The needs of organisations and their employees continue to change, and with this, has come a decisive shift in the role and expectations of senior leaders. 

Not only do leaders need the technical know-how required of their role, but also the ability to analyse, empathise, manage conflict, communicate and motivate. Get such an appointment right, and you have the potential for transformation. Get it wrong, and the impacts can be disastrous.

Competition for quality senior talent remains high, with many organisations struggling to identify and source the best individuals for the job – and keep them interested long enough to place an offer on the table.

Bayside Group has been in business for almost 50 years, and our Senior Appointments team has more combined years of recruitment experience than they are now prepared to disclose! As trusted advisors to employers around Australia, we asked them to provide insight into how they approach senior appointments and what they consider. 

Wayne Eaton – Engineering

In my experience, collaboration, robust processes and exceptional candidate care are key to successful senior appointments for engineering professionals. For me, this starts with taking briefs from more than the direct report, whether that be a CEO or Chair. This may include additional senior leaders or board members depending on the role and organisational structure, and team members where appropriate. Employees stay for good leaders and leave when they don’t meet their expectations, so it’s important to understand what Australian employees value in their leaders and take this into consideration when designing the recruitment process and selection criteria. 

This helps to paint a better picture of the strategic direction and team dynamics and prioritise the technical and soft skills required. Secondly, this provides insight into the specific benefits of the workplace and its capabilities, which is very useful when speaking to potential candidates out in the market. 

Often, the best candidates for a senior appointment won't be actively searching for a new job. Instead, they need to be approached with the right offer, at the right time. This is where my networks, experience and independence are of significant benefit.

It’s necessary to also focus on more than technical skills and experience, as organisations often get caught up in specific qualifications or experiences. It’s imperative that those destined for senior roles also have the emotional intelligence, communication and leadership skills to engage and motivate.

Joe Galea – Technical 

Today, most technical senior leaders require an understanding of emerging technology. Having serviced our clients during various industry and economic highs and lows throughout the decades, I have seen how successful organisations are able to leverage from technical advancements, when they have the right leaders.

Having spent my career recruiting technical professionals, I’ve been privileged to play a small role in many career journeys. In conducting references, post-placement services and ongoing client visits, I’ve had the opportunity to gain regular feedback allowing me to understand the potential of the professionals I’ve placed and why they’re respected. These networks prove invaluable when identifying technical leaders and supporting them through the recruitment process. 

The best senior appointments may not always be the obvious ones for those with technical backgrounds. Professionals often don’t realise the range and breadth of their transferable skills — and nor do employers. As a result, organisations tend to fall back on traditional methods of recruitment, prioritising specific qualifications and technical experience, which can lead to hiring mistakes. It can also result in homogenous hiring, which limits the pool of talent you have access to. 

Bayside Group has sourced international leaders with skills not readily available in Australia when necessary. As an approved 482 sponsor, we’ve placed over 600 international engineering and technical professionals in Australia, many in senior roles, to help organisations deliver on projects and build organisational capability. 

Michelle Murphy – Engineering, Technical & Administration

As a Queenslander, I understand the nuances of the market and its unique geography, in what has become a diverse and rapidly developing state. Working for many years in Sydney has helped me gain insight into the differences between markets and build broad networks across Australia and internationally for C Suite and Board appointments.

My approach to executive search is to exhaust every avenue and remain open minded, which often means providing a ‘long list’ prior to a short list of candidates. A critical component of recruiting for senior roles is therefore confidentiality; sensitivity and protection of intellectual property is paramount making NDAs a useful tool.

Supporting candidates and organisational decision makers throughout the process is essential, as the appointment is a significant decision for all parties. Depending on the candidate and the role, coaching and mentoring is often involved in the process, which can be useful to ensure alignment with strategic goals. Identifying the non-negotiables and being clear on these throughout the executive recruitment process helps to keep the process on track.

Providing relevant information for candidates is critical, equipping them with the tools and information to present effectively throughout the process and make an informed decision. For passive candidates, this is even more important as a move may not be something they were considering, so conducting significant research prior to approach can help facilitate discussions that open the door.

Alen Skaro  - Scientific

Scientific leaders require unique skill sets given the specificity of the outcomes they are responsible for. While all leaders are ideally visionary, this is of particular importance in science. My approach to senior appointments has some parallels to the scientific method; asking questions based on observations, researching, developing a hypothesis about an individual’s capabilities and testing it through screening and verification, using a range of data to draw conclusions, prior to providing a recommended shortlist. This is critical to helping our clients make informed decisions.

I’ve worked with scientists for many years, and this exposure aids in identifying unique senior professionals who have the skills and demonstrated ability to engage teams, lead with confidence and grow organisational capability. Scientific roles require passion and dedication, especially at a leadership level. It is critical to build relationships with senior candidates to understand their personal motivators, career goals and ability to communicate and motivate.

Traditional indicators such as longevity, success and progression in previous roles can provide insight, but they don’t always tell the whole story. Many emerging leaders have been overlooked in the past, perhaps because they weren’t the obvious or traditional choice, which does not necessarily reflect their leadership potential. Tools such as psychometric assessments help to gain deeper insight into behaviour, and comprehensive reference checks and industry networks can assist in verifying capability and possibility. It’s also important in senior scientific appointments to understand organisational direction and skill gaps that may exist in the leadership group, to assist in building effective leadership teams.

Our Senior Appointments team have extensive experience and networks, ensuring transparency and support for our clients and candidates throughout the process. Learn more.