fundamentals they need to unlock their potential as successful, happy and confident readers in school and in life. Our people are our heartbeat and our greatest resource; we are all passionately rallied around our mission to help children become lifelong learners by empowering communities to provide individualized instruction that works. Join our stellar team leading the charge to deepen our impact and expand our service. Learn more about us at www.readingpartners.org.

 

The High Level

Reading Partners was founded in 1999 at the Belle Haven Community School in Menlo Park. Now, Reading Partners operates in multiple states across the U.S. serving more than 8,000 students annually. The Silicon Valley is our flagship region currently serving in 26 schools across three counties: Santa Clara, San Mateo and Alameda.

 

Reading Partners is seeking a dynamic Executive Director to provide leadership, management, and strategic oversight of the Silicon Valley region. The Executive Director will build and lead a program, development, and administrative team, which include employees, AmeriCorps members, and community volunteers. The Executive Director will also drive expanding fundraising partnerships, and have full bottom line fiscal responsibility for the entire region.

 

The ideal candidate is a social entrepreneur who has deep connections with the K-5 educational and/or nonprofit sector(s) with state/local officials and philanthropic leaders who can accelerate Reading Partners’ regional program expansion. This person will roll-up their sleeves to lead the region, acting as the primary contact to both internal and external stakeholders.

 

What you’ll do:

Lead and manage a team of 46 staff and AmeriCorps/VISTA members toward highly successful program implementation, community engagement, and fundraising targets. Oversee growth strategy and all regional business operations.

  • Set and achieve programmatic, fundraising, and other goals aligned with the regional and national strategic plans.
  • Build fundraising and organizational infrastructure and capacity to support future growth.
  • Provide executive oversight of all program operations: compliance, quality assurance, and program efficacy.
  • Oversee all business functions (accounting, HR, IT, legal, etc.), with significant support from the national accounting, HR, and IT departments.
  • Partner with the program director to recommit current schools and recruit new schools to ensure Reading Partners will meet its schools served and wait list targets the following school year.
  • Partner with development and community engagement teams to drive resources to the region.
  • Collaborate with other executive directors and members of the National team to develop and implement a system for sharing resources and best practices across all Reading Partners locations.
  • Participate on one or more task forces or working groups with other executive directors and/or members of national departments.

 

Strategize and lead all fundraising to exceed regional revenue goal of $2M+.

  • Set, meet, and exceed annual fund development goals in future years to support ongoing expansion in the local area.
  • Cultivate and manage donor relationships across the region to secure monies from government, corporate, foundation, and individual funding sources.
  • Develop and manage the regional board to provide effective local leadership and ambassadorship.
  • Collaborate with development staff and board members to identify, cultivate, and steward potential funders.
  • Work closely with the national grants team to ensure proper implementation of the state or national AmeriCorps grants, and to steward the relationship effectively to continue our strong relationship with all state and national AmeriCorps agencies.

 

Drive all external relations activities in the region to grow and scale the region.

  • Create and lead a broad coalition of nonprofit, for-profit, and governmental entities to affect students’ reading success.
  • Engage and manage relationships with elected officials and public sector partners (municipal, school board, state, and district staff for Congressional offices) to support the advancement of Reading Partners as a key partner in the educational system in the region.
  • Build and grow relationships with district-level leaders to ensure Reading Partners’ success as a best in class literacy program.
  • Support Reading Partners’ role in the policy dialogue around literacy, education, and national service.
  • Increase organizational visibility and profile in local media markets through the successful creation and implementation of a regional communications plan.
  • Serve as the primary local public spokesperson for Reading Partners, acting as the public face of the organization within the region.
  • Develop strategic partnerships to support Reading Partners’ community engagement and volunteer recruitment efforts.

