Director of Facilities and Capital Planning for a nonprofit

Consultants from Helbling teamed with the Vice President, Human Resources and the Vice President, Operations to begin the search process. The client contacts were very receptive to Helbling’s suggestions to explore candidates from other community-focused organizations. These included senior living facilities, museums, towns, K-12 schools, higher education institutions, and healthcare facilities. Naturally, the team also targeted nonprofit organizations with a like-minded mission, such as other homeless shelters and organizations that supported populations with a mental or physical disability, addiction, or illness.

The firm conducted a regional search with the expectation that the selected candidate would have lived or worked in the New England area where the nonprofit’s name was most recognizable. Consultants searched for individuals in top facilities leadership roles, as well as those in a secondary position in facilities who may have the right combination of experience, ability, and desire to assume a top role if presented with the right opportunity.  

The interview and selection process were typical of a Helbling search in that they were organized and efficient. One candidate stood out among the others for several reasons: he had hands-on experience working as a custodian early in his career, worked at Walt Disney World where he learned the importance of being detail-oriented and gained an appreciation for processes and procedures, and excelled in a facilities director role at the YMCA of Greater Boston. A tech-savvy choice, the selected candidate had implemented a new work order system at the YMCA to track project completion by facilities personnel and manage preventative maintenance tasks. Most importantly, he had a great track record as an effective leader and was excited to make a career change because of the mission of the hiring nonprofit. The candidate became familiar with the organization’s work when hiring painters who had transitioned from homelessness to the work force. He witnessed how the organization has bettered so many lives, and he demonstrated his appreciation for that during the interview process.

Since joining the nonprofit, the new director has implemented a financial tracking system and improved the budgeting process. He also rearranged and streamlined the responsibilities of his team members resulting in a more efficient delivery of services. Furthermore, he oversaw a capital needs assessment that identified and prioritized capital projects — greatly improving the overall functionality and security of the organization’s many facilities. The VP, Operations, who selected the newly placed director, has been particularly impressed with his ability to calmly and correctly respond to unexpected and urgent issues. The director is pleased to be making an impact within an organization that greatly impacts the region.