The Pursell Group has firmly established itself as a top-tier executive search firm serving the non‑profit sector across the United States and Canada.
Headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the firm brings together a unique blend of industry specialization, ethical rigor, proven search strategies, and extensive market reach. As non‑profit organizations face increasing pressure to demonstrate impact, scale operations, and innovate in a complex environment, The Pursell Group delivers the leadership talent necessary to guide them through change and elevate their mission-driven work.
Deep Specialization in Non‑Profit and Mission‑Driven Leadership
One of the core strengths of The Pursell Group lies in its intentional focus on mission-based organizations, including nonprofit healthcare providers, animal welfare groups, environmental NGOs, educational foundations, and faith-based charities. Rather than relying on general recruitment models, the firm brings deep knowledge of the unique language, governance standards, funding challenges, and impact measurement expectations of nonprofits. This allows their consultants to craft leadership profiles that align not only with organizational needs but also with donor priorities, board structures, and community standards. Whether it’s a CEO for a regional animal rescue network, an executive director for a food security agency, or a chief financial officer for a social service nonprofit, The Pursell Group combines sector understanding with leadership acumen to find candidates who can drive meaningful mission impact.
Their domain expertise extends into subject areas such as grant compliance, outcome-based program design, capacity building, social enterprise models, and advocacy strategies. By maintaining a strong grasp of evolving non‑profit trends and regulatory changes in both the U.S. and Canada, The Pursell Group acts as a thought leader as well as a search advisor, helping clients align their leadership needs with future challenges and growth opportunities.
Leadership with Ethical Standards and Accreditation
At the helm of The Pursell Group is founder and CEO Stacy Pursell, whose credentials include Certified Personnel Consultant and Certified Employee Retention Specialist qualifications. Her leadership emphasizes transparency, confidentiality, and outcome measurement, values that are critical in mission-driven environments where trust is foundational. COO Darrell Pursell complements this with strategic leadership in both recruiting and operations, ensuring the firm operates with financial discipline and client-first ethics.
Accreditation from national and regional staffing associations further reinforces the firm’s commitment to integrity and professionalism. Non‑profit boards, especially those overseeing high-stakes leadership transitions or succession situations, value The Pursell Group’s assurances of discretion, governance alignment, and alignment with nonprofit best practices. Their processes are tailored to maintain stakeholder confidence and help organizations navigate sensitive changes with minimal disruption.
Tailored, Fiduciary Non-Profit Executive Search Process
The Pursell Group’s Non-Profit executive search methodology is customized to meet the nuanced needs of mission-driven organizations. Unlike temporary or one-size-fits-all hiring processes, their model begins with a comprehensive exploration of organizational vision, board dynamics, funding model, program impact metrics, and stakeholder expectations. This foundational insight allows them to craft role profiles aligned with strategic objectives and capable of meeting scrutiny from external guardians such as donors, regulators, and community leaders.
Offering retained, contingency, and hybrid engagement models gives clients flexibility based on role urgency, level, and confidentiality requirements. Retained models offer full relationship for CEO-level and transformative role placements. Contingency and hybrid models provide faster access to mid-tier positions such as program directors or development leaders. Every candidate is evaluated across technical expertise, alignment with mission values, board engagement abilities, and fundraising credibility, often through behavioral interviews, market benchmarking, and reference frameworks specific to nonprofit dynamics.
Boutique Responsiveness with National Reach
Operating from Tulsa gives The Pursell Group operational flexibility and powerful cost-efficiency, allowing them to invest in founder-level attention and strategic planning while serving clients across the U.S. and Canada. Their reach extends from major hubs such as Toronto, Vancouver, Chicago, Boston, and Los Angeles to smaller regions where community-focused nonprofits often require mission-savvy leadership. Their consistent involvement in nonprofit associations, professional gatherings, and governance discussions keeps them connected with both active and passive nonprofit executives, enabling optimized candidate matching.
