Advice & Resources, Industry Insight
“Numbers are numbers, it doesn’t matter if they are people or products.” I hear some version of this in interviews with finance professionals more often than you’d think. And in some sectors, perhaps you could make that argument. But in charities, public sector and not-for-profit organisations? It is one of the answers that concerns me around cultural fit more than many other answers.
The people you hire in a mission-driven organisation don’t just deliver a service, they are the organisation, in the eyes of your beneficiaries, your funders, and the communities you exist to serve. Getting that wrong at a senior level has consequences that go far beyond a difficult probationary period. Ultimately the majority of people I place, *could* choose to work anywhere and potentially earn a higher salary than the broader not for profit sector might provide; Without values alignment, during any periods of challenge, finance professionals who need to dig deep to achieve both personal and organisational success may feel resentment which can lead to disengagement and poor performance. Just because a role is lower paid in the not for profit sector, doesn’t mean it’s “easier” or “less stress”, but what it can mean is that you can get up every day knowing that every financial challenge you overcome ultimately benefits the wider community and that you are indirectly doing something really good with your skills, ability and time.
The research backs this up. Studies on person-organisation fit have consistently found that matching candidates to an organisation’s values, strategies and culture, not just their skills, results in greater job performance, higher job satisfaction, and stronger organisational commitment.
Yet “cultural fit” is a phrase I use carefully, because it’s been misused. Used lazily, it becomes a cover for hiring people who look, sound, and think exactly like the team already in place. That’s not values alignment, that’s homogeneity, and it actively undermines the diverse, inclusive organisations that this sector should be striving to build.
What I’m really talking about is values fit: does this person’s fundamental approach to accountability, to people, to the mission itself, genuinely align with those of the organisation?
These questions have to be asked rigorously, and early, not at final interview, but in how your organisational has defined the role from the outset. Get it right, and you’re not just filling a vacancy. You’re protecting everything your organisation stands for.
Lucy Rider
Senior Director
T: 07983 549758
E:lucyrider@brosterbuchanan.com
With more than 23 years of experience in recruitment – including 22 years dedicated to accounting and finance roles across Yorkshire – Lucy is one of the region’s most respected and trusted senior recruitment leaders.
