Executive Search to appoint a Principal to shape the future of learning and wellbeing through a culture of innovation.
The Brief
The School sought to appoint an inspirational leader and role model to the position of Principal, following the decision of the incumbent, to leave at the end of 2021 after a combined twenty-five years of exemplary service to the School.
Reporting to the Board, the Principal is responsible for the educational leadership, overall management, and strategic direction of the school. The Board sought an individual who would continue to implement the strategic intent of the school and work to foster a culture of integrity, professionalism and success while promoting the school’s aims and values. The new Principal would combine a passion for excellence in all aspects of school operations with a strategic and forward-thinking mindset.
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™, represented by Liz Jones commenced the search process by holding a briefing workshop with representatives of the School Board. Further one on one meetings with the incumbent Principal and members of the School Executive were also held to ensure a complete understanding of the nuance of the School and the position.
From a number a significant Principal search processes already completed, the Future Leadership™ team connected with known referral partners and active candidates, in addition to furthering existing research to ensure all potential candidate pools were covered. Liz Jones maintained regular contact with the Chair throughout the process, providing weekly updates on the emerging candidate pool and ongoing advice in relation to candidate backgrounds and steps in the search process. Full support was provided for two rounds of panel interviews in addition to 360 degree reference checking for the preferred candidate.
This rigorous process ensured the appointment of a candidate capable of delivering operational and strategic leadership.
Emerging Capabilities
Strategy and Purpose
Develops and leads strategy for the function/organisation, taking a broad and long-term perspective. Understands and considers context. Communicates and gains buy-in to the function/organisation goals, direction, and vision, promoting change initiatives.
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.
Innovation and Creativity
Positively challenges the status quo, expected norms, and workplace paradigms. Contributes new ideas, solutions, and perspectives to current challenges and thinking practices enabling the creation of new products, solutions and opportunities.
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.
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.
The Outcome
The appointee commenced in the position in January 2022 and was managed throughout the process as an internal candidate.
Subsequent to the Principal appointment, the School chose to partner with Future Leadership™ to appoint their next Deputy Principal.
Future Leadership™ is the epitome of professionalism. From application to appointment, I genuinely felt valued and supported by Liz, Katherine, and the team. I appreciated the level of communication, the clear process, and the down to earth nature of our conversations. No question was a silly question and I was given the utmost support throughout the entire process. I would have no hesitation in recommending Future Leadership™ and working with them again in the future.
