According to a recent article in the Chronicle of Philanthropy, nonprofit organizations across the U.S. are facing a major challenge when it comes to hiring leaders into CFO roles. Given the critical nature of the role, finding a candidate with the right mix of skill and connection to mission is key – and a skills shortage presents a challenge that many organizations in this space may not be able to solve on their own.
At DRiWaterstone, we’re experts in helping organizations recruit purpose and mission-driven leaders for tough-to-fill roles – whether because of talent shortages or unique skills and requirements. When it comes to finding financially savvy leaders who can manage the fiscal challenges of nonprofits, foundations, associations and other social impact organizations, our executive search professionals have three tips:
For more than 20 years, the executive search experts at DRiWaterstone have been helping nonprofit and social impact organizations across the United States recruit leaders who move their mission and performance forward. Connect with us to find out how we can help you succeed with your next CFO search.
As an executive search firm specializing in the nonprofit and social impact space, we get to connect a diverse group of purpose and mission-driven leadership candidates with fulfilling, impactful roles at some of North America’s top organizations.
We recently reconnected with Michelle Wamsley who we placed at Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville in 2022. Now their Chief Advancement Officer, Michelle shared insights into her role and how the organization is working to achieve its mission, her experience working with DRiWaterstone, and some great advice for other candidates looking to transition into a leadership role with a nonprofit organization.
DRiWaterstone (DRiW): Talk about Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville and your role there.
Michelle Wamsley (MW): We are a mid-sized affiliate serving a mid-sized market. In the last 30 years, we have built more than 350 homes and created more than $100 million in equity for our local families, and that’s generational wealth building here. And we are doing some innovative, national-model projects here, including the redevelopment of a 350-unit trailer park on 123 acres – taking a mobile home community and turning it into an 1,100-unit mixed income community.
I’m the Chief Advancement Officer here at Habitat, which means that I wear a lot of hats! I head up our private fundraising (from individuals and from organizations) as well as oversee our government grants. I also oversee marketing and communications, volunteer engagement and management, office administration, human resources, and regional housing.
DRiW: What is one tip that you would give to other candidates who want to take that next step or to move into a position like yours?
MW: Especially if you’re doing something like changing fields or pivoting a bit, I would say to really give yourself some time, and to be humble. You might know a lot about where you’re coming from, but the nonprofit sector is really diverse and can be vastly more complex than people think it is.
DRiW: Talk about your experience working with DRiWaterstone.
MW: It was great. I had known my recruiter previously, in a different capacity. He and I had worked at a university together and had a conversation a couple of years prior to my reaching out about this position when I happened to see it. It was a wonderful experience – he was so knowledgeable and helpful and really had a good feel for the organization and exactly what they were looking for.
DRiW: How did the team at DRiWaterstone support you during the recruitment process?
MW: It was everything from scheduling to making sure I had background on the people I was going to meet with at Habitat (which was phenomenally helpful), to understanding exactly what they were looking for, where the challenges were, where the opportunities were, how they were hoping to grow, and what they were hoping for in this role. [DRiWaterstone] really helped me understand how I might be a fit, and how this role also might fit into my long-term career plans. So, it was very helpful for me to be able to work with a true partner who could help me feel engaged in the process and knowledgeable every step of the way.
DRiW: What is something you didn’t know about executive search firms before working with DRiWaterstone?
MW: Because I’d been in higher education for years, I’d worked with search firms for many years – many larger search firms though; I’d never worked with a boutique, smaller search firm that was focused on nonprofits. For me, that personal touch was really different as a candidate. It was an entirely different experience in terms of what I had experienced with larger firms. It was just very personalized, it was attentive, it was kind, it was always making sure that I was in the loop about exactly what stage we were in. As a candidate who was busy with another existing role, that was a real gift to be able to have a partner like that.
DRiW: What advice do you have for other candidates when it comes to working with an executive search firm?
MW: Be open and honest and transparent in having conversations. This person, they want to do the best they can for their client, and they also want to work with you. And that can also become a long-term relationship over time. So, I’d say stay open, be honest and transparent about your needs, and be thoughtful and willing to listen to what they might say about why this might be a good fit – or how perhaps it’s not, but maybe they have other opportunities.
I would say just to make it a real dialogue and that’s how it’s going to be beneficial to both of you.
DRiW: What’s next for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville?
