Succession planning is a vital yet often overlooked component of long-term sustainability in the charitable sector.
While many not-for-profit organisations focus heavily on delivering services and landing grants, donations and funds, planning for leadership transitions—both at the board and senior management levels—is essential to safeguard many things within an organisation.
The Experience Bank Group, often get charities coming to them with an urgent need to replace someone that is leaving, but by having a simple policy and procedure this urgency and associated stress can be significantly minimised.
Here, founder Peter Neal, talks to us about his top tips:
Executive leaders (like the CEO or Charity Director) and volunteer leaders (like Trustees or Chairs) play a critical role in the stability and strategic running of the charity, so why would you not have a pre-prepared and carefully thought-through backup plan in place to ensure that the organisation can continue to function effectively despite unexpected (or even planned) leadership changes?
The loss of the right person in the right role can be very disruptive, leading to issues with mission continuity, governance and accountability (indeed sometime the Charities Commission will demand that a particular role is always filled), stakeholder confidence, management of risk, and retention of other staff members.
My Top Tips for Key Components of Succession Planning for Charities
1. Assess Current Leadership and Governance Structure
Review the roles and responsibilities of both the senior staff and board members. In many charities, individuals may take on multiple responsibilities—understanding these dependencies is crucial for planning transitions effectively.
2. Identify Critical Roles
Focus on roles whose vacancy would significantly impact operations or governance. This typically includes:
3. Embed Succession Planning in Governance
The board of trustees should take responsibility for overseeing succession planning. This includes:
For executive leadership succession, the board plays a central role in recruitment and transition planning. For board succession, ensure clear terms of service, staggered rotations, and a trustee recruitment plan are in place.
4. Prepare for Emergencies
Have an emergency succession plan in place, especially for the Charity Director or CEO. This plan should name an interim leader, define the authority of that individual, and outline communication protocols for staff, funders, and stakeholders.
5. External Support
I work closely with many charities on an ongoing basis, helping with recruitment strategy, role descriptions, and succession planning. Having this relationship and having the collateral ready, with candidates already in mind, has helped many of my clients fill critical roles expediently. And, more importantly, with the right people.
It is important to remember thatfor charities, leadership transitions are not just personnel changes—they are mission-critical moments. A thoughtful, well-structured succession plan ensures that organisations continue to serve their communities effectively, so whether planning for board evolution, staff transitions, or emergency contingencies, succession planning is one of the most powerful tools a charity can use to protect its purpose and ensure long-term impact.
If you don’t have your succession planning in hand and want to talk to me about how I can help, then please do get in touch on peter@theexperiencebank.co.uk
