Appointing a Chief Executive Officer to Drive Organisational Change and Lead Strategic Governance Across a National Catholic Education Network. Supporting the Transition to a New Governance Model.
The Brief
Future Leadership™ partnered with a national education governance organisation responsible for the oversight of seven Catholic schools across Australia, two associated schools, and a program in Vietnam.
The Board sought to appoint a strategic and collaborative Chief Executive Officer to lead the organisation within the independent Catholic education network. This pivotal role required a leader capable of managing significant organisational and cultural change while working in partnership with member schools to achieve high-quality educational outcomes. The appointee was also tasked with embedding the organisation’s charism and focusing on the education of young women.
As the organisation transitioned to a new governance model, this leadership appointment was critical to its success.
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, led by Liz Jones, conducted a detailed and collaborative process:
- Briefing Workshop: Engaged with the Board Chair and members to fully understand the position’s requirements and ideal candidate profile.
- Search Strategy Development: Documented all findings into a comprehensive strategy, including search focus, advertising plans, and timelines.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Connected with over 60 trusted referral partners in the education sector, identifying potential candidates and securing recommendations.
- Advertising Campaign: Supported by national print advertising in The Australian and online platforms.
- Candidate Evaluation: Facilitated first-round panel interviews, conducted 360-degree reference and probity checks, and maintained ongoing support for the Board Chair throughout the process.
This robust approach ensured a high-calibre appointment for this critical leadership role.
Emerging Capabilities
Strategy and Purpose
Develops and leads strategy for the function/organisation, taking a broad and long-term perspective. Communicates and gains buy-in to organisational goals 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.
Governance and Compliance
Establishes, champions, and measures the effectiveness of an organisation’s regulatory and reporting systems. Identifies and evaluates risks and develops strategies to mitigate risk.
Stakeholder Relations
Establishes rapport with stakeholders, builds and sustains trusted and collaborative relationships. Identifies and draws on relevant and diverse perspectives and integrates them to support productive interactions.
Communication and Influence
Communicates with clarity and impact to facilitate individual and collective understanding, inspire action and enable information exchange. Leverages human-centric communication and storytelling to effectively influence stakeholders across the physical and virtual realms.
The Outcome
An experienced and well-regarded professional was appointed as Chief Executive Officer, commencing in March 2023.
- The appointee brought a strategic and future-focused approach combined with significant experience in managing governance transitions.
- Their expertise in leading multi-partner educational programs and change management made them the ideal candidate to guide the organisation on its change journey while strengthening relationships with schools and communities.
