Navigating HR challenges and shaping the future of NGOs

The Kestria NGO & Not For Profit Global Practice Group has convened six esteemed experts from around the globe to explore how NGOs can leverage innovative leadership strategies, adapt to shifting global dynamics and cultivate agile, mission-driven teams to drive lasting impact in a rapidly changing world.

Key takeaways:

Talent management in NGOs requires adaptation: NGOs must tailor their recruitment strategies to fit both limited resources and the specific needs of mission-driven work. Creative approaches, such as leveraging internal training or providing non-monetary benefits, are essential to attract and retain the right talent.

Leadership agility is critical for long-term impact: Effective leadership in NGOs requires agility, cross-cultural competency and the ability to adapt quickly to changing environments. Leaders must balance the demands of crisis management with the need for long-term sustainability and team well-being.

Holistic staff well-being is key in crisis zones: As NGOs face increasing risks, especially in humanitarian crises, the well-being of staff must be a strategic priority. This includes providing mental health support, fostering trust and creating a culture that encourages learning from failures to ensure both safety and effectiveness in high-stress environments.

Talent management in the Non-Profit sector

Nadia Virasamy, CEO, Moving Into Dance, South Africa, notes that their recruitment processes have a unique edge. ‘In managing a dance company, we recruit exclusively from our three-year training programme, hiring graduates and those who’ve advanced within the organisation to nurture the talent we need.

Challenges arise in administrative recruitment, especially with our limited budgets as a not-for-profit, making market rates unfeasible. While we try to develop internal talent, transitioning dancers into administrative roles often doesn’t succeed. Although they excel creatively, administration can be difficult. This is a common industry issue—great performers don’t always make effective administrators.

At times, we’ve managed the transition successfully and found individuals passionate about our work, even without a performing arts background, willing to take on the responsibility.

Coming from an academic background, I began as Director of Education and advanced within the organization. While we aim to enhance skills in arts administration, the lack of formal administrative training among artists remains a significant industry gap.’

Kirsten Sayers, CEO, Caritas, Australia, shares her insights on the unique challenges in talent management that nonprofit or for-purpose organisations face. ‘We recognise the challenges of limited financial resources, competitive compensation and complex mission-driven environments, with the added layer of ecclesial governance.

Our focus is on a strong employee value proposition, emphasizing the meaningful impact of our work. We communicate our social mission and share the tangible outcomes of employee contributions, such as through lunch-and-learns on regional impacts.

Matt Reid, CEO, Barnardos, New Zealand, explains that for Barnardos, they employ teachers, social workers, youth workers, counselors, therapists and others who support children and families experiencing vulnerable situations in their lives. ‘We do not compete on salary; however, we have been successful in attracting high-caliber professionals by effectively communicating our mission. Individuals are drawn to being part of a greater cause and movement. Rather than focusing solely on social work, we emphasise the profound impact of transforming lives and creating brighter futures for children. This approach resonates with those seeking to contribute to something more significant than a job title, fostering a desire to be part of a mission-driven organisation.’

Future leadership needs 

Heleen van den Berg, CEO, Cordaid, Netherlands, emphasises that the organisation is working in the world’s most fragile states, addressing the root causes of fragility. ‘We work with numerous partners across 15 countries worldwide, but we also recognise the need to reinvent ourselves. This is an urgent time, and if we do not act swiftly, the communities we serve will be hit the hardest.

In terms of leadership, we collaborate closely with our country offices and many of our partners, such as those in Congo, South Sudan, Mali and Burkina Faso, to strengthen both our partners and the leaders within our country offices.

The dilemma we face is how to continue running programmes that save millions of lives while adapting to new structures. As we recruit and retain leaders, we ask: How do we keep people inspired? How do we encourage them to reinvent themselves, their offices, and our ways of working, while still delivering aid where it is most needed?

We address this by sharing tangible outcomes and focusing on storytelling. While we avoid overemphasising our administration or business model, we recognise the need for change. This is where we stand at this moment as Cordaid.’

Lucy Surhyel Newman, CEO, Africa Private Sector Summit (APSS), Ghana, highlights that one of the key leadership challenges at APSS is raising awareness of the Continental Frameworks essential for development, particularly in the context of limited resources for development and aid. ‘​Recruiting leaders with the right skills and experience is a challenge. Our focus is on seasoned professionals from private, public or social sectors who have deep networks and a genuine interest in Africa. We prioritise internal recruitment to ensure alignment with our mission, extending externally when necessary. Candidates must demonstrate proven expertise and credibility; there's no room for pretense. Effective communication across policy and grassroots levels is vital, requiring flexibility, empathy and efficiency. Africa's minimal time zone differences facilitate communication and proficiency with modern tools, data analysis and report tracking is essential. 

