Hiring a new executive is one of the highest‑stakes decisions a nonprofit will make. That’s why we use Executive Transition Management (ETM)—a proven, change‑management model that transforms leadership transition from a moment of risk into an opportunity to strengthen the organization.

ETM is a structured, three‑phase approach designed to reduce uncertainty, maintain momentum, and position your organization for long‑term success. It emphasizes thoughtful planning, inclusive engagement, and clear accountability—while honoring both the outgoing leader and the organization’s future.

Our approach:

• Plan with intention.
  We assess the organization’s current position, engage the board and key stakeholders, and define the skills, attributes, and experience required in the next leader. And if an interim executive is warranted, we help the board navigate that decision.
• Search strategically.
  We lead a targeted recruitment process with rigorous vetting—ensuring candidates align with your mission, culture, and future priorities.
• Onboard for success.
  We support a smooth transition with clear expectations between the board and the new executive, structured onboarding, and early‑stage leadership support.

Throughout the process, ETM prioritizes board engagement, staff and stakeholder input, and transparent communication throughout. And because we stand behind our work, we offer a 365‑day guarantee from the new leader’s start date for executives hired through the ETM process.

The ETM model was developed by national leaders in organizational development, nonprofit capacity building, and executive recruitment. Armstrong McGuire was the first firm in North Carolina to adopt this approach, with training funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and delivered by the model’s principal architects.

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Our certified interim executive directors, CFOs, and development leaders stabilize your organization and prepare it for what’s next, bringing so much more than a person filling a seat.

Our certified interim executives bring objectivity and compassion, recognizing that transitions are carry real emotion for staff, board members, clients, and supporters.

Our Approach

• ‍Rapid Assessment
  Each engagement begins with a focused assessment that provides a transparent, objective view of the organization’s strengths, challenges, and immediate priorities. This early clarity helps leadership and staff understand what’s working, what needs attention, and what matters most before a new leader arrives.‍
• Focused Action
  Based on the assessment, interim leaders get to work on the activities that best position the organization for its next chapter—strengthening operations, supporting staff, maintaining momentum, and addressing priority issues while ensuring continued mission delivery.‍
• Transition to New Leadership
  As the permanent leader is selected, interim executives support a smooth, thoughtful transition—sharing insights, documenting progress, and helping the new executive step into a well‑prepared organization.

Typical Time Commitment

• Interim Executive Directors / CEOs typically invest 20–25 hours per week, overseeing budgets, staff, and programs while partnering with leadership and staff to strengthen operations as needed.
• Interim CFOs typically invest 15–20 hours per week, providing financial oversight, ensuring compliance, strengthening reporting, and reinforcing financial best practices.
• Interim Development Leaders typically invest 15–20 hours per week, keeping fundraising efforts on track, maintaining solicitation schedules, and ensuring active donor stewardship.

Your mission is too important—and your time too valuable—for the wrong hire. You’re not just filling a role; you’re making a decision that will shape your organization’s future. Our advisors bring deep nonprofit experience and understand leadership transitions from every angle, so you feel supported, confident, and clear throughout the hiring process.

Our approach:

• Clarify the role and the moment.
  We begin by understanding your organization’s current reality, future priorities, and the leadership qualities needed to succeed right now.
• Recruit with intention.
  Through targeted outreach and deep nonprofit networks, we identify and vet candidates who align with your mission, culture, and strategic goals.
• Support confident decision‑making.
  We manage the process so your time is focused on evaluating the strongest candidates and making the right hiring decision.
• Set leaders up for success.
  Once an offer is accepted, we help design an onboarding process that supports early momentum and long‑term impact.
• Stand behind the work.
  For retained searches, we offer guarantees—because we are committed to the success of the match.

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Many nonprofit board members are deeply committed to the mission, yet not all come into the role fully prepared for the responsibilities of nonprofit governance. Effective board engagement and shared leadership can feel elusive, especially as organizations grow, change, or face complex decisions.

Our team helps boards move from well‑intentioned individuals to a strong, aligned collective. We facilitate board retreats focused on critical strategic decisions, design customized trainings that build clarity and confidence around board roles, and assess board structure, policies, and processes to position your board as a high‑performing governing body.

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Whether a leader has been with you for five years or 25, their departure can feel sudden whether it’s anticipated or not. With a well-thought-out plan, you’ll know just what to do to guide your organization through a leadership change.

At its best, succession planning work is done well in advance of the pending departure of a chief executive, before the urgency of making a hiring decision impedes meaningful discussions. The most productive planning includes the perspectives of key stakeholders, the executive and staff, board of directors, community partners, volunteers, and donors.

And it includes evaluations of skills not only at the executive level but throughout the organization.  Together we create a succession plan that allows for thoughtful conversations around ways to sustain, grow, and/or adjust the strategic direction of your organization, how to employ strategic professional development now and make effective hiring decisions down the road.

Our approach:

• ‍Assess Leadership Capacity
  ‍We evaluate the strengths, competencies, and readiness of your current leadership team to understand bench strength and development needs.‍
• Plan for Leadership Transitions
  ‍We partner with boards and executives to create thoughtful succession plans that support continuity, strategic clarity, and long‑term leadership strength.‍
• Prepare for Planned and Unplanned Change
  ‍We help organizations prepare for both expected transitions and unexpected departures, including identifying when interim leadership may be part of a successful transition plan.‍
• Strengthen Trust and Confidence
  ‍We use succession planning to build trust between board and staff and reinforce confidence among stakeholders, funders, and the community

Succession planning will help you:

• Prepare for transitions, or for short and long-term absences of key leaders
• Strengthen your team in advance of a transition
• Establish or reaffirm staff and stakeholder confidence in the board’s leadership 
• Mitigate disruptions in programs delivery, community confidence, and staff morale 
• Demonstrate behaviors of a high-performing organization

Working together can be messy. We come alongside leaders and teams to help you work better together. We ensure every member of your team is heard, understood and valued so they will feel empowered and equipped to contribute to the future of your organization in a meaningful way. When appropriate we use behaviorial tools and assessments to help team members better understand one another and communicate more effectively. We coach individuals, leadership teams or departments and we lead single session retreats or ongoing conversations to help you become a high-performing team.