In our latest snapshot of the nonprofit recruitment market for senior roles, we saw a continued rise in both the number of roles being advertised (271, up from 227 in 2020) and in the number of organisations actively recruiting at this level (197, up from 168 the year before). 

This rise of 19% and 17% respectively is not as large a jump as we would have seen in earlier quarters, probably showing that the pandemic rebound has been working its way through the market throughout 2021. While COVID has not gone away, organisations have realised they cannot wait forever to fill their talent gaps and have moved accordingly. 

The numbers are way up on Q4 2019, the last full quarter before COVID became a word we utter several times a day; 144 roles from 115 organisations were advertised between October and December 2019. 

Q4 Nonprofit Talent Trends Breakdown by Role

Two role types saw a fall in activity year-on-year (HR and Finance) albeit from a small base, while all other functions tracked showed increased activity. CEO level roles jumped by 70%, Fundraising & Business Development by 52% and Admin, Strategy & Governance doubled, but again this was from a small base. 

Breakdown by Subsector

Breaking activity down by nonprofit subsector, the changes were mixed. Three subsectors saw a drop in senior recruitment activity we recorded: Local Development & Housing (-9%), Education & Research (-63%), Religion (-50%), Recreation & Sport (-33%). 

By contrast, all other sectors saw a rise, with three in particular showing big increases in role numbers: International (240%), Professional & Vocational (433%), Environment (100%) 

Where income details were available for those organisations that were active in the recruitment market, there was an almost even split between those organisations with income below €1M (47%) and those above the number (53%). 

2021 Senior Recruitment Overview 

Looking at the year as a whole, it is still difficult to make any comparison between 2020 and 2021 without the pandemic being attached as a health warning to the data. 

 The number of roles advertised rose from 558 to 948 according to our tracking. While this is an increase of just under 70%, it must be noted that the 2020 figures include a time when activity went off a cliff. That said, activity is still up by an almost similar number versus 2019, likely a result of recruitment campaigns being delayed. 

Unsurprisingly, such uplifts were not confined to any particular role types, with all specialisms seeing a rise, although some were more active that others in that respect (Communications & Marketing (up 120%), HR (up 72%) and Service Delivery & Operations (up 85%) 

Interestingly enough, despite this strong sector-wide bounce back, there were actually two subsectors that saw a decline in recruitment activity for the full year. Both Education & Research (-25%) and Recreation & Sport (-30%) saw a decline in roles advertised. All other subsectors saw increases in roles advertised. 

What do these figures show?

Leaving aside the residual impact of the pandemic, what the figures here show us is that there is a renewed level of activity in nonprofit recruitment at the senior level, one that seems be sustained throughout year, and one that certain lappers to show no signs of abating in the first weeks of 2022. 

What the figures do not show is the other side of this equation, namely the availability of talent to meet this demand. Active jobseekers are still a somewhat rare breed, with COVID uncertainty still not fully overcome, although signs of increased activity have been seen since Christmas.  

 

It remains a challenging proposition for organisations to source (and then retain) the talent they need to provide their services, and 2into3 remain extremely active in the market on behalf of a wide range of organisations. Our hope is that while the market remains this active, the increase we have witnessed in jobseeker activity will continue to a point where supply and demand converge in 2022, giving all parties what they need, and the sector the supports it deserves. 

For more information on our recruitment services, visit our website or contact Fergal O’Sullivan.

2into3 have completed their snapshot analysis of senior nonprofit recruitment for the third quarter of 2021.  

 Given the equivalent quarter in 2020 was one of unprecedented uncertainty and challenges, it is no surprise to see a significant uplift in recruitment activity year-on-year. The number of organisations actively recruiting rose by 110%, from 79 to 166, and the number of roles rose by a similar amount, up 106% (110 up to 227).  

What do our findings tell us about senior nonprofit recruitment?  

 Firstly, it tells us that the recovery from the lowest points of the pandemic is continuing, with roles that may have been on hold, or where expansion was delayed, are now coming on stream.  

  Certain sectors seem to be more active than others.  

• Social Services and Health organisations accounted for almost half (48%) of all roles advertised in the period 
• Religion, Environment and Recreation & Sports organisations failed to register more than 1% of the total each.  

  

As we commented after the second quarter data was released, it is hard to draw any definitive conclusions when comparing to such an exceptional time, so we would be careful not to infer too much from this data, other than to reiterate that it is a move in the right direction, in terms of activity in the sector.  

 The flip side of this, however, is an increased demand for talent. With so many roles appearing simultaneously, the number of candidates per role tightens. Those who read our quarterly analysis will already know that we are in a recruitment market where the number of people actively seeking a career change is lower than it has been for several years. Add these two factors together and it makes finding and attracting the strongest field of candidates a more difficult task.   

 In 2into3, we have found in recent months that we are having to devote considerably more time to the targeted search element of our service, as relying on just those who see the advertisement is not sufficient. This may well be the way the market moves, and stays, for the foreseeable future. Even if it is a temporary effect, it is certainly not showing any signs of change in the immediate future.  

