Executive Search to appoint a Principal to pioneer twice-exceptional education in Australia. Lead an ethos that emphasises personalised education, innovative practices and strong relationships.
The Brief
This specialist school opened in February 2021 and is a new education facility focused on providing an educational experience for twice exceptional students in Melbourne. Students who attend the school are both gifted and present with a disability. The school seeks to create an arena where positive, active, engaged participation is celebrated and encouraged, and students with disabilities and gifted abilities are able to become more active directors of their lives.
The school sought the assistance of Future Leadership to appoint a Principal to lead and grow this school, while also creating awareness. A full briefing with the founders and Board members from the school identified they needed an individual with strong secondary and middle school experience who demonstrated an ability to be adaptable and flexible. The Principal will need to work collaboratively with staff and build the team, develop trusted relationships with students and approach the operation of the Academy in a non-hierarchical manner.
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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
Liz Jones as the lead consultant was responsible for leading the search and engaged extensively with stakeholders across the school community to understand the requirements. Through the conduct of prior assignments the Future Leadership team had developed a network of referral partners and potential candidates and were able to reach out to in excess of 50 individuals.
Full assessment interviews were conducted by Liz to fully understand not only the background and experience of potential candidates but also their educational philosophy and alignment with the school. The second round panel interviews were held on site and included a presentation to the Board along with a 45 minute presentation with a group of students.
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.
Personal Growth
Adopts a growth mindset, building self-awareness. Motivated to continuously develop personally and professionally - one's own knowledge, skills, and personal attributes and self-insight. Reflects regularly on ways to improve self, regularly evolving self, focusing on the whole person.
Initiative and Drive
Identifies and implements improvements to the organisation, delivers high quality work, sets and achieves short- and long-term goals for both personal and work outcomes. Develops and delivers organisational change initiatives.
Emotional Awareness
Understands own emotions and drivers and how they impact self and others. Manages self in challenging or high stress situations. Adjusts behaviour to respond to difference in others to achieve effective outcomes.
The Outcome
The successful appointee commenced as the Principal of with the school at the beginning of June 2021. An experienced educator who presented with 20 years of experience gained in the United Kingdom and Australia, the appointee had a background focussed on supporting some of society’s most vulnerable students.
The appointee was able to discuss with the Selection Committee Helen’s their work engaging closely with students diagnosed with a range of disorders including Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attachment Disorder, Depression and Anxiety and Pathological Demand Avoidance. Regarded as an amazing educationalist and a fantastic Principal, the appointee not only demonstrated extensive knowledge and expertise, but also an excellent ability to build rapport with students and families.
The recruitment process was very well organised and Liz kept me updated throughout the experience. My referees also were impressed that they were Informed that I had secured the position.
