Executive search for a chief executive officer in local government. Identifying strategic leadership to drive community and infrastructure success.
The Brief
A local government organisation engaged Future Leadership to conduct a national executive search for a new chief executive officer (CEO).
The organisation required a leader who could champion diversity, advocate for the region, and align with its strategic priorities. Future Leadership designed a targeted executive search strategy to identify candidates with experience in governance, stakeholder management, and infrastructure development.
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 implemented a structured, research-driven executive search methodology:
- Stakeholder engagement and briefing: Worked with councillors to define leadership success criteria aligned with the five-year plan.
- Candidate identification and outreach: Conducted targeted market mapping and engaged candidates from local government, public, and private sectors.
- Candidate assessment and shortlisting: Evaluated leadership competencies, governance expertise, and strategic alignment.
- National search campaign: Conducted an extensive online and print advertising campaign to attract a diverse candidate pool.
- Final selection and appointment: Secured a CEO with a strong background in infrastructure, transport, and local government leadership.
Emerging Capabilities
Culture and Engagement
Engages stakeholders inclusively with sensitivity and regard for diversity and facilitates a psychologically safe environment for social or cultural differences affecting behaviour.
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.
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.
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.
Personal Growth
Adopts a growth mindset and is motivated to continuously develop one's own knowledge, skills, and personal attributes through continued learning. Recognises when a learned behaviour is no longer useful. Reflects regularly on performance and ways to improve.
Commercial Acumen
Provides a deep understanding of relevant industry, marketplace and business drivers as applicable to the organisation. Leverages the application of commercial tools and frameworks to manage opportunities, conflicts and trade offs. Able to focus on customer service requirements and acts proactively to raise the customer experience.
Initiative and Drive
Leads self by working independently, setting and attaining personal and work related goals, and demonstrating motivation and responsibility for their own actions. Demonstrates awareness of personal strengths and improvement areas. Effectively relates to others in a professional manner.
The Outcome
The executive search resulted in the successful appointment of a CEO with extensive experience in public sector leadership, infrastructure, and governance.
The candidate’s expertise in transport and advocacy positioned them as a key driver for the region’s long-term development. The organisation strengthened its leadership capacity, ensuring alignment with its strategic and community engagement goals.
