Onboarding a New Executive Director: Outline for a First-Year Transition Plan

A sample onboarding plan for a new executive director from the accredited Genesee Land Trust.

This is an action item checklist for hiring a new leader or executive director from the Art of Hiring Leaders by Barbara J. Gilvar.

This is a sample job description for an executive director from the accredited Mississippi Valley Conservancy.

Whether by choice or circumstance, staff leaders will transition, and board members will come and go. What happens when a longtime executive director begins to think about retiring? Join Megan Motil of Parallel Solutions to explore ways you can navigate planned and emergency leadership succession.

As the senior, volunteer leader of the organization, you’re responsible for leading the board to fulfill its responsibilities for the oversight, thinking and governance of your land trust and for cultivating a working partnership with your executive director. Now what?

This guidance covers Practice 7D: Transition Planning.

A sample board member application and letter of responsibility from the accredited Wallowa Land Trust.