Elevating CEO Recruitment in Charities: Strategic Presentation Topics for Better Board Decisions

CEO recruitment is a defining moment for any charity. Beyond reviewing CVs and conducting interviews, incorporating candidate presentations into the process offers a richer perspective, revealing how a potential leader thinks, communicates, and aligns with your charity’s mission and values.

At Charity Recruit, we believe that structured candidate presentations can significantly enhance the CEO recruitment process for charities, ensuring boards make more confident, informed decisions about their next leader.

Why Candidate Presentations Matter in CEO Recruitment

Presentations allow charity boards to move beyond surface-level assessments. They help uncover:

• Strategic Thinking: Does the candidate have a compelling and actionable vision for the future?
• Communication Skills: Can they communicate ideas clearly and inspire others?
• Mission Alignment: Do their values and experiences resonate with your charity’s core purpose?
• Stakeholder Engagement: How do they approach building relationships with donors, partners, beneficiaries, and staff?

5 Powerful CEO Presentation Topics for Charities

Selecting the right presentation topics is key to evaluating leadership potential. Here are five effective themes to assign during your next charity CEO recruitment process:

1. A Five-Year Strategic Vision

Ask candidates to outline a bold yet realistic vision for the charity’s future. How will they grow impact, respond to sector trends, and navigate financial or operational challenges?

2. Culture, Leadership and Staff Engagement

How will they promote a strong, inclusive organisational culture? Look for ideas around team development, well-being, and retaining mission-driven talent.

3. Innovation in Service Delivery

What ideas do they bring for improving or evolving how the charity delivers services? This is especially relevant for charities operating in complex or shifting environments.

4. Building Stakeholder Relationships

Invite candidates to explain how they would foster deeper connections with funders, community partners, and internal teams to build trust and drive collective impact.

5. Financial Sustainability and Growth

Evaluate their understanding of charity finance. Can they diversify income, lead fundraising efforts, and ensure long-term sustainability?

How to Structure the Presentation Process

To ensure a fair and insightful process:

• Set Clear Expectations: Communicate time limits, objectives, and evaluation criteria in advance.
• Create an Inclusive Format: Provide any required support or accommodations.
• Encourage Q&A: Allow trustees to engage with candidates to test their thinking and adaptability.
• Standardise Feedback: Use structured scoring rubrics to compare candidates fairly and consistently.

How to Evaluate Presentations Effectively

When assessing each CEO candidate’s presentation, consider:

• Vision Clarity: Is their strategy coherent, impactful, and mission-aligned?
• Sector Understanding: Do they show insight into the charity and non-profit landscape?
• Authenticity & Passion: Do they demonstrate real commitment to the cause?
• Communication & Influence: Are they persuasive and engaging? Can they lead and inspire?
• Responsiveness & Agility: How do they handle tough questions or feedback?
• Cultural Fit: Would they contribute positively to the board and wider team?

A consistent evaluation framework helps reduce bias and ensures that your decision is aligned with both strategy and values.

Trust Your Instincts, Too

Even with the best processes, don’t ignore your gut feeling. Sometimes, it’s your intuition that detects the subtleties like chemistry, presence, and authenticity, that structured tools might miss.