Executive Search

Appointing a General Manager, Community Services for a Multi‑State For‑Purpose Organisation

Date Posted:1 April 2026

Delivering an Executive Search to Strengthen Strategic and Operational Leadership in Community Services

The Brief

Future Leadership was engaged by a large, multi‑state for‑purpose organisation operating across Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia to appoint a General Manager, Community Services. The role was critical to advancing the organisation’s strategic priorities, strengthening consumer‑centred practice, and ensuring sustainable, high‑quality service delivery across a diverse portfolio including child, youth and family services, disability services and mental health programs.

The organisation required a senior executive with the capacity to lead scale and complexity, manage significant budgets and workforces, and act as a credible sector advocate. The appointment also needed to support cultural alignment with organisational values, regulatory compliance and strong stakeholder engagement across government, partners and communities.
9.19.1

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.

10,000+10,000+

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.

50.5%50.5%

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.

98%98%

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 executive search process tailored to the organisation’s operational complexity and sector context.

Key steps included:
  • Briefing and Strategy Development
    Engaged with executive stakeholders to clarify strategic priorities, leadership expectations, portfolio scope and future growth opportunities across community services.
  • Targeted Candidate Search
    Deployed a national search strategy combining targeted advertising, sector mapping and direct approaches to senior leaders with deep experience in community and health services leadership.
  • Candidate Assessment
    Candidates were assessed against the position requirements, including experience leading large, multidisciplinary workforces, financial and commercial acumen, governance and regulatory capability, and alignment with purpose‑driven values.
  • Final Evaluation
    Final candidates demonstrated strategic leadership capability, evidence‑based practice, stakeholder credibility and the ability to lead transformation in complex, regulated environments.

Future Leadership Capability Framework

01.

Sustainability, Ethics and 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.

02.

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.

03.

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.

04.

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.

05.

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.

06.

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 search resulted in the appointment of a highly experienced community and health services executive with more than three decades of senior leadership across public, private and for‑purpose settings.

The appointed executive, brought extensive experience leading large, complex service portfolios, including community health, disability, child and family services, and mental health programs. Their background included executive accountability for multi‑state operations, large workforces, significant budgets, and complex stakeholder environments.
The appointment strengthened the organisation’s capability to:
  • Deliver high‑quality, consumer‑centred services at scale
  • Drive strategic growth, innovation and business development
  • Build strong partnerships with government and sector stakeholders
  • Lead resilient, values‑aligned cultures through change and complexity

Consultant

Deborah Komesaroff

Partner, Executive Search View Profile
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