MW: We’re going to continue our work in Southwood, the transformation and redevelopment of our mobile home park into our mixed income community. We’re going to continue to build in the City of Charlottesville. We have three rehabs right now and a couple here in the city that will test out some of the new zoning ordinances here in the City of Charlottesville to increase density, which we’re very excited about. And we’re going to continue our critical home repair in the local counties of Greene and Louisa, which are really helping to keep a lot of elderly folks in their family homes as they age in place. We’re excited about all of that.
And then just continuing to serve our community and to continue to serve as a model, where we can, for other Habitats across the nation as we seek to preserve and expand the affordable housing stock.
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At DRiWaterstone, we have the pleasure to work with some of the best purpose and mission-driven clients and candidates in the nonprofit and social impact space. To learn more about how we can help you build your high-performance teams and drive growth, email us – we’d love to talk!
DRiWaterstone Human Capital has successfully placed Jonathan Board as the inaugural Executive Director at the West Virginia First Foundation. In this role, Board will play a pivotal role in establishing the Foundation, developing its operational structure, overseeing its programs and initiatives, and spearheading partnership efforts.
Jonathan Board is a seasoned executive with a background in external and governmental affairs, programmatic management, and substance use disorder (SUD) policy. With expertise in financial oversight, fundraising, legislative acumen, and leadership, he has successfully navigated large-scale projects, secured substantial funding through various channels, and implemented impactful SUD mitigation and recovery initiatives in Appalachia. He has a law degree and experience with healthcare systems, rural health challenges, and strategic development which further contribute to his ability to translate complex policy matters into actionable strategies. Jonathan will be joining the West Virginia First Foundation from Mon Health System where he was Vice President, External Affairs.
The West Virginia First Foundation strives to combat the drug addiction crisis in West Virginia. With the support of expected funding between $600-$700 million in settlements, and an opportunity to raise much more through the private sector, its primary goal is to attack the drug problem holistically, through education, prevention, treatment, and enhanced enforcement to help individuals, families and communities affected by this devastating drug epidemic.
This search was led by DRiWaterstone’s Managing Director, Julio Suárez, with the support of the DRiWaterstone team.
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At DRiWaterstone, we have the pleasure to work with some of the best purpose and mission-driven organizations and candidates in the nonprofit and social impact space. To learn more about how we can help you build your high-performance teams and drive growth, email us – we’d love to talk!
As an executive search firm specializing in the nonprofit and social impact space, we get the opportunity to help a diverse roster of purpose and mission-driven clients fill roles that are integral to delivering on their purpose and their strategic goals.
One such client is the Kansas Department of Commerce. We recently sat down with their Chief of Staff, Abby Works, to talk about the incredible work being done at that organization, her experience working with DRiWaterstone on three executive search projects, her advice to other leaders looking to fill a unique role, and more.
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DRiWaterstone (DRiW): Talk about the Kansas Department of Commerce and your role there.
Abby Works (AW): The Kansas Department of Commerce is the state’s lead economic development agency, and we have four different areas that we work in: economic development, quality of life, tourism and workforce services (connecting job seekers with employers).
I serve as the Chief of Staff, and I report directly to the Secretary of Commerce. My role is to manage the operations of the agency, but also to work on the high-level goals that the Secretary has and make sure that those come to fruition. I also have touch points with all the different divisions and working groups within the agency.
DRiW: Can you share some recent projects or success stories that you’re particularly proud of?
AW: There are several that come to mind. In 2021, we released the Kansas Framework for Growth, which is the state’s strategic plan for economic development. It’s the first planthe state has had in over 30 years, so it was a huge undertaking. It lays out the path for the areas we want to focus on in terms of economic development, and also the areas that people might not necessarily think about as they relate to economic development – housing, childcare, broadband, water, etc.
That’s been the guiding star for us for the last several years, and has helped us with some big wins. The most notable success we’ve had is that Kansas successfully recruited Panasonic to open their new EV battery production facility in the state. That’s going to bring $4 billion of investment and 4,000 new jobs to Kansas. It’s a huge win and it plants our flag in the world of the EV industry. It says that Kansas is open for business when you land an international corporation like that.
We’ve also worked to educate people on quality of life, how that impacts economic development, and how the two need to go hand in hand. You need vibrant communities and places that people want to live because if they are interested in living there, they’ll want to work there. It’s all interrelated.
