ABOUT US
Cook Silverman Search (Cook Silverman) is a retained search firm focused on senior executive positions for nonprofit organizations. Cook Silverman was formed as an alliance between old friends and business colleagues Pamela Cook and Victoria Schiff Silverman. Our client base represents a broad range of organizations, including independent schools, universities, conservation and environmental organizations, health care, social service, social justice, museums, science, animal welfare, faith-based organizations, and the arts. We are committed to providing ethical and exceptional service to every client we serve. We know thousands of professionals in nonprofit organizations throughout the United States, enabling us to help connect the best candidates with the right positions.
Victoria and Pam at Stanford
circa 1989
THE COOK SILVERMAN COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
Talent is at a premium in the nonprofit space and many candidates can move quickly into new positions, receiving multiple offers in the same week. Cook Silverman ensures top talent connects with our clients and has a great recruiting experience.
Cook Silverman brings more than two hundred combined years of nonprofit experience, spanning all aspects of development, advancement, communications and marketing, and executive management. Our team includes individuals who have served as executive directors, development and marketing directors and other senior positions in nonprofits, and therefore have unique knowledge and abilities to evaluate skill sets of nonprofit executives. We have worked in the positions our clients hope to fill, which gives us a distinctive perspective on evaluation of the candidates.
With over 450 searches successfully completed in the last twenty plus years, Cook Silverman has a long record of success: a deep bench of senior management, fundraising, marketing, finance, and communications, executives and strong connections within the nonprofit sector that makes us one of the most effective search firms in the business. In addition to our years of experience in the field, our team takes an approach that ensures we have our pulse on the market and an in-depth understanding of the needs of our clients, the potential pool of candidates, and the best methods to reach them.
OUR SERVICES
We provide expertise in identifying, evaluating, and securing candidates. Because we work exclusively with nonprofits, we know the status of the market, the potential pool of candidates and the best ways to effectively reach them. We have efficient systems and techniques that help minimize overhead costs.
Preparation We begin every search with several conversations with our clients so that we understand the opportunities and challenges of each search. In order to locate the best candidates available, it is very important to us to understand our client’s business model and the requirements of the open position.
Screening and Interviewing Based upon our outreach, we identify prospective candidates and conduct screening and in-depth, in-person interviews with every promising candidate.
Presentation Based on current market conditions, we present top candidates for your consideration.
Client Interviews We will deliver a first round of candidates for your organization to consider whom we feel are most qualified, and best fit with the demands of the position and organizational culture.
Reference Checks Once first round interviews are completed, and you have selected between one and three final candidates to bring back for a second round, we will conduct reference checks on selected candidate(s) upon request.
Placement Once you have selected a final candidate based upon the results of interviews and the candidate’s reference checks, we will be available to guide and advise the process of negotiating the terms of the candidate’s employment.
Our team includes individuals who have served as executive directors, advancement, development, and other senior positions in the nonprofit arena. We have unique knowledge and ability to reach out to and evaluate the skill sets of nonprofit professionals. We find and present candidates who best match the nonprofit’s needs.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS - ADDITIONAL SERVICES
We know that each search has a unique set of circumstances and therefore requires personalized attention. We work closely with our clients to create a search that works for each organization. Our many years of success combined with your unique and specific needs your produces results that our client organizations and candidates alike enjoy. Executive Director searches require unique and very specialized attention.
Cook Silverman Search can provide additional services designed to assure a smooth transition. We will help identify the needs of your organization, including strategy, internal and external communications, search committee mentorship and training, and coaching both for outgoing and incoming leaders. Ask about these special services when planning or considering your Executive Director transition.