Conducting an Executive Search for a Deputy Chief Executive to Drive System-Wide Clinical Improvements in a Public Sector Health Department in South Australia
The appointment supports enhanced patient safety, clinical risk management, and strategic transformation across the state’s health services.
The Brief
Future Leadership™ has developed an enduring partnership with this public sector health department over a number of executive appointments, further cementing our commitment to the appointment of high-quality executives for the future of the health services in Australia. On the basis of this relationship, and Future Leadership’s deep knowledge in the health sector, the Department engaged Liz Jones and the team to undertake a search to appoint a Deputy Chief Executive, Clinical Systems Support and Improvement.
The focus of the position is to ensure the successful planning, application and performance management of health services delivery and public health initiatives across the state. Reporting to the Chief Executive, the Deputy Chief Executive (DCE) will play a pivotal role in driving strategic transformation and promoting key initiatives within the Department. This influential position is responsible for guiding system improvements, enhancing safety and quality programs, and providing strong leadership in support of driving clinical outcomes.
Candidate net Promote Score
Future Leadership combines truly personalised relationships with innovative technology solutions to ensure an approachable and efficient process for all our Net Promoter Score across clients, successful candidates and unsuccessful candidates is well above industry standard.
Candidates supported every year
We maintain genuine relationships with past candidates and continue to support them with leadership solutions long term, after they land their role.
Senior Women Appointed since 2002
Over half of the executive search assignments undertaken by our team have resulted in the appointment of outstanding female or LGBTQI+ leaders to high profile roles.
Candidate Retention Rate for 12 months since 2002
Our thorough briefing process and ability to engage passive candidates mean that we go to great lengths to find the right person for the role – long term!
The Process
The Future Leadership™ team undertook comprehensive search process tailored to the Department’s needs. An initial briefing with the Chief Executive, provided key background information on the Department and requirements of the position. This briefing also discussed the preferred profile, capabilities, fit, experience of the candidate and the challenges, culture and environment the candidate could expect. Key steps included:
- Briefing and Strategy Development: The briefing confirmed the DCE will lead the delivery of South Australia’s patient safety, quality, and clinical risk management in healthcare framework in accordance with national standards that improve clinical safety and quality, ensuring compliance with national standards and robust governance for efficient, system-wide services. The successful candidate will be a strategic and influential senior healthcare executive leader with proven experience contributing to the leadership of a large and diverse high community profile organisation, with responsibility for the delivery of an extensive range of services and outcomes.
- Targeted Candidate Search: The search process was focussed on experienced executives who demonstrated leadership experience in large and complex organisations, and brought strong strategic policy expertise combined with a comprehensive understanding of health systems, including national health agendas and government planning and decision-making processes. With reference to known referral partner networks, and the support of an online advertising campaign, the Future Leadership team managed a field of approximately 70 applicants.
- Candidate Assessment: A range of qualified candidates participated in behavioural interviews with a Future Leadership consultant, with the shortlisted candidates completing psychometric assessments ahead of the first-round panel interviews. The shortlist meeting included a debrief from a Future Leadership organisational psychologist, aligning the outcomes of the psychometric assessments with the capabilities chosen from the Future Leadership Capability Framework.
- Final Evaluation: Panel interviews were conducted on-site in Adelaide, with Future Leadership supporting all scheduling arrangements, candidate travel and preparation of the interview guide. 360 degree referencing was completed for the preferred candidate prior to a formal offer being made. To support the Department’s processes, Future Leadership also prepared a final Selection Report.
This rigorous process ensured the appointment of a candidate capable of delivering on enhanced patient safety and clinical risk management, along with driving system-wide improvements in models of care and quality assurance.
Emerging Capabilities
Strategy and Purpose
Develops and leads strategy for the function /organisation, taking a broad and long-term perspective. Understands and considers context. Communicates and gains buy-in to the function/organisation goals, direction and vision, promoting change initiatives.
Culture and Engagement
Fosters a positive culture, creating a sense of belonging and inclusiveness. Creates an environment that encourages diverse perspectives and facilitates a psychologically safe environment.
Sustainability, Ethics and Integrity
Prioritises the environment in making decisions and leading others. Operates with integrity and aligns self to a high standard of social, cultural and professional standards of conduct. Adheres to moral and ethical principles. Draws on values to inform behaviour.
Communication and Influence
Articulates messages with clarity and impact to build understanding, inspire action, persuade others and enable information exchange. Considers the audience and draws on different styles to create impact.
Innovation and Creativity
Demonstrates curiosity through challenging the status quo, expected norms, and workplace paradigms. Contributes new ideas, solutions, and perspectives to current challenges and thinking practices. Creates new products, solutions and opportunities and identifies opportunities for improvements.
Systems Thinking
Views situations in their entirety, understanding all the parts at play. Identifies the interconnected factors and how they influence each other, impacting the whole system. Takes a strategic perspective.
The Outcome
At the conclusion of the process an appointment was confirmed, with the new Deputy Chief Executive commencing in early May 2025. An accomplished senior health executive, the appointee demonstrated the ability to lead services, creating a strong culture of improvement and engagement and delivering healthcare that is sustainable and valued by the community.
With a track record for inspiring others and creating inclusive organisations with high levels of staff engagement supported by strong systems and processes, the appointee conveyed to the Selection Panel they understood the need to strike the balance between having an internal focus to ensure organisational capability and capacity, and an outward focus on strategic collaborations.