DRiW: You’ve now done three searches with DRiWaterstone. Can you share a bit about the roles you were looking to fill?
AW: The first one we did was for the Director of the Kansas Creative Arts and Industries Commission. When we talk about quality of life initiatives, one of the areas that has been buried in Kansas over the past decade was the arts and the role that arts plays in community and economic development. So, when we set out to hire a new director we felt like we needed to look outside of Kansas and to see who was doing great work in other states. We were really looking for a number two at another state arts agency who was looking to take the next career step. It’s a pretty niche market and we needed help figuring out where to even look in some of the other states. DRiWaterstone was really great in helping us scout that talent, and we brought in Curtis Young from Florida, who is now serving as our Director, and who has done phenomenal work.
Our second search was for our Deputy Secretary of Business Development. This is one of the top positions within the agency, and they’re tasked with the economic development function of the agency, which is our main bread and butter. Kansas has had record-setting economic development for three years in a row, and Kansas has been recognized as being the top state for economic development on a per capita basis. To continue that momentum, we wanted to bring in somebody who had done great work, who understood what it means to work on economic development projects, and who could come in and lead a team spread throughout the United States but also spread throughout Kansas as well. We hired DRiWaterstone to help us identify talent and we were able to recruit somebody from Arizona whose spouse had ties to the Midwest.
The one that is currently underway is our Chief Innovation and Strategy Officer. This person is tasked with taking the Framework for Growth and implementing it. They are tasked with looking at the emerging fields, like innovation, bioscience, and others that we need to make sure we’re monitoring and taking advantage of. So again, this is a very niche position where we had trouble knowing where to look. We had some general ideas, but really needed help identifying the types of peer institutions or private sector groups doing this kind of work. And identifying who would be interested in moving from private sector to public sector – or who wants to come back to the public sector.
DRiW: Why did you choose to work with an executive search firm like DRiWaterstone?
AW: As a public entity, we don’t typically engage search firms unless it’s a critical position. With these three roles, the reason we engaged DRiWaterstone is because we felt that the roles were crucial enough that we needed to get the right person in, and we couldn’t do that by ourselves. We really needed people who do this type of work day in and day out to help us filter through all of the different candidates as well as to identify them.
Why we selected DRiWaterstone was the work that you have done with nonprofits and some of those other different areas. It felt like you would understand the public sector and what it’s like to work in the public sector and that you could help sell that to certain individuals as well.
DRiW: What was your overall experience working with DRiWaterstone?
AW: It’s been phenomenal. There’s a reason we’ve utilized them for three searches. It’s just been a really great experience. You’ve listened to what I wanted, the vision, and then worked backwards from that to figure out the types of candidates that can meet that vision.
I would say that the communication level is great. DRiWaterstone lets us set what we want the communication frequency to look like and how we want to communicate and that’s been great.
And the portal you guys have makes it easy. So, while you are scouting talent, I can also be looking at the type of candidates and giving feedback, and I feel like it’s more of a collaboration between the firm and me as the person looking to hire. Sometimes it can be transactional, but with DRiWaterstone I feel like it’s much more collaborative.
DRiW: What advice do you have for other organizations looking to hire for senior roles in today’s market?
AW: I would say having a search firm is helpful, especially if you have a senior level position or a difficult to fill position. They have the time, ability and experience to really dig into candidate pools and figure out who makes the best fit for your organization. And they’re doing the outreach for you rather than having to rely on LinkedIn postings and then whatever applications come through the website. It’s nice to have a search firm engaged on some of these higher level positions because they can help do the selling.
And I think it sometimes helps to have a third party be the intermediary, or at least have that initial conversation, to allow an honest conversation and to help solve some of the questions or concerns that come up.
DRiW: What’s next for the Kansas Department of Commerce?
AW: It’s diving in on that quality of life and quality places piece. Educating our communities on how you present yourself to new visitors, to new companies, to new residents, and what it is they need. We’re having those conversations about how we can help strengthen the communities that exist here, because they all have their unique selling points.
We have the economic development wheel turning, but we want to make sure that we have strong vibrant communities throughout the state and that they know how to market themselves and put their best foot forward to help recruit new talent to their communities as well. It’s focusing on arts and housing and childcare and broadband and all those pieces that play into creating strong communities, which leads to strong economic development.
