Free kit · People and hiring
Executive Director Hiring Kit: free job description template in Word and PDF
Hire your next executive director against the same three year-one outcomes the board will later evaluate. The kit takes the search committee from the job description to the signed agreement, with an interview question bank, a scoring sheet, reference check questions, an offer letter and an employment agreement template for your attorney to finish.
Word and PDF · 16 pages · For board chairs and search committees
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What is inside
- Job description template. Eight sections to fill in, from the position summary and the pay range to first-year success measures.
- Interview question bank. Questions in four parts for the board, each with what to listen for, and the questions a strong finalist will ask you.
- Interview scoring sheet. One sheet per interviewer per candidate, rated right after the interview, and a table to compare the finalists.
- Reference check questions. Five questions to ask every reference, about the work only, and a note on what each call confirms or questions.
- Offer letter. The offer terms in one table, the checks before it goes out, the board's first steps after the yes and a letter to the other finalists.
- Employment agreement template. A term sheet for the board's choices, eleven plain-language clauses for your attorney to finish, and the signing steps.
How to use it
- Before the posting: agree three year-one outcomes, name a search committee and draft the job description (Form A); the full board approves it and the pay range.
- Interviews: ask every finalist the same questions (Form B), and each interviewer scores right after (Form C).
- Before the offer: two committee members call references, including a former board chair (Form D).
- After the vote: the board chair calls the chosen candidate, then sends the offer letter (Form E).
- Before the start date: the board's attorney reviews the employment agreement (Form F), then both sides sign.
Not legal advice. The offer letter and the employment agreement in this kit are templates, not legal documents, and employment law differs by state. Have a nonprofit employment attorney in your state review the job posting, the offer letter and the agreement before anyone signs. Some states, such as Colorado, require the pay range and benefits in every job posting.
Questions
Is the kit free?
Yes. Enter your name, email and organization once, and every kit in the library opens on this browser.
Can I edit it?
Yes. The Word file is fully editable: rewrite the job description, pick the interview questions that fit your search and fill in the terms of the offer letter and the agreement for your attorney to review.
Does it work in Google Docs?
Yes. Upload the Word file to Google Drive and open it with Google Docs; the tables and ruled lines carry over.
Can I share it inside my organization?
Yes. Copy it, adapt it and share it with your board and staff.
Read the guide
More kits for boards
Executive Director Compensation Review WorksheetComparables log, total pay calculator and the board's documentation checklist
Executive Director Evaluation KitForms, a calendar and a development plan for one annual review
Succession and Transition Plan KitEmergency succession plan, bench review, five-phase transition plan, handover checklist and announcements
With a hire, the paperwork is rarely where it goes wrong. The first year is. A coach works with the new executive director through that year, as they meet the finances, the board and the staff all at once.
Six sessions of executive coaching: $300, $400 or $600, set by your organization's yearly operating expenses.
