Executive Screening and Assessment for High-Profile Commonwealth Agency – Two SES Band 2 Roles

The Brief

Future Leadership was engaged by a high profile Commonwealth agency to provide executive screening and assessment services following a direct advertising campaign for two SES Band 2 positions: Executive Director Operations and Executive Director, Corporate Strategy and Programs. Over 350 applications had been received across the two roles. 
 
Following initial briefings the scope, assessment criteria, and additional coordination required to support a defensible and efficient selection process were confirmed. The immediate priorities were to establish an agreed evaluation framework, reduce the volume to a high quality shortlist, and coordinate structured and efficient interactions with the Selection Panel while ensuring a consistent and fair experience for candidates — including several internal applicants. 
 
Future Leadership was engaged to: review all applications, deliver a ‘first cut’ shortlist of circa 50 candidates with clear justifications, prepare a formal shortlist report for panel review, coordinate and scribe 50 Microsoft Teams shortlist interviews (30 minutes each), conduct 25 reference checks and draft selection reports for both roles in the agency’s format. The engagement emphasised assessment rigour, transparency and speed — enabling the Panel to make informed, timely decisions for two critical leadership appointments. 

The Process

1. Alignment & Criteria Confirmation – We commenced with several structured briefings to align on role purpose, success profiles, and assessment criteria, including role-specific capabilities and contextual sensitivities. Agreement was reached on the evaluation matrix, documentation standards, and reporting format to ensure defensibility and consistency.
2. Comprehensive Application Review & First Cut – Future Leadership reviewed all 350+ applications across both vacancies. Using the agreed criteria, we assessed CVs and written responses to produce a ‘first cut’ of approximately 50 candidates. Where the market did not yield sufficient candidates at the requisite SES 2 standard, we recommended a smaller, best‑fit cohort with rationale to support these recommendations. Each include/exclude decision was supported by concise, criterion‑based commentary to facilitate Panel discussion and review.
3. Shortlist Reporting – We prepared a shortlist report featuring: an executive summary of market quality and risk, specific role observations, and an individual justification for each candidate’s ranking score recommendation status. This ensured the Panel had a consolidated, data driven view, minimising administrative burden and enabling efficient calibration. 
4. Interview Coordination & Scribing – Future Leadership™ arranged and coordinated XX online shortlist interviews between candidates and the clients Selection Panel. We provided a scribe for every 30‑minute interview, ensuring accurate, neutral documentation. We also provided a scribe for a 1.5‑hour Panel briefing, creating a reliable evidence base for decision making.
5. Referencing & Due Diligence – At Panel direction, we conducted XX reference checks, using a codesigned reference template to maintain probity and comparability. Outputs were collated into a Reference Check Report, aligned to the selection criteria.
6. Selection Reporting & Calibration – We drafted the selection reports for both roles using the agency’s template. Several calibration meetings followed delivery of the reports to test judgements, manage sensitivities (including internal candidates), and confirm which candidates would progress. A senior Future Leadership Partner attended to provide best practice guidance, ensuring a merit based, defensible process.

The Outcome

Working in partnership with the Selection Panel, Future Leadership delivered the Selection Report and Reference Check Report on time, providing a clear, evidence based foundation for decisions. The calibration meetings allowed the Panel to reconcile perspectives, validate the weighting of criteria, and address sensitivities associated with high profile internal applicants.  

The process culminated in the successful appointment of both Executive Directors — Operations and Corporate Strategy and Programs — into two critically important roles for the organisation. Beyond the appointments themselves, the engagement delivered:

• Speed with rigour: executive assessment (volume) distilled to a defensible shortlist and a efficient interview process. 

• Consistency and transparency: criterion based reasoning for every candidate status, and structured referencing aligned to the agreed areas of probity. 

• Panel efficiency: detailed and informed reports, professional scribing, and facilitated calibration accelerated confident and robust decision making. 

• Candidate care: coordinated communications and constructive feedback to unsuccessful candidates, supporting the agency’s reputation and employment brand. 

Feedback from the client has been highly positive, acknowledging Future Leadership’s ability to balance pace and probity while navigating the sensitivities of executive level recruitment. The engagement reinforced Future Leadership’s capability in complex, high volume executive screening and assessment within the Commonwealth Public Sector context.