Hiring a General Manager (GM) or CEO is one of the biggest decisions a food co-op Board of Directors will ever make.

We're available to help! Scroll down to learn how we can support your search process.

Our experts provide full process support to both the search committee and the Board of Directors to ensure the best outcome, through a thorough, thoughtful, and transparent search and hiring process.

From resume review and candidate screening to coordinating the finalist interview process and negotiating an offer to your chosen candidate—and everything in between—we ensure a thorough process is followed and that the Board feels supported along the way.

Relationship Building

Candidate Screening

Finalist Interview and Selection

Experience and Mentorship

Key benefits

  • Relationship building: We know that each co-op is unique and has specific leadership needs. We take the time to learn about the current situation at your co-op to gain perspective and insight into what your co-op needs most in its next General Manager.

  • Candidate screening: We work closely with the executive search firm (if applicable) as they screen potential candidates. We conduct phone interviews with each candidate and coordinate the process for the first round of interviews with the search committee.

  • Finalist interviews and selection: We work with you to coordinate the process for the Board to conduct in-person interviews with the finalist candidates and provide support as the Board makes its hiring decision. We support both the candidates and the Board to ensure an efficient, productive, and enjoyable site visit for each of the finalists. Once a candidate is selected, we are available to advise during compensation negotiations, as needed, and to ensure reference and background checks are completed on the selected candidate.

Our experts provide full process support to both the search committee and the Board of Directors.

From resume review and candidate screening to coordinating the finalist interview process and negotiating an offer to your chosen candidate—and everything in between—we ensure a thorough process is followed and that the Board feels supported along the way.

General Manager (GM) or CEO Search Support

If you choose to utilize a search firm, we are the main contact person with the recruiter, acting as the Board’s agent in coordinating throughout the process. We have a great relationship with a recruiting partner who we highly recommend. Should you choose to work without a search firm, we will work with you to advertise the position and will aim to cast as wide a net as possible to find the best candidates within your timeline. However, we are not recruiters. A passive recruiting process is likely to take more time and entail significantly more work.

By managing the process, we will assume many of the responsibilities of the search committee chair so they may focus on other co-op responsibilities, and the process does not become a full-time job for anyone. We will work closely with the search committee and be responsible for helping to ensure that the Board and the search committee remain aligned throughout the process.

Relationship Building

We know that each co-op is unique and has specific leadership needs. We take the time to learn about the current situation at your co-op to gain perspective and insight into what your co-op needs most in its next General Manager or CEO.

Together with the Board, we help you create a list of key qualifications to use through the screening and interviewing process. We also review and propose revisions to the GM/CEO job description.

Candidate Screening

We work closely with the executive search firm (if applicable) as they screen potential candidates.

We conduct phone interviews with each candidate and coordinate the process for the first round of interviews with the search committee.

If there is no search firm, we ensure the position is posted strategically, and we review and screen all incoming resumes.  

Finalist Interviews and Selection

We work with you to coordinate the process for the Board to conduct in-person interviews with the finalist candidates and provide support as the Board makes its hiring decision.

We support both the candidates and the Board to ensure an efficient, productive, and enjoyable site visit for each of the finalists.

Once a candidate is selected, we are available to advise during compensation negotiations, as needed, and to ensure reference and background checks are completed on the selected candidate.

Experience and Resources

The following are some of the areas where our support and guidance are the most valuable to our clients:

  • Defining qualifications for the GM and ensuring an appropriate job description is in place.
  • Creating a realistic timeline for the process.
  • Planning and facilitating search committee meetings.
  • Conducting initial screening for designated candidates.
  • Facilitating the interview process, including developing interview guides based on key qualifications.
  • Making an offer/providing an offer letter.
  • Drafting a compensation package/employment agreement.
Contact Us for more info!

What our participants say:

“Melanie was invaluable in our GM search; a tremendous asset to our Board and Co-op. We very much appreciated her tireless work on our behalf throughout the hiring process. It was quite a journey for all of us – a journey made effective and enjoyable by Melanie’s skill and energy. She is an outstanding resource for any Co-op looking to hire general management at the national level.”

Rob May, Board of Directors, First Alternative Natural Foods Co-op

“In the world of GM Search professionals, you [Carolee Colter] are a rock star…your wealth of knowledge and experience was invaluable. Thank you so much for respecting our process and guiding us.”

GM Search Committee, Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op

“Melanie’s value add was concrete and undeniable. She knew the best places to advertise for a new GM, screened all applicants, and recommended which ones were worth pursuing, always leaving the final decision to us. Her advice during our final candidate discussions and decision-making process was priceless.”

Alice Ciccu, Board of Directors

For More Information

Download Informational Flyers: GM Development, GM Search Support, and Management on Contract Services.

Related Resources

View more in the Columinate Library >>

Find an Expert

Together, our consultants help you operate better, so your impact is greater. The sole mission of our team is to outfit your community for sustainable success.

See all Search Support Consultants