Meet Third Sector
Mission: transform public systems to advance improved and equitable outcomes
Background: governments and philanthropy spend trillions a year on social sector programs, but funding isn’t always allocated based on the most effective ones.
Third sector helps organizations connect resources to results, ensuring that those entrusted with funds have the systems, tools, and data to do better for the people they serve.
40 communities impacted
$60M raised in private funding
$1.2B deployed in government resources
Our Challenge
Our challenge was to help Third Sector achieve their Better Off Measure (BOM): representing at least 50% people of color.
Third Sector was evolving fast. What started as a pay for success model had become an organization that was elevating racial equity work in its partner communities - and taking a fresh look at its own.
“Each recruitment cycle was netting primarily white candidates and white hires,” says Dynasti Hunt, Managing Director of Talent & Equity. “We wanted to put an intentional focus on changing our pipeline and reached out to Larnell as a partner in changing the composition of our team.”
Our Partnership
Our partnership started with a single scope that quickly evolved across all levels of the organization. Our most important non-negotiable? Finding candidates that were truly diverse and qualified.
“What I see a lot of in the industry is; let’s make sure we have a racially diverse pipeline,” says Dynasti. “It’s one thing to have a racially diverse pipeline. It’s another to have that and have the candidates be qualified.”
We had our eye on Third Sector for several years, so we knew the facts. What we needed in order to deliver was a deeper understanding of the organization’s people and inner workings. So we doubled down, defining the professional and cultural mandatories for every role. “Larnell made it a priority to be an extension of our talent team,” says Danielle Antico, Human Resources Manager. “It was very clear that he wanted to get to know Third Sector - the culture, the values, how people interact, and the non-negotiables of joining the team.”
Even with Third Sector’s BOM in mind, there were times when we had to push ourselves far beyond traditional search channels. “Larnell’s ability to have that honest discussion was invaluable,” says Tim Pennell, Managing Director. “It was about being able to see that initial pool of candidates and pushing our thinking on where those candidates can come from.” True to form, we weren’t shy about targeting candidates who weren’t looking for a new role - or didn’t have a typical resume. Adds Tim, “We hired candidates we never would have reached out to if it wasn’t for Larnell. It’s allowed us to expand beyond a candidate and their experience to the bigger opportunity behind a role.”
Candidates like Sharolyn Miller, Managing Director of Finance & Operations, who was with the public school district of Jackson, MI since 2004 and had no intention of leaving. “I absolutely was not looking for a job,” says Sharolyn. “I was prepared to retire in the next five or six years.” Despite that, she was hooked. “The professionalism with which the opportunity was laid out made it clear that this was the real deal.” As Sharolyn moved up through the interview process, our partnership with her was key to helping both sides understand how her skills and personality could translate. “Larnell and his team made me feel so comfortable,” says Sharolyn. “Every time I thought; can I really do this? They made me go; I can really do this.”
Like we’d seen many times, our knowledge of organization and candidate was essential to building the understanding and trust to get each relationship to the next level. “Larnell knew the organization,” says Sharolyn. “He wasn’t just selling them to me. He knew how they and I were going to work together, even when I didn’t.” Adds Tim, “Hearing and understanding the initial conversation between Larnell’s team and a candidate gave us a different perspective than looking through a stack of resumes would have.”
After she was hired by Third Sector in 2021, our partnership with Sharolyn took on new meaning as she started hiring for her new team. “It was confirmation to me,” says Sharolyn. “The honesty around each applicant was unique. They weren’t just trying to fulfill a contract; they were really trying to help our organization.” Affirms Tim, “My experience of what I thought we needed in a role has been transformed through Larnell’s recruitment process. It’s let me challenge my assumptions of who we need. It’s meant trusting the whole person to shape, transform, and carry the organization forward.”
Our Impact
Together with Third Sector, we achieved equal representation across most levels in 2021.
“The numbers don’t lie in terms of the number of people we’ve been able to hire with Larnell,” says Danielle. “To hire 14 people in under a year during a pandemic when the competition for talent has never been more fierce is really exemplary.” As we fuel up for our next hiring cycle in 2022, we’re ready to make that goal a reality across the rest of the organization. Adds Danielle, “From the very first hire we were hooked on this partnership. That’s why we keep coming back.”
14 diverse hires in 2021
Across Finance, Operations, Communications, Learning & Impact, Talent, and Project Teams
100% retention in 2021
39% diversity increase from 2019 - 2021