Transitioning from the Private Sector to the Non-Profit World
After a long (or short) career in finance or law, working long hours, earning the big bucks, and gaining recognition in their field, many women come to a cross roads in their career path. While there is nothing at all wrong with working in the private sector and helping companies merge, do major deals, structure financing for important transactions or litigate big securities lawsuits, after spending years doing this type of work, some people find themselves yearning to have a job where they can give back to society.
Additionally, the long hours that are the hallmark of work in finance and law have long had a reputation for being less than family friendly, as The Glass Hammer has documented in many an article. Women, who often have greater child-care and family responsibilities than their male counterparts, bear the brunt of this. So its totally understandable that many female corporate stars dream of escaping Wall Street for a better lifestyle and a more rewarding career.
Enter the career transition to the non-profit world. In an ideal world, this would entail finding a job that utilizes your skill set, allows you to work in a field that you are passionate about, and enables you to directly measure and see the results of your labor. Oh, and reduced hours for (a little bit) lower pay factors into the equation too.
A recent New York Times article addressed this common desire when it posed this question: “You’ve spent your career in a profit-making business but want your work to be more in line with your personal values. The idea of working for a nonprofit is appealing, but is this the right reason to make a switch?”
The article notes that non-profit salaries tend to be lower than those in the private sector. That probably comes as a surprise to few of us. (As my mother once explained to me when, as a precocious child, I explained that I wanted to work at a nonprofit and live in a house bigger than Barbie’s Malibu Dream House when I grew up, “Honey, its called a non-profit because the people who work there don’t profit.”) Still, they might not be that much lower, depending on the region and the job function.
The article also advised would-be transitioners to get some hands-on volunteer experience with a non-profit in the area they are interested in working in. Just sending your resume is not likely to get a good result, especially if your resume is all corporate.
If you have worked in the public sector before, or have volunteered to lead charitable projects in your community, play these up in the course of your job search. Highlight skills like managing a tight budget, fundraising and efficiently managing and motivating a team, all skills that translate well from the corporate to the non-profit world.
There are many organizations that are sprouting up to give support to women interested in becoming social entrepreneurs or moving into the nonprofit sector, such as Ladies Who Launch and Count Me In, whose program “Make Mine a Million” aims to empower women to develop businesses with a million dollars in revenue.
Featured Non-Profit Transition Job
We were recently chatting with our friends at ON-Ramps, a headhunter firm set up to help returners and people who are seeking a more flexible work arrangement and they let us know that there is a job out there that seems perfect for anyone wanting to leave banking and be the COO of a non-profit.
More information about this featured position is below. If you would like to apply for this job, please contact Gretchen at On- Ramps directly at gretchen@on-ramps.com.
ABOUT THE POSITION:
Our client is seeking a mission-driven team player to support the President, communicate with the Board, and assume full responsibility for the day-to-day operating functions of the organization. Their primary responsibilities will be to provide leadership to the staff, oversee and manage resources, and develop efficient processes that will help the organization and its programs achieve ambitious growth and scale.
Primary responsibilities will include:
- Support President in corporate governance
- Build strong relationships with Board
- Maintain clear, consistent processes and communications to ensure Board engagement
- Build and maintain technology architecture
- Migrate existing platforms into single system that will support growth
- Create a seamless user interface where entrepreneurs can access tools and services
- Maximize use of technology for knowledge management
- Oversee organizational finances
- Develop and manage budgets
- Ensure regulatory compliance
- Institutionalize a planning process that links program investments to mission/objectives
- Ensure efficient and responsible use of resources
- Align people (staff as well as volunteers) with organization’s mission and purpose
- Set and communicate priorities for staff and organization
- Provide leadership for staff, and lead by example (e.g., provide feedback, create development opportunities)
- Recruit volunteers, and create opportunities to use their skills effectively
This is an excellent opportunity for mission-driven individual who is energized by the idea of helping a small, visionary organization expand its reach and impact. The ideal candidate will have a demonstrated commitment to women’s issues and/or a strong interest in economic empowerment as a lever of social change. They will be decisive, practical and prone to action, with an ability to inspire and motivate others to do the same.
CANDIDATE REQUIREMENTS:
• Minimum bachelor’s degree
• Minimum of 5-7 years operational experiences in the for-profit, not-for-profit or public sector, with direct experience with budgeting and planning, or relevant analytical experience
• Experience in web-based businesses, with expertise in consolidating platforms and managing technology vendors
• Superior project and work management skills
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Experience managing people in small, informal team environment
