Provide strategic executive leadership in the advancement of research, innovation and digital health initiatives.
The Brief
A leading provider of specialty care and health services in South Australia partnered with Future Leadership to appoint an Executive Director of Research, Innovation, and Digital Health. The Executive Director was required to be a strategic executive leader to advance research, innovation, and digital health initiatives, build strategic relationships, and advocate for supportive policies and funding for research and innovation.
Reporting to the Chief Executive, the Executive Director was sought to provide strategic leadership across interdisciplinary teams, overseeing the ICT and research projects in healthcare and digital health technologies. Leading healthcare innovation, identifying opportunities for digital solutions and integrating emerging technologies, the Executive Director would support the enhancement of patient care and operational efficiency. The Executive Director was also tasked to develop and execute the digital health strategy, driving technology adoption to streamline clinical workflows and improve patient outcomes. Establishing strategic relationships, representing the organisation in industry forums and advocating for supportive policies and funding for research and innovation would be key aspects of this role.
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
Future Leadership™ assembled a specialised search team, and an experienced research and administration team, to lead the process.
Key steps included:
- Targeted Search and Talent Pooling: A comprehensive briefing was undertaken with the CEO and the HR Manager, during which key success factors around leadership, strategy, stakeholder engagement and operational delivery were discussed. The healthcare organisation sought a candidate who would demonstrate experience in developing and implementing a clear, coherent digital plan and proven experience leading teams in large organisations, driving collaboration and innovation.
- Comprehensive Shortlisting: The search was underpinned by the selection of capabilities from the Future Leadership Capability Framework, which helped inform the search process including consultant and panel interviews, assessment of shortlisted candidates and areas to probe in reference checking.
- Panel Interviews and Strategic Presentation: Panel interviews were held with candidates interviewed against specifically tailored questions.
The process was completed with 360-degree reference checks and full reports provided to the client for consideration.
Emerging Capabilities
Sustainability, Ethics & Integrity
Demonstrates the shift from ego-centric to eco-centric leadership. Showing a consistent and uncompromising adherence to moral and ethical principles. Advocates for equitable values aligned to social, cultural, and professional standards of conduct. Fosters trust and promotes the concept of a social license to operate.
Technology Literacy
Adopts a digital mindset whereby technology becomes second nature as an enabler of human nature. Actively builds awareness of technology innovation and mitigates risk of bias, harm, or exclusion. Leverages technology innately to drive innovation, performance, productivity, and efficiency.
Organisational Capability
Anticipates future workplace skills and requirements and builds capability across the organisation. Pro-actively seeks opportunities to develop other people’s talent and career pathways and takes appropriate action to address skill gaps in others.
Innovation & Creativity
Positively challenges the status quo, expected norms, and workplace paradigms. Contributes new ideas, solutions, and perspectives to current challenges and thinking practices enabling the creation of new products, solutions and opportunities.
Systems Thinking
Systematically breaks down siloes across the operating environment and connects stakeholders to harness convergent ideas. Understands the leverage points of systems change and demonstrates the ability to think beyond known systems.
Critical Thinking
Examines information for assumptions and gaps in logic; reframes problems and presents well-reasoned insights accommodating diverse perspectives. Persistent in asking insightful questions, enabling complex strategic judgements to be made across multiple dimensions.
Strategy & Purpose
Leads transformational processes, motivates teams, and influences commitment to a shared purpose that individuals and the workforce will require to enable sustained organisational success. Builds and promotes a culture underpinning the vision, purpose and values the organisation aspires to achieve.
The Outcome
The Selection Committee had interviewed the shortlisted candidates, and identified a preferred candidate. Future Leadership™ undertook rigorous 360-degree reference checks and presented comprehensive written reports to the Selection Committee. The Executive Search teams targeted search and close collaboration with the health services leadership enabled an efficient and effective appointment process.