 

How you’ll do it:

  • Mission and Culture Catalyst: In order to thrive as a culture leader at Reading Partners, you are highly motivated by Reading Partners’ work and authentically represent this mission externally. You demonstrate a sincere passion for enriching the lives of high need students through literacy development and embody Reading Partners’ mission, core values and approach. You are energized by working amid ambiguity and will bring a patient and solutions oriented outlook to their work. You are a dedicated leader who is strategic and dynamic, with a track record of establishing meaningful and trusting relationships with colleagues and stakeholders. Finally, you bring an understanding of how to partner with schools and serving at-risk youth, ideally within the context of K-5 education.
  • People & Operations Management: Lead, motivate and manage a team of 46 to results, while coaching and developing the capacity of the people on the team. Oversee and deliver professional development and management training for regional staff including the following direct reports: Program Director, Development Manager and 2 Community Engagement Managers. Demonstrate advanced ability to plan and implement efficient internal operations to support future growth. Demonstrate experience serving as an inspiring mentor to staff members, either in a formal management structure, or informally through influence. You also have the ability to develop a strategic vision and motivate teams to achieve measurable goals, while maintaining a results oriented, collaborative and healthy organizational culture. You bring strong track record of establishing the metrics, processes, and protocols needed to effectively move from vision to implementation. Finally, you have experience juggling multiple work streams concurrently, managing complex and competing priorities, and executing on ambitious goals effectively.
  • Relationship Development & Communications: You establish deep relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including staff, community constituents, elected officials, media outlets, non-profit and for-profit leaders, as well as board members. You are able to open doors, make connections, tell a compelling story, build consensus and create opportunities to both generate revenue and support advancement in literacy education, across the region and within a very competitive market. You have experience identifying, building, and maintaining strong relationships with a diverse array of non-profit, government, community, private sector, and high-net-worth stakeholders. You are someone who is an effective communicator, natural “connector”, and you have a track record of successfully increasing revenue and cultivating donors and community support.
  • Strategic Leadership and Execution: You develop and design new strategies and approaches to meeting programmatic growth goals and then lead implementation of those strategies. You bring a systems perspective to organizational challenges, with the ability to effectively move from vision to strategy to plan to execution while managing multiple work streams and demonstrating exceptional project management instincts. You are creative, a thoughtful decision maker, and are comfortable partnering with others to problem-solve, and use clear and strategic processes in making decisions. In addition, you have professional experience both developing and executing strategy to optimize organizational processes and achieve ambitious goals.

 

About you!

You’ll be successful in this role if you have:

  • Robust experience working with nonprofits, school districts, government officials, and philanthropic organizations in the Silicon Valley area
  • Demonstrated success in developing and executing fundraising strategies
  • Proven accomplishments in front-line fundraising, including demonstrated success of fundraising $1M+
  • Strong staff management skills, including recruitment, leadership development, day-to-day oversight, team building and retention
  • Ability to develop and manage large and complex operating budgets
  • Exceptional communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills
  • Demonstrated creativity when addressing challenging situations with limited resources
  • Ability to work with minimal supervision in a fast-paced, highly adaptive environment
  • A Bachelor’s degree
  • Excellent computer skills
  • A deep belief in our mission
  • The innate ability and desire to root your work in our core values
  • Hold US Citizenship or Permanent Resident Status

 

Bonus Points if you:

  • Hold an MBA or advanced degree
  • Are an AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, or other national service alum/alumna
  • Have experience working in launch or growth phases of organizations

 

What we offer

Reading Partners offers the full package – great benefits, a great place to work and the opportunity to have a glowing and growing career.

  • We offer a competitive salary commensurate with experience. This is a full time, exempt salaried position.
  • We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, disability, life insurance, flex spending accounts, generous paid time off, commuter benefits, referral bonuses, 403(b) option, and Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
  • We offer an exciting and dynamic culture, and we commit to investing in and supporting our amazing people to grow their careers with us. As such, we provide ongoing professional development opportunities, including an annual staff retreat in Oakland, CA.

 

The other stuff you need to know

  • Travel: This position travels regularly throughout the local area. This position may also involve occasional travel to Reading Partners’ National Headquarters in Oakland, CA.
  • Typical Physical & Mental Demands: Requires prolonged sitting with some bending, stooping and stretching, and eye-hand coordination and manual dexterity sufficient to operate a keyboard, telephone, photocopier, calculator and other office equipment.  Requires normal range of hearing and eyesight to communicate with volunteers and staff. Also requires flexibility to readily adapt to a changing environment.

