Need: VP of Advancement
Service: Executive Search
When the Vice President of Advancement announced her intention to move out of state, Learning Grove engaged with The Yunker Group to undertake this mission-critical search and deliver a highly qualified, highly committed candidate as expeditiously as possible.
Shannon Starkey Taylor, Learning Grove CEO, shared the following thoughts about this search and her long-standing relationship with The Yunker Group:
“During 28 years in nonprofit leadership roles, I’ve had the pleasure of working with and interviewing many different consultants, but I always come back to The Yunker Group. I think they have their finger on the pulse of what nonprofits need, and when it comes to fundraising – and the recruitment of the highest-level fundraisers – honestly, I don’t look to anyone else.”
“I’ve actually been on both sides of executive level searches with The Yunker Group, and I can attest that they handle both sides equally well. In my experience, you end up with a high-quality candidate who is an excellent fit for your organization and is already well-prepared to hit the ground running in their new role. I consider The Yunker Group’s process the first stage of onboarding for our organization. They’re like an extension of our HR Department, and that brings a lot of extra value to what they do during a search.”
“The Yunker Group is a well-oiled machine, and Jenny Weiglein is the one who keeps that machine running smoothly. I think of her as a kind of Chief of Staff, corralling the consultants and the clients and keeping everyone on task. She’s very responsive, very professional, and friendly. And I always get compliments on the phone calls she has with references and candidates alike. She’s clearly a great asset to The Yunker Group and a great person to have on your team during a search.”
Sharing her thoughts, Roseann Hayes, the successful candidate:
“On a scale of 1-10, I’d say the recruitment process was a 12 – and I’m really not exaggerating. I honestly loved it from the very beginning when I was asked to write a letter detailing my commitment to the mission. That insistence on demonstrating a commitment to the organization’s mission up front really resonated with me.”
“This experience was a thousand times more thorough than anything I’d ever participated in previously. Everyone was so professional but also very friendly. I felt at ease. I felt heard and listened to. And those things helped me feel that this job was a right fit for me. At each stage of the recruitment process, my expectations were actively managed. I knew exactly what to expect and how to prepare, and that was invaluable. And I can only think that wasn’t just for my benefit, but for Learning Grove’s as well.”