Delivering an Executive Search to appoint a contemporary executive leader in the provision of strategic and operational clinical leadership for acute, sub-acute and aged care services within a growing sub-regional community.
The Brief
Future Leadership™ was engaged to appoint a Executive Director Clinical Operations to provide clinical leadership for acute and aged care services. The position functions as the Executive Director of Nursing and Midwifery as well as providing medical clinical leadership for acute and aged care services provided by the organisation. The role will work closely with the CMO to ensure strategic planning, policy direction and advice of clinical operations.
A detailed briefing was held with the Chief Executive Officer where it was identified the successful incumbent would be a proven senior clinical leader, experienced within an acute heath environment. With a strong history of implementation and delivery, the appointee would have successfully established and developed strong relationships with teams and executive peers and built trust and confidence to lead contemporary clinical operations. The Executive Director would provide clinical expertise to lead successful accreditation outcomes and the delivery of key performance indicators, ensuring delivery of high quality and safe patient centred care.
Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the Executive Director Clinical Operations has a large directorate which includes 8 direct reports and working closely with the Chief Medical Officer, the Executive Director will provide strategic leadership for the planning, policy direction and advice across the portfolio.
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
In completing the search, Future Leadership allocated an experienced team led by Partner Sandra Kerr, from the Health practice along with a dedicated research, project management and administration support team. Key steps included:
- Briefing and Strategy Development: A comprehensive briefing with the CEO idented that the health service sought to appoint an Executive Director with a commitment to the development of staff and strong clinical governance expertise along with a current practising registration as a Registered Nurse with AHPRA and post graduate Nursing or relevant management qualifications.
- Candidate Selection and Assessment: Candidate applications were assessed against the identified selection criteria prior to participating in a first round behavioural interview with a Future Leadership consultant. Interview questions were focussed on prior experience and motivation and also to assess alignment to the positions capabilities.
- Final Evaluation: Future Leadership presented a targeted shortlist of candidates. Future Leadership coordinated all aspects of the panel interviews, including logistics and interview questions, with the lead consultant supporting the selection panel on the day. 360 degree reference checking was completed for the preferred candidate, along with completion of qualification and required probity checks
The Outcome
The process resulted in the appointment of a senior clinical leader with an extensive career of executive management experience in many roles within the health sector and more than 20 years of senior operational leadership experience across both the private and public health sector.
The appointed candidates commenced in early July 2025.
