Finding and Keeping the Right People: A Conversation for the Philanthropy Sector

Finding and retaining the right people has rarely been straightforward for organisations working across the non-profit sector, however, the challenge feels particularly acute today.

At CCI Executive Search, our day-to-day conversations with charities, non-profits and foundations continually bring us back to questions around people: how do we attract the people and skills our organisations need? What makes good people choose our organisations, and what makes them stay? How can smaller organisations attract and retain the people they need when they cannot always compete on salary or resources? And what approaches are working across the sector that others could learn from?

The impact of recruitment and retention difficulties is felt across an organisation, not just in the time and money spent recruiting, but in the additional pressure placed on teams when roles remain vacant or people move on. For grant-making organisations and foundations, having the right people in place also supports the quality of relationships, decision-making and ultimately the impact an organisation can achieve.

There is no single answer to these challenges, nor will the answer look the same for every organisation. Some of the challenges are structural. Salary competition, funding constraints and shortages of particular skills cannot simply be solved by writing a better job advertisement. Others may be influenced by how we approach recruitment, flexibility, organisational culture, progression, workforce planning and the overall proposition we offer prospective and existing employees.

Most importantly, different organisations are experiencing these pressures in different ways. That is why we believe there is value in bringing people together to talk about them.

Over the past year, CCI Executive Search has been facilitating peer-to-peer conversations with leaders from across the non-profit sector about recruiting and retaining staff. Alongside our recruitment expertise, our connection with our sister company, OKC, gives us a strong understanding of the philanthropy landscape and the particular challenges organisations working in this space can face. Through these conversations, we are seeking to create a space for people to speak candidly about what they are experiencing, hear what others are doing to address challenges and explore practical approaches together.

We are delighted to be working with Philanthropy Ireland to create a similar conversation specifically for its members.

The intention is to hold a 90-minute breakfast roundtable in November for those leading or closely involved in recruitment, people and HR issues within their organisations. Rather than arriving with a predetermined agenda, we want the discussion to reflect the reality of what Philanthropy Ireland members are experiencing.

To help us do that, members will shortly receive a brief questionnaire about their current recruitment and retention challenges. We would encourage as many members as possible to contribute, whether or not you ultimately attend the roundtable. Your responses will help us identify common themes, understand where experiences differ and ensure the conversation is grounded in what is actually happening within the sector.

The roundtable itself will be facilitated by CCI, drawing on our experience of recruitment across the non-profit sector, but the conversation will be led by those in the room. It will be an opportunity to compare experiences, share approaches that are working, explore challenges that remain unresolved and perhaps identify areas where greater collaboration could help.

We do not expect to leave with every problem solved, but there is real value in understanding the challenges collectively rather than tackling them individually. If we can create a space where members can speak openly, learn from one another and leave with new ideas or perspectives to take back to their organisations, that will be a very worthwhile conversation.

We look forward to hearing your views through the questionnaire and, we hope, continuing the conversation together in November.

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CCI Executive Search partners exclusively with non-profit organisations, charities, foundations and social enterprises to recruit leaders and staff and build strong, effective teams. As part of the wider OKC group, we also draw on extensive experience and expertise across philanthropy and fundraising. To learn more about our services or discuss an upcoming recruitment need, please contact us on 01 524 2807 or at recruitment@cciexecutivesearch.ie.