Delivering an executive search to strengthen enterprise leadership, corporate services capability and people and culture outcomes for a public sector legal organisation
The Brief
Future Leadership was engaged by a highly regarded public sector legal services organisation in Victoria to appoint two critical executive leadership roles, a Chief Operating Officer and a Director, People and Culture.
The Director P&C role had the mandate to drive improvement in engagement scores and further develop a people centric working culture aligned to the organisational values.
The COO role provides expert strategic insights to inform strategic direction (including risk management), and oversees the effective and proactive management of the organisations Corporate Services
Candidate Net Promoter 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!
Future Leadership undertook a comprehensive, integrated executive search process, key steps included:
Engagement with executive stakeholders to clarify strategic priorities, operating context and leadership expectations for each role, ensuring alignment while recognising the distinct accountabilities of corporate services leadership and people and culture leadership.
A national search was conducted using Future Leadership’s executive networks, proprietary research capability and targeted referrals. Separate talent pools were developed for each role to ensure depth of functional expertise and leadership capability.
Two distinct executive advertisements were developed and deployed across senior executive platforms.
The Chief Operating Officer advertisement emphasised enterprise enablement, governance, commercial acumen and multi‑functional leadership.
The Director, People and Culture advertisement highlighted engagement uplift, organisational capability, leadership development and executive advisory impact.
Candidates were assessed through structured interviews and comparative evaluation against role‑specific criteria. Assessment for the Chief Operating Officer focused on systems thinking, governance and service integration, while assessment for the Director, People and Culture focused on cultural leadership, workforce strategy and influencing capability.
Final candidates demonstrated their strategic approach to their respective portfolios and their ability to operate as trusted executive advisors within a professional legal services environment.
Future Leadership Capability Framework
Stakeholder Relations
Works strategically and systemically to encourage diverse thinking with all types of people. Actively contributes to teamwork, and deliberately builds relationships and networks across a range of people and communities.
Strategy and 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.
Governance and Compliance
Engages stakeholders inclusively with sensitivity and regard for diversity and facilitates a psychologically safe environment for social or cultural differences affecting behaviour.
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.
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.