Read All About It: Executive Director Survey Takeaways!

By Marybeth Gardam
For the Lloyd Family Legacy Planning Team and the Search Committee

September 2024

In June, the Search Committee released a survey to help better define the Executive Director job description, the selection of candidates we interview and, ultimately, who we hire. We asked everyone on our email list to take the survey. The results are in, and we are pleased to share some of the key takeaways and themes from the survey. 

Most Important Competency Areas 

• A deep understanding of feminist leadership or facilitative leadership techniques that encourage others to share leadership. 
• Strategic and long range program and project planning experience to help in expanding our work, increasing measurable impact, and creating fundable projects. 
• Demonstrated commitment to racial and gender equity and dismantling all systems of oppression.
• Strategic collaboration experience, listening skills and fostering alignment across all stakeholders. 
• Internal communications that keep membership and stakeholders informed and engaged. 
• External communication that consistently lifts WILPF's visibility.

On the opposite end, the following areas were rated least critical, but still important.  

Least Important Competency Areas 

• Rate the importance of experience in leading visual design updates to improve organizational visibility, fundraising and member recruitment. (The official name and dove logo will not/cannot change.)  
• Understanding and experience with human resources, including personnel contractor policies, job descriptions, developing and reviewing hiring contracts, and contractor supervision/review and communication. 
• Proven connections with prospective donors to the causes WILPF promotes. 
• Staff, oversight and management. 

Taking the survey answers into consideration, the Search Committee has now created a job description that the Board has approved. Here is the link to the job posting, which is now live on Idealist.com. The deadline for applications is November 4th. We plan to use the fall and winter to focus on recruitment and hiring, and ideally aim to have an Executive Director onboarded by early 2025. 

LFL Planning Team:
Martha Collins, Laura Dewey, Cindy Domingo, Chris Morin, Betty Burkes, Jane Sloane, Marybeth Gardam.
LFL Search Committee: 
Tina Shelton, Barbara Nielsen, George Friday, Phillip Cole, Marybeth Gardam, CeeCee Anderson
Ex-Officio Members:
Darien De Lu, Nancy Price, Robin Lloyd