We collaborate across sectors, with many in our network working for global development agencies or retiring early to contribute to Africa. Diversity is key, requiring strong linguistic and cultural skills to navigate Africa's regions, tribes and languages.

A global mindset is essential, as many African businesses have international operations. Engaging with the African Union and regional communities, like Agenda 2063 and AfCFTA, is critical. We aim for win-win outcomes while respecting national identities. The African diaspora, rich in technical skills, is a key asset in our governance structure.’

Panelists also conveyed that a multidisciplinary perspective is important given the complexity of the solutions required across today’s development landscape. It was asserted that the challenges encountered are inherently complex, therefore requiring both depth and breadth of experience addition, the ability to be able to identify key issues and address the heart of a problem is essential. This, in turn, involves a clear understanding of strategic matters, opportunities, and risks, as well as insight into how an organisation implements its strategy. Empowering others and ensuring that each staff member understands their role and responsibilities was also regarded as critical.

​‘We have established partnerships with nearby universities and colleges to enhance our recruitment efforts,’ adds Nadia Virasamy. ‘For instance, we collaborate with a local university's office administration program to provide students with practical experience that complements their academic studies. This initiative has been effective in sourcing competent administrative staff.​

However, we face challenges in areas such as marketing and social media engagement. These functions often receive lower budgetary priority due to other pressing organisational needs. While we have attempted to utilise interns to bridge this gap, the results have been limited. We are actively exploring more sustainable solutions to address this issue.’

According to Matt Reid, there is a concerning rise in instances of child harm, poverty and care placements in New Zealand, particularly within Barnardos' operational scope. ‘These trends have persisted over the years, indicating that our public systems, including essential services like water, are not showing signs of improvement. From a leadership standpoint, three key attributes are essential, especially within New Zealand's public sector:

1. Courage: We require leaders who possess the courage to navigate vulnerability, leveraging imagination and curiosity to drive change and transformation.​
2. Positive Attitude: While seemingly straightforward, a positive attitude is crucial. At Barnardos, it constitutes a significant criterion in our recruitment process, reflecting its importance in our organisational culture.​
3. Kotahitanga: This Māori word translates to 'one united team.' While individual leaders can achieve remarkable feats, collective leadership can be a force of transformation.​

To cultivate these qualities, trust is fundamental. Trust stands as the greatest gift of leadership, albeit often challenging to extend. However, when trust is present, positive outcomes typically ensue. Fostering a culture of trust necessitates creating an environment where failure is safe, learning is encouraged and mistakes are not repeated.​ In the current New Zealand context, embracing trust could unlock the potential for courage, kotahitanga and positive attitudes among our leaders.’

Responding to global crises 

Kirsten Sayers highlights that it ultimately comes back to what has been discussed: having the right person in place. Choose your people wisely, recruit those who embody the vision, mission and values, and who can respond agilely to a crisis or emerging situation. ‘Our humanitarian response in Myanmar focuses on supporting the physical and mental well-being of affected communities. This includes mental health support, safety preparedness, trauma-informed systems and risk management. We provide tailored training such as Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT), stress adaptation and conflict zone management. Our well-being ecosystem includes physical health monitoring, flexible work arrangements and post-mission support, ensuring effective communication and reintegration for colleagues in crisis zones. 

We leverage digital platforms to ensure the well-being of humanitarian staff in challenging environments. Following an increase in humanitarian worker fatalities last year, we advocated for and are supporting Australia’s proposal at the UN for a declaration protecting humanitarian personnel. Leading organisations recognise that staff care is a strategic priority, fostering growth, safety and empowerment to better serve communities in tough conditions.’

Heleen van den Berg reiterates Kirsten's point, highlighting the increase in humanitarian workers killed last year, a troubling trend that persists. This is deeply concerning and emphasizes the urgent need for a holistic staff well-being system. ‘In recent months, we evacuated staff from Congo and Burundi and are now operating in South Sudan. While evacuating expatriates is unsettling, it’s more concerning that local staff remain behind. This highlights the importance of cross-cultural leadership and understanding the challenges of working in fragile contexts.

Despite strong leadership, risk assessments, duty of care and mental health systems, a disconnect remains between headquarters and field staff, especially in these complex geopolitical times. Recruiting leaders with cross-cultural competencies to navigate diverse perspectives is crucial. We work closely with beneficiaries and are transforming our systems, requiring leaders who can manage this complexity.

It’s unrealistic to expect individuals to know and do everything. We must improve mutual understanding. We’re revising our staff well-being framework, ensuring robust risk assessments and security training, but the diversity and certainty within our leadership team remain pressing issues for Cordaid.’

