Delivering an executive search to appoint a strategic, values‑led academic leader for a leading Anglican girls’ school
Brief
Future Leadership™ was engaged by a leading Anglican independent girls’ school in Sydney to appoint a Head of Teaching and Learning (K–12), a pivotal whole‑of‑school leadership role central to the school’s academic vision and future direction. The appointment formed part of the school’s strategic commitment to strengthening coherence, consistency and excellence in curriculum, pedagogy and assessment from Kindergarten through to Year 12.
The school is recognised for its strong academic outcomes, commitment to the education of the whole girl and a values‑led approach to learning grounded in the Anglican tradition. As expectations around curriculum quality, evidence‑based practice and student wellbeing continued to evolve, the school identified a need for a senior academic leader capable of providing clear instructional leadership while fostering a culture of curiosity, professional growth and continuous improvement.
Reporting to the Headmistress and working as a key member of the Executive Leadership Team, the Head of Teaching and Learning was required to operate both strategically and relationally—overseeing academic frameworks, leading staff development, embedding research‑informed practice and strengthening alignment across sub‑schools.
The role also required a leader who could build trust and credibility with staff, engage authentically with students and families, and contribute meaningfully to whole‑school strategy and governance.
Future Leadership™ was selected for its depth of experience in executive search within the independent education sector, its understanding of girls’ education and faith‑based school contexts, and its rigorous, values‑aligned assessment methodology
Process
Future Leadership™ undertook a comprehensive national executive search tailored to the school’s context and leadership requirements.
Future Leadership™ undertook a comprehensive and highly contextualised executive search process tailored to the school’s strategic priorities, culture and leadership needs.
The process commenced with an extensive discovery and briefing phase, led by the consulting team in consultation with the Headmistress and key members of the Executive Leadership Team. This included structured stakeholder conversations across teaching and academic leadership, enabling the consultants to gain a nuanced understanding of what was working well, the challenges facing the school, and the capabilities required in the incoming leader.
Insights gathered through this discovery process were synthesised into a detailed Search Strategy, which articulated the leadership profile, cultural attributes and technical expertise required for success in the role. Particular emphasis was placed on instructional leadership, curriculum coherence, staff capability building, data‑informed decision‑making and alignment with the school’s Anglican ethos.
A national executive search was then undertaken, drawing on Future Leadership™’s extensive networks across independent and faith‑based schools. The search targeted experienced academic leaders with demonstrated success across K–12 curriculum leadership, while remaining open to high‑potential candidates capable of stepping into a broader strategic remit.
Candidates were assessed through a multi‑layered selection methodology, incorporating structured behavioural interviews, in‑depth career and motivation analysis, and psychometric assessment. This rigorous approach ensured strong alignment not only with the technical demands of the role, but also with the school’s culture, values and leadership expectations.
Throughout the process, Future Leadership™ worked closely with the selection panel, providing clear insights, evidence‑based recommendations and regular market feedback to support confident and informed decision‑making.
Top 6 Skills
Strategy and Purpose
Develops and leads strategy for the function or organisation, taking a broad and long term perspective. Understands and considers context. Communicates and gains buy in to the function or organisation goals, direction and vision, promoting change initiatives.
Organisational Capability
Understands the organisation's future requirements and identifies opportunities to build potential across the organisation. Seeks opportunities to develop other people and takes appropriate action to address skill gaps in others.
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.
Critical Thinking
Gathers and examines different data points, testing for assumptions and gaps in logic; reframes problems and presents well reasoned insights considering diverse perspectives. Analyses, interprets and objectively evaluates information enabling judgements.
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.
Governance and Compliance
Establishing, championing and measuring the effectiveness of an organisation’s regulatory and reporting systems. Delivering value for diverse stakeholders through governance, strategy, risk management and appropriate targets and metrics.
Outcome
The executive search resulted in the successful appointment of a highly regarded educational leader with deep experience in curriculum and pedagogy, a relational and values‑driven leadership style, and a clear commitment to the education and wellbeing of young women.
The appointed Head of Teaching and Learning (K–12) brought fresh thinking, strong academic credibility and the capacity to lead whole‑school improvement while building strong professional partnerships with staff. Since commencing in the role, the appointee has supported greater alignment across learning pathways, strengthened professional learning practices and contributed positively to the school’s academic culture.
The school commended Future Leadership™ for its thoughtful, rigorous and highly professional approach, and for delivering a candidate who embodied both the strategic capability and personal qualities required to make a meaningful contribution to the school’s next chapter.