Key Takeaways on Nonprofit CEO Succession Planning and Executive Transition  

– Shannon Barrett, Head of Talent Services

Our Q3 2025 Nonprofit Talent Trends analysis highlighted a sharp rise in CEO recruitment, which increased from 6% of roles in Q3 2024 to 14% of advertised roles in Q3 2025. 

Leadership transition is one of the most critical – and often overlooked – challenges facing nonprofit organisations.  

During our recent webinar, Future-Proofing Nonprofit Leadership: Succession Planning in Practice; Preparing Boards & Executives for Sustainable Leadership, our Talent team at 2into3 were joined by Diarmuid Ó Corrbuí, CEO of Carmichael, to explore how boards and executives can plan effectively for CEO succession and ensure long-term organisational stability. 

The panel addressed a range of questions which commonly arise surrounding executive succession planning, including:  

When to Start 

• Start now – succession planning is a risk mitigation priority and should feature on your organisation’s risk register. 

• Prepare two plans:
  a) Emergency: a contingency plan for unexpected departures, including interim leadership, support for interim leaders, and communication strategies
  and
  b) Strategic or Planned: When a CEO signals their intention to move on, allowing time to align future leadership needs with the organisation’s strategic direction 

• The panel also discussed Departure-Defined succession planning: for known retirements or transitions – common in the case of founding or long-standing CEOs – allowing time for reflection, recruitment, and structured handover. 

Assessing CEO Retirement or Transition Timelines 

• Encourage open, ongoing conversations between the CEO and board, ideally led by the chair through performance reviews. 

• Make succession planning a standing board agenda item to promote transparency and readiness. 

What if our CEO is Resistant to Succession Planning?  

• Introduce the topic as a governance responsibility focused on legacy and sustainability, not replacement. 

• Normalise it as part of routine planning to avoid alarm. 

Preparing for Change with a Long-Standing CEO 

• Recognise that leadership change can expose overreliance on the CEO and highlight gaps in board capability. 

• Build a proactive relationship with the incoming CEO and be ready for different leadership styles or working methods. 

• Consider how reliant key relationships are on the current CEO and plan for continuity. 

Preparing the Organisation for a CEO’s Departure 

• Delegate responsibilities to senior leaders to reduce dependency on the CEO. 

• Provide leadership opportunities to develop internal talent. 

Time allocation for CEO recruitment  

• Try, where possible, to allow at least six months for recruitment: around three months for the process plus notice periods. 

• Factor in potential funding needs for external support or salary adjustments. 

Appropriate involvement of the current CEO in recruitment of successor  

• CEOs can help draft the initial job description to ensure accuracy. The board should then refine it to align with future strategy. 

• Beyond that, CEO involvement should be limited; in smaller or founder-led organisations, they may assist in shortlisting or early interviews, but the final decision rests with the board. 

If there’s an internal successor, do we need a full process? 

• We recommend running a full recruitment process regardless – even if you think you may promote internally – to ensure due diligence and market comparison. 

Practical Steps to Get Started 

• Add succession planning to your board’s annual agenda. 

• Review your current CEO job description and align it with strategic goals. 

• Conduct a skills audit of your senior leadership team. 

• Develop a communication plan for stakeholders. 

• Outline procedures for both emergency and planned transitions. 

Interested in learning more?
If you would like to receive a copy of the full recording of our webinar which includes a broader Q&A with Diarmuid O’Corrbuí and more information surrounding strategic leadership development, please contact shannon.barrett@2into3.com  

At 2into3, our Talent team partners with organisations to ensure leadership change is well-managed, future-focused, and sustainable. To discuss how 2into3 can support your organisation’s executive recruitment, contact our Talent team here.