Bulletin B106.2: ALA Executive Director Hiring Process

Hello ALA Members,

With the recent resignation of our Executive Director (ED), Lisa Grant, we must immediately turn our attention as an organization to the process of finding a successor. To this end, we believe it prudent to move forward on two fronts. One, move forward with the identification and hiring of an Interim Executive Director (IED); and two, move forward with the creation of an ED Hiring Committee whose purpose is to make a recommendation to the ALA Executive on a successor.

Interim Executive Director Identification Process

We are happy to announce that outgoing Executive Director, Lisa Grant, will be staying on with the ALA to assist and optimize with the transition to her successor. This includes, among other duties, assisting the ALA Board Executive with the task of training an Interim ED.

The primary responsibility of the IED would be to learn the position of ALA Executive Director, under the direct training of outgoing ED, Lisa Grant, with the intention of subsequently training and transitioning to a permanent Executive Director once that individual is hired.

The IED position is a full-time appointment, but a short-term contract ideally starting June 1, 2021, running for a 3-month term with options for extensions in 30-day increments for up to 6 months. The IED will be hired based on input and recommendations from the ALA Board of Directors. Please review ‘Bulletin B107.3 - Job Posting - Interim Executive Director’ for complete details on the duties, responsibilities, expectations, and compensation for the IED.

Please note that at this time the IED will not be eligible for the permanent position of Executive Director. Interested individuals are asked to please forward your resume to info@albertalcrosse.com for immediate review. Qualified candidates will be subsequently contacted as required.

Executive Director (ED) Hiring Committee

The ALA Board of Directors are forming an ED Hiring Committee whose core purpose is to make a recommendation to the ALA Executive on a successor to the outgoing ED.

In addition, core objectives of the ED Hiring Committee would be to solicit input from the ALA Board of Directors, the Local Governing Body (LGB) Boards, and any other relevant parties on how to best craft a thorough and innovative job description; assess and determine a suitable pay scale and benefits package based on industry standards; identify and detail key performance indicators of success for the position; identify best-practices for the execution of the position; and ultimately identify and interview suitable candidates from both inside the ALA and out, with the ultimate outcome being a vetted recommendation to the ALA Executive on a suitable full-time Executive Director.

Ideally, the new ED would be in place by July 1, 2021. However, with a concurrent search for an Interim Executive Director taking place, we believe the overall process will allow us to avoid being unduly rushed to hire a permanent ED, which will therefore ensure the best available candidate is ultimately hired.

It is the recommendation of the ALA Executive that the ED Hiring Committee consist of the following positions:

• Chair: ALA Director of Administration, Deborah Rhodes
• One ALA Executive: ALA Director of Marketing and Communications, John Kilbride
• Up to 2 ALA Board of Directors: TBD
• One non-ALA Board of Director member: Ideally, but not necessarily, someone external to the ALA, TBD

Further, it is the recommendation of the ALA Executive that the 2 ALA Board of Director positions be determined by the ALA Board of Directors, by vote should multiple volunteers step forward.

Once the ED Hiring Committee has crafted a final job posting for the role of permanent Executive Director, that information will be disseminated across all ALA communication channels, and any external channels the committee identifies as important.

Sincerely,

ALA Board of Directors