 

 Analysis by Subsector 

Every subsector except one (Sports & Recreation) saw an increase in activity, but in that instance, it was a drop from 2 jobs to 1. All other subsectors saw increases ranging anywhere from 40% up to 900%, but as some of these are based on small values, the tables below give a better understanding of the changes:  

Our latest snapshot of senior recruitment activity in the nonprofit sector is for the second quarter of 2021. We track advertising across all the main online platforms, to record the level of activity within the sector.

Normally, we would compare the figures with the previous year to get a feel for how the market is faring, but for obvious reasons, comparisons for any activity that took place between April and June 2020 are not going to be too incisive, given that this was the time when everything went somewhat quiet.

Therefore, while we can discuss the figures for this year, the equivalent numbers for 12 months ago will serve mainly to show just how far we have recovered from the dark days of the first COVID-19 lockdown.

The top level numbers show there was a total of 224 management roles advertised in Q2 2021, an increase of 136% from Q2 2020 (95 roles). These roles were advertised by 159 different organisations, up 115% from the 74 organisations in 2020.

The increases were seen across all role types, with CEO roles up 121%, Fundraising & Business Development up 200% and Communications & Marketing showing a huge 650% increase, albeit from a low base. The smallest increase was in Finance roles, but this was still a healthy 37.5% up on 2020. Social Services organisations represented a quarter of all roles advertising in Q2 2021, followed by Health (17%) and Local Development & Housing (14.5%).

The infographic above summarises some of the key findings from our data gathering, but if you were interested in delving a little deeper into the details, we would be delighted to share our work and discuss what it might offer in terms of insights into possible future activity.

While the increased number of roles is unsurprisingly positive, coming from such a low base during an unprecedented time for everyone, we in 2into3 can definitely see a strong upward movement in activity, even compared to 2019. We are certainly working on a greater number of roles and seeing a demand for our services from organisations who may have in the past have recruited without the support of external services, but find the current market considerably more difficult in terms attracting the attention of the talent they seek. If you are planning to recruit, or find yourself in such a challenging situation, please get in touch and we can explain how our approach may help.

If you would like to view more information on our findings, contact Fergal O’Sullivan.

What makes 2into3’s recruitment service unique is our Quality Guarantee. If the person we place in your organisation leaves within 12 months of starting their role, we will source a replacement free of charge. Please see below for more details. The skills of our recruitment team and the 2into3 processes, gives you the reassurance your role will be filled by ideal candidate.

 

Experts in the Nonprofit Sector

2into3 is uniquely positioning in the nonprofit sector, where our work in Consulting and Research, as well as Recruitment, gives us an unparalleled level of knowledge (and contacts within) the sector. Our work over the last 14 years with more than 260 Irish nonprofits means we understand your recruitment needs better than any commercial recruiter.

We know it takes a certain type of person to work in (or even lead) a nonprofit or charity organisation. There is no guarantee an accomplished manager or leader from the commercial sector could successfully transition into this sector. The same can often be said for senior managers moving from one sub-sector to another.

While core leadership and functional skills are essential, you also need to ensure any potential manager will be a cultural fit, have affinity with your mission and values and will know which stakeholders they need to influence and how best to do so. 2into3, more than any other recruiter, can offer this level of understanding.

And so, we aim to look beyond the obvious candidates for any role, based on our previous recruitment experiences. As well as presenting those who are a complete match to your requirements, we always try to include “an alternative option” that may not have everything but could, based on our understanding of the role, be worth exploring.

 

Quality Guarantee

We are committed to more than just filling roles. 2into3 seek to ensure that all candidates placed by our Recruitment Team succeed in their new positions, because we believe that when a candidate succeeds, it allows the organisation to succeed in its mission. Therefore, we offer a no-fee replacement guarantee, should the postholder’s employment be terminated for any reason other than ill-health or redundancy within the first 12 months of engagement.

 

Wide Pool of Talent

A typical assignment can attract 200 queries. However, we also actively seek out the ideal candidate. Our long track record in recruitment has allowed us to develop an extensive network of senior managers in the sector, that we can target, should the role match their skills and experience. We can also apply our knowledge of the role and sector and seek out others who may not even be actively looking for a new role but could be an excellent match.

 

Efficient Turn Around Time & Quality of the Screening Process

2into3’s recruitment process enables a turnaround time of 8-9 weeks, from the date of placing the job advertisements to the successful candidate accepting the job offer. Instead of our clients having to sift through and process all those unqualified applications, we will only show you those who we feel are capable, typically an average of 9-10 individuals. From that list an average of 4-5 are brought forward to interview and two-thirds of these are typically deemed to be appointable by the client.

 

More on our Recruitment Track Record

Contact Fergal O’Sullivan, Head of Recruitment, on +353 86 180 6051