Wikimedia Foundation Executive Director Transition Team/2016/Updates/CW15 update

This week the ED search steering group had its first meeting, and we discussed basics and agreements for our collaboration. Most work will be done via mail conversation, and we plan to have a weekly 30 minute check-in to track where we are, what needs to be done and who’s going to do it.

The group selected Alice to be head of the steering group. Her task is to keep the ball rolling, check tasklists, timelines and milestones, and gather all voices and opinions together.

We want to be as open as possible during the whole search process, and plan to provide regular updates. There will be weeks in which there isn’t much to report, but even in the less exciting weeks we will share whatever we can.

The current priority for the group is to select a search firm. We interviewed four different search firms to find out which one is the best fit for us, and for this search. The interviews have been guided along this set of prepared questions:

• What do you know of our recent challenges?
• How would you present our opportunity to candidates in the best light?
• How do you differ from other search firms?
• Honestly, does your firm have access to a varied, diverse, and international candidate pool? How do you identify diverse candidates?
• Who specifically will be doing the search?
• What are three keys to success and three pitfalls in a search like this?
• Are there any “off-limit” companies or organizations which you cannot recruit from?
• What is your screening process for candidates before bringing them to us?
• How do you work with a board search committee? What status reports will you provide on the search progress?

Next step is to select a firm on the base of the interviews and references. We plan to define the rest of the search process as well as the job description together with the selected search firm.