A Jaffrey non-profit dedicating to helping downtown Jaffrey is searching for its next executive director.

TEAM Jaffrey Board of Directors President Dominique Caissie said Thursday that the board is searching for a new director to lead TEAM Jaffrey after Melanie McDonald announced she would be leaving her post on Nov. 9.

“I’m excited to see what the next chapter is for this organization,” said McDonald, who said she was sought out for a job opportunity that she couldn’t turn down. “This is not a decision I made lightly.”

McDonald said that in the future, she would like to still volunteer with TEAM Jaffrey and still attend the events.

“I’m proud that TEAM expanded and grew a lot of events we are known for [during my time as Executive Director,]” said McDonald, who said she was also proud of the work done to help downtown businesses and securing grants to help fund the organization. 

Caissie said that while it is unfortunate that McDonald is leaving, now is the best time to look for a new executive director as TEAM Jaffrey’s major events for the year recently concluded. Caissie also said the organization currently has a strong board to handle things in the interim. 

Currently, the board is scheduling interviews and has five applications for the position. Caissie said replacing McDonald is less of a time crunch and more about finding the right person.

“We might take a step back for a bit and save a little money,” said Caissie, referring to the savings that will accumulate not having a director on salary. “We want to make sure the new director meshes well with the board.”

TEAM Jaffrey will continue to offer the same services and events the non-profit is known for, according to Caissie, but said a new director could be an opportunity to expand partnerships with other nearby organizations, like Franklin Pierce University.

“We really want to keep what we have now, but there could be some opportunities to connecting with other groups to get them more involved as well,” said Caissie.