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At DRiWaterstone, we have the pleasure to work with some of the best purpose and mission-driven clients and candidates in the nonprofit and social impact space. To learn more about how we can help you build your high-performance teams and drive growth, email us – we’d love to talk!
At DRiWaterstone, we have the privilege of working with amazing clients to help them recruit purpose and mission-driven individuals for their nonprofit and social impact organizations. We recently reconnected with Brandon Gregory, who we placed as Executive Director of the American Air Museum in Britain in 2022, to learn about his time in the role so far, the many initiatives and projects his team is working on at the Museum, and his advice for other executives looking for their next role.
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DRiWaterstone (DRiW): Tell us about the American Air Museum in Britain.
Brandon Gregory (BG): The American Air Museum in Britain is located at the Imperial War Museum Duxford in the U.K., and it stands as the memorial for the more than 30,000 U.S. airmen who died flying from England in the Second World War. We also house the largest collection of U.S. military aircraft anywhere outside of the United States.
And then beyond that, we really do an excellent job of telling the stories of the people whose lives were shaped by American airpower from World War I to the present. We have aircraft in the Museum, ranging from a World War I biplane to a Predator drone that was used in Iraq—we have the gamut of aircraft in the Museum.
DRiW: Talk about your role and what you’re responsible for.
BG: It’s a unique role. We work in tandem with the leadership and the team of Imperial War Museums who operate the museum on a day-to-day basis. They also provide us with some significant administrative support on the finance side.
I’ve got the typical responsibilities of a nonprofit Executive Director. I’m charged with leading a really talented fundraising team here in the States. I live in the States, the Museum is “across the pond”, but we’ve got a team here that leads fundraising, and 95 to 96 per cent of our donors are stateside. So that’s the primary focus on my work and our team’s work. Beyond that I work with our finance and curatorial, conservation, and marketing teams that are based in both London and Duxford in the U.K.
As an Executive Director, I get the opportunity to work with a great Board – we have trustees that range across the U.S., the U.K., and beyond – to deliver our mission. We have a great group that is incredibly committed to the American Air Museum.
DRiW: What attracted you to the position and the organization?
BG: It was an absolute no brainer – it checked all of the boxes for me. It was an opportunity to make the leap from Development Director to Executive Director and lead an organization, a museum, whose mission is to educate and share the stories of our veterans, our heroes.
From a personal standpoint, my grandfather and my two great uncles, his brothers, served in the Second World War. My grandfather and my uncle Hugh were both in the army and served in Europe. My great uncle Paul served as a waist gunner on a B17 called The Lucky Lady with the 381st bomber group that flew out of RAF Ridgewell in the U.K. They were shot down in August 1943, and he spent the remainder of the war as a POW. I can’t think of any better way to honor their service than by the role I’m in now.
Beyond that, it was the opportunity to lead what would amount to another turnaround. Fundraising in the organization had really plateaued, and the Board was looking for someone in the States rather than in the U.K. to lead, given that our donors are here. So that made a lot of sense…I can’t think of a more perfect opportunity than what was presented here. I’ve been with the organization now for about 18 months it’s had its challenges of course, anything does, but it has been a lot of fun and we’ve made a lot of progress.
DRiW: What projects or initiatives have you worked on that you’ve enjoyed?
BG: We’re in a bit of a fundraising turnaround here, and it’s working; it’s going well, but there’s still more to do. Beyond that, everything was U.K. based, the leadership was U.K. based, so making the switch from a U.K. business structure to a U.S. business structure has been interesting. I’ve spent a fair bit of my time working on the necessary details to set us up for success both now and in the future.
I’ve had the opportunity over the last 18 months to work with some donors and we’ve gotten around the country to see them…That has been a lot of fun. Another fun thing we did this past summer at the museum was putting together an event that was more educational in focus, but it was an opportunity to connect some major donors, perspective donors, and our trustees through a panel discussion with the brand new Royal Air Force Chief of the Air Staff, and our U.S. Air Force General who leads U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Africa, and also has Joint Allied Command. We put together a panel discussion with the two of them for an evening where they were able to share some pretty candid thoughts about what’s happening in the world. That was a neat opportunity and it certainly helped us to meet our education mission while engaging some of the world’s most important military leaders.
DRiW: Describe your experience working with the DRiWaterstone team?
BG: It was the very best experience I’ve had working with a recruiting service.
