A rising number of organisations in the not-for-profit sector are hiring change management specialists. The recent downturn has put increased pressure on the sector to maintain funding levels and increase their commerciality, and this is paving the way for change managers to help transform the fortunes of the sector.
The recent downturn is paving the way for change managers to help transform the fortunes of the sector
In recent years, the not-for-profit sector has been under immense pressure to think and act as commercially as their private sector counterparts. This pressure was exacerbated during the downturn, when funding became increasingly harder to source. While financial donations do dip during a recession, long-term evidence suggests that they also recover, and that charities need to get creative in order to develop new sources of income. One method that a number of not-for-profit organisations are adopting is to hire senior change managers to review the current organisational structure.
Change management specialists who have experience in organisational development in particular are highly regarded by employers. If a not-for-profit organisation hopes to become more commercial, a high level structural review often needs to happen in order to ensure the right talent is in place. Such professionals are able to cover possible redeployment, upskilling, redundancy, training and recruitment. More importantly, they are being tasked with assessing the senior management team – how can a commercial approach be taken? What are the skills needed? Do they have a leadership base competent in communication, able to understand and harness the power of the media? By assessing the senior team from the outset, organisations will have their valuable resources allocated as effectively as possible.
Senior professionals from a corporate background are the ideal candidates as they bring with them a high level of understanding of finance and commerciality, alongside strategic marketing and branding experience. Any international experience is also welcomed as competition for funding takes place on a global platform.
