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International_Council_special
Open Knowledge Outreach
Communications
Open Knowledge is starting to search for a new Executive Director: http://blog.okfn.org/2014/09/18/announcing-a-leadership-update-at-open-knowledge/
Open Knowledge's Board of Directors https://okfn.org/about/board/ is gathering a Search Committee to seek candidates, and the Open Knowledge community network will be represented in helping to determine who is best placed to lead the organisation into its next phase, alongside Rufus.
Although it is impossible for all community groups to be represented in a committee, the Board invites the Open Knowledge International Council, including Working Group Leaders and newer Local Group Leaders, to give nominations of someone who can speak on behalf of the community groups.
Based on these recommendations, the Board will appoint a representative to work alongside Jane Silber, Helen Turvey, Karin Christiansen and Tom Cobbold to run the recruitment process, using a dedicated 'human capital' search firm, to select people for the position.
The Search Committee will then share the resulting recommendations with the rest of the Board of Directors and the Senior Management Team of Open Knowledge, as well as other key stakeholders to be determined.
- Requirements of the individual to represent the community in the Search Committee:
- Total of 2 hours per week for the next 2 months (estimate)
- Availability for calls (Skype, phone or possibly Google Hangout) alongside BST time-zone (GMT from 26th October)
- Understand business requirements (what skills and approach are required in an Executive Director of a non-profit organisation) alongside a solid understanding of what open knowledge is, and what skills and approach are required to lead Open Knowledge the organisation and the community network in both thought and action
- Be a passionate advocate of the organisation
- Seek agreement and consenus rather than blocking discussion
- Make sure the nominees are the right person/people for the job!
Update from Helen:
Pls note - this is a *broad idea* and some items will change upon appointment of the search firm.
- we have formed an initial search committee of Jane, Helen, Karin, Tom. This action was taken at the board mtg over a month ago. Since then we decided to add a community member, and believe Rufus should be added.
- we appoint an executive search firm. Jane is leading on this and will present recommendation to the others - to be appointed this week.
- the Search Committee will then work with the search firm to develop the description of what we're looking for - experience, competencies, etc. Usually the way this works is that the firm has conversations with key stakeholders, uses whatever written material we provide, but will then write the brief themselves.
- We will seek input into that description - as it will be hugely valuable and appreciated.
- the search firm produces a proposed long list of candidates based on our brief. The committe meets with the search firm to agree the long list.
- the search firm interviews the entire long list, and presents evaluations/results and a proposed short list
- the Search Committee then agrees the short list, and then the search committee interviews everyone on the short list. The Search Committee has yet to decide if this is done as individual interviews or panel interviews. Search firm will check references on the short list, and do any additional testing we may want (e.g, psychometrics, etc).
- search committee selects recommended candidate. At this point we likely want to have the candidate speak with other stakeholders because we will want their buy in and feedback on the candidate.
There are variants at this stage depending on if there is clear winner or not. Typically you wouldn't involve direct reports, the full board, Omidyar or other stakeholders with more than 1 or at most 2 candidates though - there is a point of diminishing returns in having too many participants, and there needs to be a distinction between stakeholders whose input is valued and where decision-making responsibility lies.
- The full board would vote on the recommendation of the search committee. I hope that recommendation will be accepted, if it's not we'll go around the loop again.
- search firm negotiates offer
- good search firms continue to monitor and help for approx 3 months to help ensure candidate and the org are successful in the selection
- we expect this whole process to take approx 3 months [ie the process from now until negotiations]
Issues & Ideas:
Please let us know if there are any things you feel the board should take into account when approving the community representative - either things which should be great to see, or things you think should be avoided.
- Tom (OKBR) believes it can be importan to have some participation of the global south in the selection process (+1)
- Mayo (OKFN Spain representative at OKFN Advocacy Board): Wikimedia Foundation went though a similar process recently. It could be a good inspirational source. SJ (OKFN Boston) could be someone could explain the experience.
- Mayo (""): Considering the high gender unbalance at the OKFN movement (see data on this at: http://wiki.digital-commons.net/Gender/okfest) it would be good to that the next Director keep being a women.
Nominations for the community representative:
Please suggest names of people and give reasons why they would be great in this role (as Community Representative on the Search Committee). You may also write directly to naomi.lillie@okfn.org if you would prefer. You may of course nominate yourself!
- Tom nominates 3 people from OKBR: Carolina Rossini, Alexandre Abdo and Heloisa Pait (Heloisa won't be able to support). Carolina Rossini said she is already able to review candidates, but working informaly. Would be possible to have a team of three people from OKBR so that they can distribute the work, if all agree to support the committee? This is under discussion at OKBR mailing list. [1] ~Tom [1] http://open-knowledge-foundation-brasil-rede-pelo-conhecimento-livre.50579.x6.nabble.com/okfn-br-Participacao-da-OKBR-na-escolha-do-novo-diretor-executivo-da-OKI-tt3050.html
- Pieter Colpaert nominates Pieter-Jan Pauwels, full-time community manager at Open Knowledge Belgium: he's good at finding the right balance between what a project or organization needs and what the community is shouting.
Note from Naomi Lillie: nominations are now closed, many thanks for the suggestions. I am now asking the nominees to accept the nomination on the basis of the above guidance (lines 14-20 on this pad) and will send the list of accepted nominees to the existing Search Team for selection.
Action Plan / Next steps
Contribute ideas etc on this pad.
Deadline:
Agenda
Q&A with Helen Turvey, Monday October 6th at 14.00 BST, here in this etherpad
Please send any nominations for the committee to Naomi Lillie on naomi.lillie@okfn.org, or you can use this etherpad where issues, general ideas and candidates can be submitted for broader community discussion.
This open call for input will run until Thursday October 16th (midnight BST)
Based on your recommendations, the Board will appoint a representative
NB. this process is still being designed and will of course seek input from OK employees and community members at different stages.
Please write down your name if you are attending this meeting!:
Helen Turvey
Naomi Lillie
Laura James
Alberto Abella (OKFN Spain)
Notes from Q&A:
Hi all, if you are joining this Q&A please write your name above (line 40+) so we know who's here (a tag or pseudonym is fine too!)
Hello & welcome to the Q&A session! Please add your name above (line 40) and ask your questions / make your comments in the above 2 sections (68+ & 74+)
Helen is here (and Naomi making notes) so ask away and we'll respond in line.
(Some clarification points added to the update from Helen above)
--wrap--