As the first organization dedicated to higher education executive search, our service model has always focused on outstanding executive recruitment for colleges and universities. We have years of experience in the sector and understand the unique needs higher education institutions have when hiring.
We’ve proudly concluded more than 2,600 successful searches for Presidents/Chancellors, Provosts, Vice Presidents, and Deans in a variety of disciplines.
Administrative Areas:
Academic Affairs | Admissions & Enrollment | Advancement | Business & Finance | General Counsel | Human Resources | Information Technology | Marketing & Communications | Operations | Student Affairs | Student Success | And Many Others
Academic Disciplines:
Architecture | Arts & Humanities | Business & Economics | Education | Healthcare/Nursing | Hospitality | Libraries | STEM | And Many Others
We’re With You Every Step of the Way
Academic Search serves as your partner in a collaborative search effort. Our senior consultants interact extensively with your search committee to assist with organizing and managing the search process, and informing the crucial decisions of the search committees and hiring authorities.
We use a four-step process to frame our higher education executive search process: organize the search; lead recruitment; evaluate, select, and interview semifinalists; and close the search.
Organize
Academic Search works side-by-side with our partner institutions to analyze your needs, set specific goals, and develop operating guidelines. During this preliminary phase, we meet with appropriate departments such as human resources to ensure that the search process conforms to the regulations, requirements, and culture of our partner institution or organization.
Recruit
A key step in the search process is building a strong candidate pool with the unique qualifications of the open position. By getting to know your institution well, we guarantee we are finding candidates who fit with the mission and culture of the role. We cast a wide net to find the very best candidates, locally, nationally, and globally, and tap into our extensive networks to identify a broad group of candidates.
Through our connection to leadership development programs through our parent organization, the American Academic Leadership Institute, and many of our consultants actively participating in conferences and programs across the country, we are able to tap into an even larger range of candidates who are ready for their next role.
Evaluate, Select, and Interview
We partner with your search committee in designing and implementing a selection process tailored to your needs and campus culture. Our process involves working with you to develop an objective review method for evaluating candidates. Our senior consultants are actively involved in recruitment and evaluation and openly share insights into conversations with candidates and others throughout the interview process.
Close the Search
Our senior consultants work with you to not only select the finalists but also perform background checks and reference calls. We ensure consistent communication with all finalists throughout the process.
Once the campus interviews are completed, we ensure the search is brought to a successful conclusion. Our consultants can help develop recommendations to the hiring authority to facilitate a smooth transition for the newly hired candidate which might include communications strategies and a transition plan.
Beyond the Search
Leadership transitions can be both energizing and stressful times for institutional communities. We strive to guide you and your institution through these changes throughout the leadership lifecycle by providing transition and onboarding support as well as executive coaching.
Why Academic Search
As the first executive search firm dedicated to higher education, we bring a deep understanding of the evolving challenges and opportunities within the higher education landscape. Our team is composed of higher education leaders who bring a wealth of knowledge and expansive networks. Through this experience, we are uniquely positioned to understand, appreciate, and address the specific needs of each institution we partner with.
High Retention Rates
The very high percentages of appointees from our searches who remain in office five years later is strong evidence of our careful attention to institutional/appointee fit.
Meet Our Senior Consultants
Maya Ranchod Kirkhope
Vice President, Managing Director, and Senior Executive Coach
Maya.Kirkhope@academicsearch.org
Ms. Maya Ranchod Kirkhope’s understanding of higher education governance is unparalleled in the consulting realm. As an Academic Search Senior Consultant, Vice President of the firm, and Senior Executive Coach whose career is dedicated to improving the inner workings of executive cabinets, Ms. Kirkhope’s breadth of experience is a distinct asset.
Ms. Kirkhope discovered the life-changing prospects a higher education can provide early in life. She was raised in South Africa during the peak of Apartheid, which drastically limited Ms. Kirkhope’s educational and career options. However, she learned about the United States’ study abroad opportunities and was accepted at Ohio Wesleyan University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in history and psychology. While living in the heart of America’s Midwest with the freedom she never experienced in South Africa, Ms. Kirkhope gained the deep appreciation for academia, university governance, and the entire college experience that would guide her for the rest of her career.
She went on to earn her master’s degree in education from Columbia University, then worked for the University of Cape Town while living in New York City, fundraising for the esteemed institution. From there, she began a career with the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB), a membership organization dedicated to strengthening governing boards and their strategic roles.
Ms. Kirkhope was named director of AGB and oversaw more than 60 consultants across the US. In addition, she was responsible for the leadership, management, and marketing of its Board of Education and Consulting Service. While working closely with presidents and boards of trustees, Ms. Kirkhope became an expert at pinpointing an executive staff’s strengths and fragilities, and identifying ways to build upon and improve them, respectively.
Ms. Kirkhope’s all-encompassing skillset can be applied effectively to colleges and universities of all types, public and private. Her profound love of university governance and determination to help institutions reach their full potential drive her in every search she performs.
While working with a search committee, board of trustees, and hiring committee, Ms. Kirkhope values open communication, honesty, integrity, and clarity. Although she primarily specializes in presidential searches, she enjoys performing searches for all positions and immerses herself in the recruiting process.
Furthermore, she serves as a Senior Executive Coach and is a Gallup-certified coach. Ms. Kirkhope has been active in leadership development initiatives and has worked on various projects supporting women advancing to executive-level positions.
We look forward to partnering with you. Contact us for a complimentary search consultation or request for proposal.
1250 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 700 Washington, DC 20036-2657
Phone: 202-332-4049
Fax: 202-234- 7640