This started when I was contacted by DRiWaterstone for another position about three weeks before I was contacted about the American Air Museum position. It was not something I was interested in, but the team at DRiWaterstone said “we’ll call back if there’s something else,” and when this came available, I got a call immediately.
The thing that stuck out to me the most was you took the time to ensure that not only were those who were doing the interviewing on the organization side – whether that was staff in the U.K. or trustees or members of the Board – were prepared for everything on the call, but you also made sure that I was prepared. For every call, for every meeting… [i]t was some of the most prepared interviewing that I’ve been a part of. That was incredibly helpful to me. Further, it was clear that you had taken the time to find the right candidates, so the process was streamlined, and there was really no time wasted. It was a seamless process; it moved really quickly.
For me there’s no doubt if we’ve got the opportunity to hire, as I think we will here in the coming years, that you are who we’re calling. I personally enjoyed working with you and I’ve heard the same from the trustees that were involved in the process, and the staff at Imperial War Museums that were involved in the process.
DRiW: What advice do you have for other executive candidates in today’s job market?
BG: Don’t settle for anything less than a position and an organization that will make you happy – whatever that looks like for you as an individual.
The nonprofit sector continues to grow, and opportunities abound. Before taking this position, I turned down a number of opportunities because they just weren’t right for me or my family. They would have been neat opportunities, but they just weren’t quite right and we were ok where we were. So, we were looking for that perfect fit. I took some interviews and calls from recruiters and organizations that I thought would be a good fit and as it turns out, I wasn’t the right candidate for them. I look back on it now and go: “I think that worked out pretty well.” I think everything works out the way it’s supposed to and for a reason, and I feel like I’m where I’m supposed to be in the moment. So, it’s always good to have the conversation, see what’s out there, make sure it’s a fit for you – and if it is, charge hard and go get it.
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At DRiWaterstone, we have the pleasure of working with some of the best clients and candidates in the nonprofit and social impact space. To learn more about how we can help you build high-performance teams and drive growth, email us – we’d love to talk!
At some point in the process of recruiting a new leader, the hiring committee will come together to discuss the traits and behaviours candidates need to be successful in the role. At or near the top of that list is likely to be “an innovator”- someone who can bring a new perspective, who isn’t afraid to try and fail, who is on top of new trends and tools, and who’s eager to bring new ideas to the table.
Earlier this year, the Forbes Nonprofit Council published a list of nonprofit trends that they predict will dominate the industry in 2024. Not surprisingly, innovation made the list. Indeed, with the speed of change in the world today, an innovative mindset has become table stakes for organizations looking to recruit leaders who can move their mission, growth, and performance forward.
Here are three areas that purpose and mission-driven organization can focus on to help prioritize innovation when talking with leadership candidates:
For more than 20 years, the executive search experts at DRiWaterstone have been helping nonprofit and social impact organizations across the United States recruit innovative leaders who move their mission and performance forward. Connect with us to find out how we can help prioritize innovation in your next search.
DRiWaterstone is delighted to announce that we’ve once again been ranked among the top executive search firms focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion by Hunt Scanlon Media.
Hunt Scanlon Media’s acknowledgment of DRiWaterstone underscores our dedication to connecting purpose and mission-driven organizations with purpose and mission-driven candidates and contributing to the advancement of inclusive workplaces. We are honored to be included in this annual list and look forward to continuing our mission of helping purpose and mission-driven organizations build high performance teams through executive search, strategic, and culture services.
See the full list here.
In the competitive landscape of nonprofit and social impact organizations, attracting and retaining top talent is crucial for achieving meaningful and lasting change for the communities you serve. The hiring process plays a pivotal role in this journey, and keeping candidates engaged is key to securing the best talent for your cause. This blog post will explore tailored strategies to foster candidate engagement during the hiring process.
Communication is the foundation of any successful relationship, and the employer-candidate relationship is no exception. Maintain transparency throughout the hiring process by clearly outlining the steps, timeline, and expectations. Keep candidates informed about their progress and provide constructive feedback after each stage. “Candidates feel more engaged when they know that the company respects their time and the work they put into the process,” says Taylor Rhodes, Candidate Stewardship Manager at DRiWaterstone. “Respecting their commitment by keeping them informed of the next steps in the process as soon as possible ensures that they remain interested and involved.”