 

What’s Next?

If you’re interested in joining our Reading Partners team, please submit the following application materials to our online job posting:

  • A cover letter describing your interest in Reading Partners and how your past experience has prepared you for this role, along with your salary history for your past three roles.
  • Resume

 

Reading Partners is an Equal Opportunity Employer, with a strong commitment to diversity in the workplace.

 

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.  Position will remain posted until filled. No phone inquiries, please.

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Cindy Joyce to Present at Lean In Boston Chapter!

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Lean In is a nonprofit organization and online community dedicated to helping all women achieve their ambitions.

 

Tickets are available at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/boost-your-personal-brand-with-lean-in-boston-chapter-tickets-22668203206

 

Speakers

Cindy Joyce, Founder, Pillar Search on Promoting Yourself on Social Media

Social Media can be daunting. Between websites, blogs, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and more, the opportunities to engage online are endless. How do you focus your efforts? In this discussion, Cindy outlines:

  • The Brand of YOU
  • Knowing your Audience
  • How to Build Credability with Content
  • Building Relationships

Cindy Joyce is the Founder of Pillar Search. With over 20 years of experience in recruiting and human resources, Cindy has a proved ability to build and maintain professional relationships. She has worked and volunteered at some truly great organizations including City Year, Lois L. Lindauer Searches, Junior League, Harvard Law School, FundQuest, Acadian Asset Management, and Dress for Success. Based in Boston, Cindy works on local and national executive searches.  Her human resources experience has afforded her an opportunity to work with clients in both non-profits and for-profits, with an emphasis on improving employee productivity and promoting a strong organizational culture. 

Elaine Varelas, Managing Partner, Keystone Partners on Career Boosters and Busters

We all share the desire to achieve career success, but as women the challenges that we face in the workforce are unique and the things that we need to do to drive career success are not always obvious. Additionally, many of us do things to derail our career and we don’t even know it. In this interactive session, Elaine Varelas will review the top career boosters and busters and show you how to avoid these insidious career derailers, while making changes (big and small) that will boost your career to the next level.

Elaine Varelas, Managing Partner of Keystone Partners, has over 20 years experience in career consulting and coaching development, and has worked with numerous executive management teams to improve organizational effectiveness. She has expertise in successfully resolving complex career management issues, including workforce planning, redeployment and multi-site restructurings. Elaine also serves as Treasurer of Career Partners International, LLC, a network of independently owned career management firms which Keystone co-founded in 1987.

For an additional $10, sign-up to have a professional headshot taken by April of Sweet Monday Photography. Did you know that your LinkedIn Profile is 11X more likely to be viewed if it has a picture? It’s worth the investment in a headshot that people will remember!

Want to get your hair done before the event? Call Blo Seaport at 617 426 0874 to book your reservation for March 30 and save $5 on the appointment when you mention Lean In.

When

Where

WeWork – 745 Atlantic Avenue, Boston, MA 02111 – View Map

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Human Resources Opportunities with Year Up Boston, a Best Nonprofit to Work For!

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Year Up, a valued client of Pillar Search, is hiring!  Year Up is an award-winning national 501(c)3 organization striving to close the Opportunity Divide by providing urban young adults ages 18-24 with the skills, experience, and support that will empower them to reach their potential through professional careers and higher education. Through a one-year intensive training program, these young adults complete a unique combination of rigorous, hands-on technical and professional skills training, college credit, and corporate internships. With an annual operating budget of $90 million, Year Up served over 2,700 students in 2015 nationwide.

 

Director of Talent Acquisition:   https://yearup.csod.com/ats/careersite/JobDetails.aspx?id=487

Associate Director of Scouting & Sourcing:  https://yearup.csod.com/ats/careersite/JobDetails.aspx?id=590

Temporary Recruiter (2 openings):  https://yearup.csod.com/ats/careersite/JobDetails.aspx?id=589

 

To apply, please follow the links above.

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New Search Announcement! Associate Director of Business Development for Year Up, A Best Nonprofit to Work For!

