The answer will vary according to each school’s unique culture. Ideally, the search process will find a balance between respecting the privacy of candidates and including the many perspectives that make up a healthy school community. A well conducted search will not only enable a school to find the best candidate but will also enable the appointee to begin his/her tenure with widespread confident institutional support. EC believes a successful tenure is most likely when there is broad engagement—either directly or through committees—at appropriate steps in the search process.

EC prides itself on building a robust pool of candidates. Our consultants draft a clear, compelling and culturally relevant recruitment document, which includes a leadership opportunity statement. The position is listed on appropriate online and print sites, and EC uses its extensive database and professional network to recruit sitting Heads, “rising stars,” and “out-of-the-box” candidates. The same is true for senior administrators. In many of our searches, the eventual appointee was not initially an applicant for the position but someone we contacted and encouraged to become a candidate.

We really get to know our candidates. (And we get to know them well.) EC partners personally conduct all candidate interviews and initial reference checking which results in thorough knowledge and vetting. Not only do we sit down and interview each candidate at length, but the extensive contacts that EC has within the educational and non-profit world contribute to the wealth of information we are able to gather about each candidate. Throughout our development of the candidate pool and our vetting process, our focus is on understanding how candidates are aligned with the leadership profile for the next head of school.

There can be three cases for hiring an interim Head. The first and most common occasion is when there is a sudden or untimely departure of the recent Head. If there is insufficient time to conduct a thorough search, then you will have little choice but to hire an interim. A second circumstance is when a school has enjoyed a lengthy tenure with its Head and feels that the school will adjust best to a new permanent Head after a transitional period with an interim appointee.

Finally, a school may feel that it needs to make significant and difficult changes to critical aspects of the school such as personnel or programs. In this circumstance, an interim Head will be a change agent who, by definition, has a brief tenure. In all cases, schools should expect interim Heads to address a set of short-term goals that will help the school continue to develop and move forward. EC works closely with you to adopt a timetable that fits your needs.

Part of our service is to provide your school with benchmark data on compensation packages for administrators, and to help determine an appropriate salary. In order to avoid the conflict of interest that might arise from a salary-based fee, EC charges a set fee regardless of the negotiated compensation package.

Yes. We have assisted schools with many hundreds of searches for a broad range of senior administrative positions.

As a full service consulting firm, we also offer evaluation and guidance on governance; assist with strategic and financial planning; consult on admissions policy; work with teams; coach leaders; and assist clients with conflict resolution.