Nonprofit and social impact organizations often attract individuals passionate about making a difference. Tap into this by regularly communicating your organization’s mission, values, and impact. Share success stories, highlight the difference your team is making, and the meaningful projects candidates could contribute to. This approach helps candidates connect emotionally with the organization, making them more likely to stay engaged throughout the hiring process.
In a competitive landscape, top candidates are often sought after by multiple employers, and a swift interview process can be a decisive factor in securing their commitment to your organization. Streamlining the interview process by scheduling consecutive interviews as close together as possible can be beneficial for several reasons. First, it reflects a sense of urgency and commitment to the hiring process, demonstrating to candidates that their time and efforts are valued. And second, a rapid progression through the interview stages helps to keep the momentum going and prevents candidates from losing interest, exploring alternative opportunities, or committing to competing organizations.
Tailor the hiring experience to each individual candidate. Recognize their unique skills, experiences, and aspirations, and take the time to get to know them. Personalized experiences, such as emails or text messages, show candidates that you value them as individuals and are interested in having them join your team. “Each candidate has their own reasons for applying to a position, and taking the time to understand that reason allows you to engage with them where they are. Not everyone will be interested in the same aspects of the position, and you will get more from your interview process if you respect that,” says Rhodes. This level of attention can significantly enhance their engagement and commitment to the opportunity at hand.
Incorporate a feedback loop that allows candidates to express their thoughts, ask questions, and share any concerns about the role or the hiring process. Collect feedback after each interview stage to continuously refine and improve your process. This demonstrates your commitment to creating a positive candidate experience, gives the candidate some insight into the type of organization they would be joining if successful, and reinforces the importance of transparent, open communication.
For over 20 years, we have been dedicated to matching mission and purpose-driven organizations with top purpose-driven candidates. Our team of experts has developed an extensive network and knowledge of the nonprofit and social impact sectors, and we excel in helping our clients find the best possible talent to support their growth and performance goals.
Let’s start a conversation—contact us today to talk to one of our dedicated team members.
We recently connected with Dorry Levine, who we helped place as the Managing Director of Strategy at Hattaway Communications. In our conversation, Dorry shared insights into her role and the agency’s approach to storytelling. She sheds light on the dynamic landscape of strategic communication, including its impact on policy, and shares some great advice for candidates in today’s job market, among other topics.
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DRiWaterstone (DRiW): Can you tell me about Hattaway Communications?
Dorry Levine (DL): Hattaway Communications is a full-service communications agency. We work at the intersection of strategy, science, and storytelling, working together to communicate with maximum motivating power. We draw on the art and science of Aspirational Communication to create communications that inspire and engage people.
Achieving impact begins with clear goal setting and strategic focus. Research delivers audience insights that help frame your cause and engage your audiences.
We then craft an Aspirational Narrative that provides a strategic framework for compelling and consistent communications. Our linguists, designers, and storytellers bring the narrative to life with Winning Words, Inspiring Images, and Strategic Stories.
We create breakthrough ideas for meaningful engagement with via social, paid, earned, and owned media, as well as offline activities and experiences. It all works together to drive measurable impact—raising awareness, changing attitudes, and motivating people to take action.
DRiW: Can you tell me about your role and what you’re responsible for?
DL: I am the Managing Director of Strategy. I work with many client and project teams to match different communication opportunities to clients’ needs. So, they’ll come, and they have some issue they’re trying to wrestle with and figure out the best ways communications can help them achieve that goal. With some clients, we analyze their internal communications and figure out ways to streamline their processes, build trust and buy-in across their internal communications. With other clients, it’s trying to motivate different target audiences to take all kinds of actions and achieve impact, from attitude or behavior change to real policy wins.
DRiW: What attracted you to Hattaway Communications and the position?
DL: What attracted me to Hattaway Communications was the incredible types of clients I work with. We work with mission-driven organizations and individuals. I liked how this was less about trying to get someone’s name out there for news clips and other types of PR and vanity. These organizations and individuals are trying to make a difference in the world to achieve real impact. I was also really motivated by the team at Hattaway—they all had such interesting and varied backgrounds, and I knew I could learn a lot from all of them. I love that I can work across teams, and we can come up with the best solutions for our clients—creative ways of getting ideas into the world.
DRiW: What projects or initiatives have you worked on that you’ve enjoyed?