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Pillar Search is pleased to announce the search for Year Up’s Associate Director of Business Development in San Jose, CA

 

ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION:

Year Up is an award-winning national 501(c)3 organization striving to close the Opportunity Divide by providing urban young adults ages 18-24 with the skills, experience, and support that will empower them to reach their potential through professional careers and higher education. Through a one-year intensive training program, these young adults complete a unique combination of rigorous, hands-on technical and professional skills training, college credit, and corporate internships. With an annual operating budget of $90 million, Year Up served over 2,700 students in 2015 nationwide.

 

Year Up takes three approaches to closing the Opportunity Divide. Their core sites are based on their founding program model – direct service programming where facilities, staff, infrastructure, academics, and all other aspects of the program are managed by Year Up staff. The Professional Training Corps (PTC) is a community college based model that provides an opportunity for students to engage in meaningful workforce training. In this model, students are dual-enrolled in the community college and Year Up; technical skills are taught by college faculty, while Year Up staff provide professional skills and other wrap-around services. Lastly, their Employer Based Solutions are created in collaboration with employer partners; custom solutions are developed to meet critical business needs and solve for skills gap challenges in the marketplace.

 

Consistently voted one of the Best Nonprofits to Work For by the Nonprofit Times, Year Up is a rewarding place to work. Their staff is passionate, supportive, mission-driven, and committed to positive change and continuous learning. They set high standards for both themselves and their students, and live by a set of core values that reflect an unshakable belief in the talent and full potential of young adults. The work they do is life-changing, and they know that their team is the greatest asset in achieving their mission.

 

OVERVIEW:

Reporting to the Regional Director of Partner Relations – West, the Associate Director of Business Development – Bay Area, CA is a key member of Year Up Bay Area’s Corporate Engagement team – the epitome of hard business skills in a mission-driven setting. S/he will connect top corporations in need of entry level talent with professionally trained, high-potential urban young adults.  The Corporate Engagement team, responsible for generating approximately 60% of our annual budget and connecting alumni with post-program career and education pathways, is seeking an additional member to reach tangible targets in developing and following leads, closing sales, and connecting grads with professional jobs.

To be successful in this role, you will desire to leverage your demonstrated for-profit revenue generation and career placement experience in a mission-driven social enterprise.  As an ideal candidate, you are someone who understands sales and thrives in environments that require you to build and maintain relationships.  You have a knack for networking and can speak passionately about Year Up’s mission and the students we serve.

In keeping with Year Up’s values, the Associate Director of Business Development will also have the opportunity to interact with students as a mentor, group facilitator, and advocate, participating in building a positive educational environment.

Year Up Map

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Revenue Generation and Outcomes Business Development:
  • Lead business development and acquisition by building new corporate partnerships for internship seats and alumni hiring to top companies in the Bay Area while maximizing all opportunities and making recommendations on the various solutions, partnerships, and volunteer opportunities Year Up offers
  • Develop and implement Business Development strategy that generates internship revenue through the acquisition of new corporate partnerships and leads to increased alumni hires through partnerships with staffing agencies and hiring managers
  • Engage with C-level executives and decision makers at all organizations, from Fortune 500s to start-ups and small local businesses in a variety of settings from one-one-one meetings to large events
  • Develop and leverage a database of qualified leads through referrals, telephone canvassing, face to face meetings, cold calling, direct mail, email, and networking responding to territory assignments
  • Create and conduct effective presentations and proposals that identify Year Up’s innovative model and past successes for solving entry level talent needs at partner corporations through internships and alumni hires
  • Ensure alignment between graduate skill-set and hiring partnership development, as well as between internship partnership, role development, and intern skill-set
  • Maintain accurate and comprehensive records (in Salesforce.com) of activities such as sales calls, presentations, closed sales, and follow-up
  • In conjunction with the Director, develop annual business plan detailing activities to follow during the year, which will focus the candidate on meeting or exceeding sales quota
  • Relationships Management (External):
  • Build and drive our strategy to engage multiple special interest groups within partner segment to deepen partnerships and grow pipeline
  • Plan and implement corporate partner events aimed at deepening engagement, including convening corporate champions across industry verticals
  • Embrace the mantra of “high expectations, high support” in interactions with corporate partners and interns
  • Staff and Students Relationships Management (Internal):
  • Facilitate collaboration across functional teams, specifically, development, academics, and career services
  • Work closely with program leadership to ensure students strategically align with corporate partners needs
  • Create greater understanding of the internship program to all Year Up staff members
  • Site Team/Learning Community Member
  • Serve as an advisor/mentor for a small number of current students
  • Join and sometimes facilitate weekly group sessions with students
  • Participate in staff meetings and trainings 

