This year promises to be a very different year in the not-for-profit (NFP) recruitment space. Usually we experience a quiet January, as hiring managers take extended leave over the school holidays. However, this was not the case for 2023. By the second week of January, Moir Group’s NFP Division had received an influx of new roles, as well as enquiries from employees seeking their next career opportunity. Perhaps ‘The Great Resignation’ is finally upon us and the contractor is the answer.
In this article, we explore the many opportunities available for contractors, the vast benefits for employers and a range of predicted recruitment trends in the NFP sector.
Catalyst for change
We cannot take the shift in society’s consciousness for granted. The pandemic was a catalyst for change, and we all became acutely aware of how we can play a part in creating a more progressive, inclusive, and sustainable society. We realised it was no longer about advocating groups to lobby for change but everyone’s collective responsibility to push the conversation forward. Many of our ‘for purpose’ clients — whether it be a charity or an institution — are receiving more attention and subsequently, more funding. This has enabled them to roll out strategic plans focusing on transformational growth.
Opportunities for the contractor
Employers have had to be strategic in how they staff their organisations and it’s a trend we expect to continue. The right team looks a little different to previous years. It has opened the door to career and seasonal contractors who have in-demand skills and expertise, and are available to fill short and long-term staffing gaps. They are often highly flexible and business resilient.
Forward-thinking organisations are increasingly bringing contractors onto their teams as an effective way to inject specialist high-level skills or to free-up permanent personnel to be seconded onto special projects. At Moir Group, we have observed this trend first-hand. Top talent is also opting for contract work over permanent positions because of the many favourable benefits and opportunities. In the NFP sector, there is a strong emphasis on cultural alignment, diversity, and inclusion, and many candidates are turning to contract work to meet their values. This has been a welcome return considering that during the height of the pandemic, many employers and employees opted for permanent jobs over contracts.
Benefits for the contractor
There are many benefits to engaging in contract work, including:
- It’s an opportunity to gain new skills and expand your professional network
- It’s flexible! You can take extended leave for travel or personal reasons in between contracts
- It provides a diversity of work assignments, situations, and settings
- It builds professional aptitudes like resilience, autonomy, task-focus, and results-driven
- It can be lucrative — contractors can expect a higher pay rate
- It’s an opportunity to explore your career passion
- It makes you more valuable and indispensable to the market
- It looks impressive on your CV and showcases a fast-tracked career
If you’re interested to learn more, download our factsheet, The Value of Finance and Accountancy contractors for Businesses.
Benefits for NFP organisations
There are many benefits to NFP organisations hiring contractors, including:
- Funding is often obtained for a fixed period such as 12-36 months. It makes sense to offer employment contracts with an end date in line with the budget.
- It alleviates head count issues and supports a “flexible engagement model”
- It provides a positive stop-gap solution for organisations experiencing a staffing crisis or fluctuating workflow
- It controls staffing costs
- It injects specialist, up-to-date skills into your team
- It creates flexibility and reduces risk
- It enables the fast delivery of key projects
- It provides a broad experience of different business models and strategies
- It’s an opportunity to draw from a larger talent pool to source the perfect fit
During the past few years, employees have had to be nimble, multi-skilled and ready to hit the ground running. Others may have stayed in their current role for longer than they intended, not wanting to seek a new role during lockdowns. Now they are ready to try something new and are open to short-term contracts whilst they figure out what they would like to do long-term. Our contractors today are uniquely positioned to help businesses thrive and grow to new heights.
Need for contractors continues to grow
In 2023, we expect the need for contractors to continue to grow. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, approximately 1.1 million Australians work as independent contractors. This number is growing for several reasons:
- There’s a greater diversity of thought and a global shift in the way we work
- The return of international travel has expanded many people’s lifestyle choices
- An influx of travellers on working holiday visas arriving in Australia following borders reopening
- Multinationals responded to slowing economic growth, rising interest rates and high inflation with permanent head count freezes. Hiring contractors may be the only option for them right now.
- Permanent employees are taking extended leave with leave they accrued during COVID
Other NFP recruitment trends
Alongside contracting being the stand-out trend for 2023, this year brings a host of other recruitment trends that will influence the staffing market in the NFP sector:
- Opening the talent pool: Companies are starting to rethink their hiring practices to tap into the largely untapped pool of neurodiverse talent and recognising the benefits to hiring people with cognitive differences.
- Hyper-flexible is the new hybrid: Allowing employees to work from home will no longer be enough to attract candidates in a tight job market. Employers looking to differentiate themselves will start offering hyper-flexible workplaces. This will include international remote working and more employers may begin offering flexible working arrangements such as full-time hours across a four-day working week.
- Diversity and inclusion: Business leaders globally accept that a culturally diverse workforce fuels innovation, creativity, and higher profitability. Recruitment agencies will focus on deploying innovative candidate evaluation tools designed to eliminate bias in recruiting and hiring.
- The career lattice: The concept of the career ladder is dead. Employees now climb a career lattice. Stepping sideways, changing industries, and taking secondments into unexpected roles will become the norm. Non-traditional career paths build inter-disciplinary skills, which more employees will seek out and candidates will use as a selling point.
- Paying it forward: Following the emotional, financial, and political upheaval of the past few years, many employees now want their work to have meaning beyond their renumeration. More people are expected to specifically seek out work that allows them to pay their skills forward.
- Cost of living vs charitable giving: The cost-of-living crisis is causing real pain.For the NFP clients we partner with, it can also be an opportunity to sharpen their fundraising and find innovative ways to engage donors.
Final word
Would you like to learn more about securing contract work with a NFP organisation? Or are you seeking to source quality finance professionals for your organisation? Contact the Moir Group team today for a chat.
Jennifer Hawea is a Senior Consultant in the Not-for-Profit Division. Jennifer enjoys cultivating deep, long-term relationships with her candidates and clients. This allows her to gain a unique understanding of their needs to achieve the right fit for their team or their career.