DL: One of my favorites was right when I joined the company. I was working with UnidosUS, the nation’s largest Latino civil rights and advocacy organization. And Hattaway had been working with Unidos for years to develop an accurate narrative about Latino communities. Now, they wanted to see what this looks like in the world. How could it motivate people on the ground in the real world? I joined Hattaway as we were launching a pilot campaign in Phoenix, Arizona, heading into a contentious senate race. There was a lot of coverage of Latinos, and a lot of the ads covering the airwaves were all just negative and nasty. And we had this campaign that felt like a breath of fresh air that was focusing on Latinos’ contributions and using that to open the door to talk about the barriers they faced.
To make sure we could measure the difference our campaign was making, we did a pre-pilot and post-pilot survey in the area. And we asked people, “During this time, did you see any ads that Latinos?” And this was Arizona in the Senate campaign—yes, everyone had seen ads about Latinos. Then we asked, “If so, what do you remember about them?” And that’s when they started quoting our ads back to us. They remembered, “You had the firefighter, the essential workers, and the business owners.” Then, we found in our post-pilot survey that the people who had seen the ads were 10 to 15% more likely to strongly agree with our campaign messages about Latino contributions than folks who hadn’t seen the ads at all. Seeing what we could do in a crowded, contentious space in just two months was inspiring. And then ask, where can we take it from here?
DRiW: Can you describe your experience working with the DRiWaterstone team?
DL: They were fantastic. They contacted me about this position because of my background in various nonprofit and advocacy roles. Initially, I hesitated, thinking it was a for-profit opportunity that might not align with my values. However, they assured me that the firm was deeply committed to working with mission-driven organizations and that I wouldn’t have to compromise my principles. I appreciated their support during the entire interview process as well.
DRiW: Do you have any advice for other candidates seeking a job in today’s market?
DL: Hold out for the right opportunity. Before I had come to this job, I had been presented with other opportunities, and I was wrestling with them. I could see myself in that role, but maybe not for the long term—it could be interesting for a couple of years before I move on to the next challenge. Somebody at DRiWaterstone said, “How badly do you want this? Don’t make a switch unless, on a scale of one to 10, you want this like a nine or a 10. Otherwise, it’s not worth making the switch—wait for the right opportunity.” And I’m so glad I did.
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At DRiWaterstone, we have the pleasure of working with some of the best clients and candidates in the nonprofit and social impact space. To learn more about how we can help you build high-performance teams and drive growth, email us – we’d love to talk!
January represents more than just the start of a new year—it’s an opportunity to strengthen your teams and amplify their impact. Here are three targeted hiring strategies from the nonprofit executive search experts at DRiWaterstone that purpose and mission-driven organizations can tailor to help kick-start recruiting success.
January inspires a spirit of fresh beginnings and renewed motivation. Job seekers often reflect on their career goals during the holiday season, making them more receptive to new opportunities in the new year. As an employer, take the time to revisit your job descriptions, role profiles, employee value proposition, and online content about your purpose and corporate culture to make sure you’re highlighting the exciting things you’re doing and what’s great about your organization and its mission. Use these to tap into candidates’ enthusiasm for change, and you’ll find a pool of motivated individuals ready to contribute their best from day one.
January is an opportune time for nonprofits and social impact organizations to renew their commitment to diversity and inclusion. Actively seek out a diverse pool of candidates who bring unique perspectives, experiences, and skills to the table. Craft inclusive job descriptions and leverage diverse recruitment channels to cast a wider net. By fostering a culture of diversity and inclusion from the hiring process onward, you set the stage for a more innovative and dynamic team with varying backgrounds and ideas, ready to help make your mission a reality in the new year and beyond.
While recruiting top talent at the end of the year requires patience on the part of candidates and hiring committees alike, January recruitment efforts often come with a sense of urgency and a chance to speed up decision-making. People are back at their desks and focused on work-related activities once again. Explore opportunities to streamline your recruitment process (from resume screening to interviews) for efficiency. Fast decisions not only secure top talent who are being sought after, but also show candidates that your organization is eager to work with them, values their time, and is committed to making a prompt impact on social change.
For over 20 years, we have been dedicated to matching mission and purpose-driven organizations with top purpose-driven candidates. Our team of experts has developed an extensive network and knowledge of the nonprofit and social impact sectors, and we excel in helping our clients find the best possible talent to support their growth and performance goals.
Let’s start a conversation—contact us today to talk to one of our dedicated team members.