 

QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Minimum of 4-5 years of experience preferred
  • New business sales and account management experience strongly preferred
  • Bachelor’s degree typical/preferred
  • Successful achievement of a minimum of $1m in sales targets
  • Demonstrated successful track record in a direct sales capacity
  • Demonstrated ability to generate leads and close business
  • Documented strengths in meaningful relationship building, management and growth
  • Strong networking skills and the ability to move comfortably and credibly in the community
  • Strong communication and collaboration skills to ensure alignment across several teams
  • Strong organizational and time management skills with exceptional attention to detail
  • A professional and resourceful style with the ability to work independently and as a team player, to take initiative and manage multiple tasks and projects at a time
  • Ability to thrive in a fluid, dynamic organization with a minimal amount of direction
  • Ability to plan, introduce and lead a process that enables high quality growth
  • Ability to lead, willingness to be led, and comfort with situational leadership
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office required; Salesforce.com experience preferred
  • A passion for working with urban young adults, an unshakable belief in their potential and a strong commitment to the mission of Year Up
  • Understanding of the Opportunity Divide and its drivers
  • Commitment to diversity and inclusion

 

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS:

  • Salary: Competitive and commensurate with education and experience
  • Benefits: Competitive package including 100% healthcare coverage, dental, and 401(k) match
  • Vacation: Three weeks paid vacation in first year of employment; four weeks after initial year
  • Professional development: Funds available to support staff in achieving career objectives

 

TO APPLY:

Please submit a thoughtful cover letter and resume to Cindy Joyce of Pillar Search at cindy@pillarsearch.com. Note that applications without a cover letter and salary expectations will not be considered. We respectfully request no phone calls.

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New Search Announcement! Director of Admissions for The Landing School of Boat Building

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Pillar's New Search

Pillar Search is pleased to announce the search for the Director of Admissions for The Landing School of Boat Building in Arundel, Maine.

This is an ideal opportunity for an experienced Admissions professional with a passion for education and experience using innovative student recruitment and admissions techniques.

Overview:
“The Landing” is a short stretch of the Kennebunk River in Arundel, Maine where The Landing School is located. It was once an internationally famous shipbuilding area and the home of more than 20 shipbuilding firms dating back to the 1600’s. In December of 1978, the first class of 9 students at The Landing School launched a Chamberlain dory-skiff, reviving the boat building trade along The Landing.

 

Today, each of The Landing School’s ten-month-long programs culminates in a diploma for students who successfully complete their courses within the high standards set by the faculty. In 2009, the State of Maine Department of Education and The School’s accrediting agency, ACCSC, approved The Landing School as a degree-granting institution. A student who successfully completes two technical programs and 15 credit-hours of general education courses is eligible to receive an Associate’s degree. The Landing School has been recognized by ACCSC as a 2014 ACCSC School of Distinction / ACCSC School of Excellence.

 

Education from The Landing School reinforces and preserves traditional design and construction methods while advancing the art of boat building, design and maintenance through the integration of modern techniques and contemporary materials. The marine industry values this unique training and has lauded The Landing School internationally with a reputation for graduates of exceptional quality.

 

The Landing School seeks students who are not “usual”, who are not satisfied with the status quo; they look for passionate students who imagine vividly and want to create cool things. Their students have come from forty-one U.S. states and ten countries. They are high school graduates, college graduates, second career seekers, veterans, and adult learners.

