An Interim Executive Director (IED) has the chief responsibility of stepping into the executive director position to offer strong, effective, but temporary leadership to an organization after its executive director has departed. The IED is given the task of ensuring that the organization remains stable and keeps moving in the right direction during the executive search process and until the next executive director is successfully hired.

IED DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

An IED’s duties and responsibilities typically include assessing and managing finances, overseeing program operations, tending to fund raising goals, addressing immediate or potential resource issues, supporting managers and meeting the pressing needs of the board. However, the IED also addresses many additional needs typical of an organization going through an executive transition. The IED attends to the fears and anxieties of the staff, funders and organization supporters while working closely with the board during the transition. Also, it is quite typical for an IED to work with the board to improve an organization’s systems and generate a new excitement for the organization’s future.