Conducting an Executive Search to appoint a progressive and contemporary educational leader to the position of Principal
The Brief
Future Leadership™ was engaged by a co-educational, Prep – Y12 regional independent school to appoint their next Principal.
Reporting to the School Board, the Principal was to embrace the philosophy of the school while using their own educational leadership to create a legacy for future generations to enjoy.
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 and Liam King undertook a comprehensive search process tailored to the organisation’s needs.
Key steps included:
- Briefing and Strategy Development: Liz Jones and Liam King undertook a series of onsite briefings with the School Board and key stakeholders
- Targeted Candidate Search: Supported by an online advertising campaign, Future Leadership™ leveraged their extensive referral network to identify candidates with a strong cultural fit to the school and the appropriate gravitas to engage all stakeholders. Potential candidates would be progressive and contemporary in their personal and professional approach, understanding how a business runs and demonstrating the qualities of a successful leader.
- Candidate Assessment: Future Leadership™ presented a strong list of candidates to the School Board with five candidates progressing to panel interviews.
- Final Evaluation: Two rounds of panel interviews were conducted with the final two candidates preparing a presentation to introduce themselves and discuss the first pilar of the Schools Strategic Plan.
Emerging Capabilities
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
The Selection Panel were extremely pleased with the candidate field, determining the appointment of the Principal to an internal candidate who had held multiple positions within the school including the Acting Head position.
Following the successful appointment of the Principal, the school engaged Future Leadership™ to assist in the appointment of the Deputy Principal and Director of Business.
Partnering with Future Leadership™ has been a very positive experience.
Liz Jones, Liam King and the Future Leadership™ team provided invaluable assistance in securing our new Principal and took great care in learning our needs and applying those needs to the search process.
Liz and Liam put together an outstanding candidate list and we were impressed with the responsive and open communication.
Most importantly, we are delighted with the appointment and addition to the Executive team at our school.
I can’t speak highly enough of my experience as a candidate in the search for the Principal. Liam and Liz were professional and supportive through every stage of the process.
The ‘touch bases’ I received the day before each interview were both kind and helpful and really made a difference to my mindset as I approached each step. I cannot thank Liam and Liz enough for making what is a tough process as enjoyable as possible.