 

Within the transformational environment of The Landing School students find strengths they had not imagined. The practical skills offered by our curriculum are designed to provide graduates not simply with a better job prospect but more importantly with a rewarding career in the marine industry as an innovative designer, boat-builder or systems technician. Graduates of The Landing School are able to work professionally on today’s vessels and imagine tomorrow’s, pushing the boundaries of the industry’s evolving technology while understanding and appreciating the rich maritime traditions of the past.

 

As an employer, The Landing School offers a supportive community of faculty, staff, and fellow students who all work together to regularly achieve the impossible.

 

For more information about The Landing School of Boat Building, please visit http://www.landingschool.edu.

 

Location:
Like many of Maine’s coastal towns, Arundel (once part of nearby Kennebunkport) first prospered as a shipbuilding center and fishing village, and later became a destination for summer residents. Today, Arundel is one of Southern Maine’s fastest growing communities. Its current population is approximately 4,200.

 

The Opportunity:
The Director of Admissions will drive the development and implementation of strategies to recruit and attract students to the School. Key responsibilities include:

• Actively recruit and enroll a diverse and academically excellent student body in a timely and efficient manner
• Develop effective and personal communication plans for recruitment
• Improve and increase efficiency in academic admissions operations
• Counsel prospective students regarding admission to The Landing School
• Represent The Landing School at on-campus and off-campus functions, including college fairs
• Serve as the primary contact for prospective and admitted students
• Respond to phone and web generated inquiries and guide applicants through the admissions process
• Interview prospective students (in person and by phone) to assess fit
• Guide international applicants in following steps to achieve proper documentation to attend school in the U.S.
• Manage the recruitment budget & procure the resources necessary for recruitment function
• Broaden resources, support and participation in services for veteran, military and associated student populations

 

Overview of the Ideal Candidate:
Candidates must possess demonstrated knowledge of the admissions process, including recruitment/yield and strategies, admissions review cycle, application processing and applicant communication strategies. In addition, the ideal candidate will be:
•Analytical, data-informed, goal-oriented, and results-driven
•Able to make data-based decisions with functionality in data analysis and reporting
•Comfortable with heavy phone and email volume
•Experienced with all Microsoft Office programs
•A systems thinker with strong database skills
•Able to work effectively as a team member but also independently to achieve goals
•Willing to occasionally travel locally and out of state, work some weekends and evenings
•High energy and ethical

 

Knowledge of the marine industry is not necessary but a plus.

 

The Landing School is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, national origin, disability status, or protected veteran status.

 

For Immediate Consideration:
This search is being managed by Pillar Search. To apply, please send your cover letter and resume, including salary requirements, to Cindy Joyce at cindy@pillarsearch.com.
With personalized service and proven results, Pillar is your partner in executive search and human resources consulting. With over 20 years of experience, Pillar provides national retained search services for exceptional non-profits and foundations and early-stage or rapid growth for-profit firms. All share the characteristic of desiring top talent who want an occupassion, not just an occupation. In addition, Pillar offers human resources consulting services, which was born of clients requesting help on projects beyond executive search, and includes human resources audits, creating a handbook, assessing organizational design, training, team building, and employee communications. A woman-owned business, Pillar is based in Boston, MA, and works on both a local and national level.  Please click to contact Pillar.

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Upcoming Speaking Engagement! Boost Your Personal Brand with Lean In Boston Chapter

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I am honored and excited to have been selected as one of the speakers at Lean In Boston’s next Chapter meeting, where I will be leading a discussion how to promote yourself on social media. Joining me will be Elaine Varelas, Managing Director, Keystone Partners, who will be leading a discussion on career boosters and busters. Follow Lean In Boston on Facebook for more details on what is sure to be an exciting event.

Save the Date!  March 30, 2016 5:30 p.m. at WeWork South Station, Boston, MA

About Lean In:

The book Lean In is focused on encouraging women to pursue their ambitions, and changing the conversation from what we can’t do to what we can do. LeanIn.Org is the next chapter. Lean In is committed to offering women the ongoing inspiration and support to help them achieve their goals. Lean In believes that if we talk openly about the challenges women face and work together, we can change the trajectory of women and create a better world for everyone. Empowering women and closing the gender leadership gap are imperative for companies that want to perform at the highest level. That’s where Lean In comes in. Lean In’s programming helps women connect with peers and organizations counteract gender bias.