Leadership in humanitarian collaboration 

Effective collaboration depends on structured knowledge exchange and open communication. Clear systems and processes enable candid dialogue, supporting creative problem-solving. Core values like integrity, teamwork, and impact guide our projects. With limited resources, aligning with development partners and sequencing activities is vital to avoid duplication and enhance collaboration.

‘For APSS, collaboration across the private sector is essential, ranging from large corporations to micro-enterprises,‘ says Lucy Surhyel Newman. ‘We advocate for policies presented to parliaments and the African Union, collaborating with regional economic communities. Understanding sponsors' objectives and aligning our advocacy is crucial for collaboration. 

Different organisations have different objectives, but frameworks like the Private Sector Bill of Rights (PSBoR), Agenda 2063, ESG, climate issues, unemployment and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals provide common ground for collaboration.

Thorough research and market intelligence are crucial for objective decision-making. NGOs often focus too much on their causes, which can limit their ability to listen and assess logically. Relying on data and simulations helps anticipate outcomes, reduce conflicts and support the drafting of memorandums of understanding.

Investing in volunteer networks is crucial, though often overlooked by NGOs. Stakeholder analysis tools help identify individuals with varying levels of interest and influence, which is valuable when resources are limited.

Reflecting on past disasters and proposing prevention strategies is effective. In Africa, the Ubuntu philosophy "I am because we are, each of us is, because we are" has been instrumental in fostering collaboration. Our strength lies in operating as a network of like-minded organisations, achieving significant outcomes together.’

Kirsten Sayers emphasises that, in large-scale responses, Caritas prioritises network leadership to establish clear coordination mechanisms while respecting each organisation's autonomy, mandate and expertise. ‘Adaptive leadership is crucial for flexibility and agility in dynamic, sometimes opaque, environments involving different countries, cultures and languages. An inclusive decision-making process is essential, ensuring local actors and affected communities are central to discussions and decisions - nothing about me without me.

Transparent communication is key to building trust through information sharing and joint planning. While the triple nexus is often discussed, honest appraisals of each other's capabilities are crucial. No one can do everything, so we focus on doing what we do well and collaborating closely with partners across sectors. Large-scale responses must always be adaptable.’

‘In the Netherlands, we have the Dutch Relief Alliance – an alliance of over 15 INGOs working worldwide,’ states Heleen van den Berg. ‘​We collaborate as an alliance, like Save the Children, UNICEF and World Vision, working with the government on humanitarian responses. For each response, one organisation leads and we collaborate with local groups in each country. We are not in competition, but follow clear guidelines and protocols. Over the years, we've grown together as INGOs, working with the government on joint responses. 

The ongoing challenge of collaborating with the private sector, especially in the Netherlands, remains. While progress is being made, there's still work to do in finding common ground during humanitarian crises. However, I believe the Dutch Relief Alliance is one of our best practices.’

Matt Reid stresses that it’s all about relationships. ‘There's immense value in understanding people, getting to know key partners, children, parents and their backgrounds. We can gain a considerable deal from the Māori in New Zealand, where relationships are of paramount importance. In my experience, when one truly understands another and shares a sincere, profound connection beyond professional matters, collaboration becomes substantially more effective, particularly during challenging circumstances.’

Nadia Virasamy points out the constant emphasis on fundraising within the non-profit sector in South Africa, a focus likely shared globally and stresses that collaboration is key. ‘A colleague of mine once remarked: "Maybe it's not fundraising; maybe it's friend-raising". It’s about building networks and strong relationships. Fundraising can be demoralizing, but through collaboration and strong bonds, we empower ourselves. This approach helps others understand our needs without feeling like we’re begging, which can devalue our work.

Collaboration is essential, and networking has been beneficial. We often exchange services, such as my organisation conducting team-building activities in return for mental health counselling for our staff. These non-monetary exchanges are equally valuable, focusing on exploring and leveraging available opportunities.’

Summary

In conclusion, the evolving NGO landscape highlights the need for adaptive leadership, strategic talent management and a focus on staff well-being. As these organisations face complex global challenges, building agile, mission-driven teams will be key to driving impactful change. Insights from global leaders emphasise the importance of authentic leadership rooted in strong values. By adopting innovative approaches to recruitment, retention and leadership development, NGOs can thrive in an era of uncertainty. Their future success will depend on fostering resilience, cross-cultural understanding and leveraging the strength of diverse, talented teams committed to a shared vision.

The Kestria NGO and Not-for-Profit Practice Group is a key partner for organisations navigating the complexities of a rapidly changing global landscape. With in-depth industry expertise, this group helps NGOs and NFPs thrive by identifying leaders who drive innovation and create lasting, impactful change. Kestria specialises in finding social entrepreneurs and strategic leaders who deliver measurable results, making a tangible difference in the lives of individuals and communities worldwide.