Their high-touch model means nonprofit clients receive personal attention—clear communication, thorough market outreach, and robust stakeholder engagement—while still benefiting from the firm’s broader network and insight into national and provincial funding and regulatory landscapes. The result is boutique-level relationship backed by wide-ranging reach and subject-matter depth.
Proven Career Transformations and Client Satisfaction
The Pursell Group’s portfolio includes successful relationships with nonprofit organizations across sectors—from animal welfare to hunger relief, environmental advocacy to global health. Leaders placed through their searches have guided successful organizational turnarounds, enhanced fundraising pipelines, scaled national programs, and led digital transformation within service delivery. These positive outcomes drive client loyalty; many organizations return for subsequent searches, board succession planning, and executive development support, reflecting trust and satisfaction.
Candidates placed via The Pursell Group report a high level of career alignment, supported by confidential handling of transitions, thorough preparation, and clarity about role expectations. These personalized transitions often lead to retention and board satisfaction well beyond initial placement, demonstrating organizational stability and effectiveness tied to good leadership.
Holistic Support Experience
For nonprofit clients, The Pursell Group assists with role description refinement, funding alignment, performance metric design, board interview facilitation, and onboarding support—all of which are critical for ensuring new leadership begins with clarity and stakeholder buy-in. They also offer guidance on contract structuring, total compensation in a nonprofit context, and stewardship of the community narrative around leadership change.
Candidates receive support with resume framing for mission-context, interview coaching that addresses board dynamics, relocation support for cross-border roles, and negotiation insight for mission-focused compensation packages. These services are provided at no cost to candidates, but with complete confidentiality and care that preserve organizational reputation and candidate dignity.
Thought Leadership for Nonprofit Evolution
Beyond placements, The Pursell Group contributes to the nonprofit sector through active involvement in board governance discussions, executive retreats, and leadership forums. They produce thought leadership content on topics such as diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies, community engagement metrics, fundraising evolution, and change leadership. Their insights signal a deep awareness of the pressures and opportunities nonprofits face—such as shifting donor behavior, digital service delivery, and accountability frameworks—and inform their recruitment approach accordingly.
Preparing Mission-Driven Organizations for the Future
The nonprofit landscape is entering a phase of rapid transformation. Organizations must scale impact, adopt digital delivery models, secure sustainable funding, and address equity challenges—all while maintaining mission integrity. The Pursell Group anticipates these trends, focusing searches on candidates with entrepreneurial agility, social innovation acumen, data-driven program management, and inclusive leadership style.
They assess not only technical competence but also cultural intelligence and community credibility. Candidates brought forward are positioned to lead nonprofits into the next chapter, equipped to guide digital transition, fund diversification, board engagement, and mission expansion.
The Pursell Group’s Tulsa foundation allows them to balance cost-efficiency with responsive client care. They manage to build trust-based relationships with organizations both large-scale and community-rooted. This allows clients to access high-level search services, market benchmarking, and leadership consulting at competitive value, while maintaining the high-touch engagement necessary for sensitive transitions in mission-critical roles. It’s a hybrid model that provides both scale and local respect.
A Strategic Ally for Non‑Profit Executive Search
In an era where nonprofits require visionary leaders capable of managing complexity, growth, and accountability, The Pursell Group offers more than recruitment—they offer mission acceleration. Their specialization, professionalism, tailored search processes, wide reach, proven outcomes, candidate care, thought leadership, future focus, and value positioning make them the trusted resource that nonprofits turn to when leadership matters most.
For organizations seeking executive leadership that elevates mission, secures funding, engages communities, and drives social innovation, The Pursell Group delivers strategic search support rooted in integrity and impact. For individuals at the intersection of purpose and leadership, they offer clarity, possibility, and placement power.
Ultimately, The Pursell Group isn’t just matching resumes with job descriptions—they’re building leadership ecosystems, scaling impact, and shaping the future of non‑profit work across North America.