About Cindy Joyce and Pillar Search:

With personalized service and proven results, Pillar is your partner in executive search and human resources consulting. With over 20 years of experience, Pillar provides national retained search services for exceptional non-profits and foundations and early-stage or rapid growth for-profit firms. All share the characteristic of desiring top talent who want an occupassion, not just an occupation.     In addition, Pillar offers human resources consulting services, which was born of clients requesting help on projects beyond executive search, and includes human resources audits, creating a handbook, assessing organizational design, training, team building, and employee communications.    A woman-owned business, Pillar is based in Boston, MA, and works on both a local and national level. To contact Pillar Search, click here.

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Onboard or Onward: Ensuring the Success of Your New Executive Hire

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“About 40% of executives who change jobs or get promoted fail in the first 18 months.”

Fortune Magazine

Where does it all go wrong? Too often, the onboarding process is where things fall apart. I am not talking about “orientation”, which often is done day one and generally involves the basics of assigning a building pass, conducting a benefits overviews, meeting the team and reading a few policies. Onboarding is a longer process, and if done well (typically in partnership with Human Resources and managed by the new executive’s manager, or the Board Chair if they report to the Board of Directors) can almost guarantee fit. It is holistic and gradual. It is also very deliberate, and will require constant check-ins and open communication.  Here are five key activities that will help to ensure that your new executive will be successful in their new role:

Start to Onboard Before They are Actually ON BOARD!

The time between an offer being accepted and the executive starting is sensitive. They may be dealing with a counteroffer, having to say goodbye to much-loved colleagues, and are nervous about this new venture. Keep in touch. Reiterate your excitement to have them joining the team, and have a few people in the organization reach out. If there are organizational overviews, annual reports, strategic plans or other things that that they can read up on ahead of time, get those to them during this time so that they start to feel like part of the team.

Send an announcement out to the staff and the board a few days before their start date explaining their background and the job they are filling. This will help make them seem more familiar to the team when they come through the door, and as an added benefit they will not have to review their resume and background with absolutely everyone in their first week or so.

Relationship Before Task 

Ideally, new executives will meet with their team and people across the organization. One-on-one meetings are great, but remind those who will be meeting with the executive to get to know them before delving into the inner workings of their role or the issues they face. Building rapport with new colleagues and direct reports is critical in the early days.

Learn By Doing 

Too often, in an effort to get all the information to a new hire as soon as possible, they are introduced to processes way too soon. Guess what? They will not remember how to do an expense report or change their password or complete a sales report 30 to 60 days in when they actually need to do it if they are taught how to do it their first week. Have the right people meet with them at the start to review the process at a high level, and then have them set up a time to do it later when they can sit down with real data and learn from it real-time.

The Buddy System 

What we learned in grade school still applies: the buddy system works when the new kid starts. This should not be the executive’s manager, but a peer or high-performing direct report who has longevity and the personality to be an effective buddy. The buddy can manage the nicety of taking them to lunch on day one and being available to explain the intricacies of culture, relationship dynamics, and certain pitfalls to avoid, which are things that the executive may not be comfortable asking of higher-ups.

Check In Early & Often

I too often hear that executives join, get a ton of attention the first day or two, and then are largely left on their own. It does not feel welcoming, and it runs the risk of them going in a direction that is difficult to course-correct later on. Meet with them daily, even for 10-15 minutes, in the first few weeks. Move on to twice weekly, weekly….you get the point. Let them know where they are doing a great job. Let them know where they need to take a different approach. But LET THEM KNOW. Being clear on what is a success will lead to more success.

While by no means a complete onboarding process, following the steps above will help to ensure that your new executive hire is one of the 60% who will be a success in the first 18 months.

Cindy Joyce is an Executive Recruiter and the Founder of Pillar Search, an Executive Search and HR Consulting firm located in Boston that works with clients nationwide. She can be reached here.