The challenge

A major state government department needed to hire for a Director-level role. The challenge? The talent pool was incredibly niche, and after six months on the market, the role was still sitting empty.

This was not a brief for a one-size-fits-all approach. They needed a partner who could navigate complex selection criteria across capability, experience, cultural fit and emotional intelligence – and deliver a tailored search strategy with real confidence in the outcome, right through to offer.

They needed PeopleScout for professional search in the public sector.

The solution

Our APEX professional search team started with a timely, end-to-end search solution that touched every stage of the recruitment process. Combining broad national market intelligence with a clear view of the sector, we ensured our search strategy was grounded in where the talent already lived.

Working with a multipronged search approach, we left no stone unturned. Anonymous advertising helped us protect discretion in a tightly defined market. Multiple search routes let us stay on target while remaining flexible.

Throughout the process, we kept the approach transparent, adaptable and fully compliant –  resulting in a successful appointment without compromising on rigour.

Results

The outcome spoke for itself. A targeted national search identified 50 potential candidates, giving the department access to a broader and more relevant talent pool than previous efforts had uncovered. From there, we carried out a market-led review of ad response and refined the approach to get better results.

That work led to six new shortlisted candidates and, ultimately, a successful hire in just 10 weeks from vacancy brief to verbal acceptance. Full background, reference and compliance checks included.