1. Welcome

Vicky Browning, CEO, ACEVO

The last year has been one of the most challenging years in recent memory for civil society. Reduced income and increased demand combined with the blurring of boundaries between home and the office has led many of us to reflect on how and where we want to work.

It is not yet clear exactly how Covid-19 will impact the recruitment sphere in the long-term, but in a context of rising unemployment, increased inequality and shifting perspectives on work-life balance, changes in the way we recruit are likely to be essential.

Recruiting for a CEO, chair or board trustees can be a difficult process, but it has never been more important than now, when good leadership is vital to help communities and organisations recover. This guide, written by Kai Adams from Green Park, provides practical guidance on designing and running a recruitment process for charity leaders. It covers some common quandaries of recruitment; planning for unexpected resignations; creating strong succession plans; and shortlisting, longlisting, assessment and onboarding processes.

We know from ACEVO’s Pay and Equalities survey that representation of Black, Asian and minoritized ethnic leaders in civil society is poor; that there is a disability pay gap; and that despite a gradual increase in the number of white female CEOs a gender pay gap persists. Recruitment is a key opportunity to start forming inclusive processes and practices that will help sustain inclusive organisational cultures.

Building back better as a sector, in a radically different world, will undoubtedly involve reviewing ways of working which we are accustomed to, and exploring how they can be fairer and more robust. I hope this guide will provide a solid foundation for designing your next recruitment rounds and support you through those processes.

I would like to thank Green Park for their support and work on this guide, and their time authoring the report.

Vicky Browning CEO, ACEVO