Beaumont Blog

The Leadership Series: Sharon Callister, CEO of Mission Australia

Mon, 26 Oct 2026 23:39:38 GMT

Sharon Callister, CEO of Mission Australia interviewed by Liska Turner, partner, Executive Search

The Leadership Series

At Beaumont Executive, we know that appointing an outstanding leader is only the beginning. True success lies in how well they integrate into the organisation, thrive and deliver long-term impact. That is why we created The Leadership Series, contributing to the for-purpose leadership conversation by sharing insights from exceptional leaders. Hosted by our Executive Search Partner, Liska Turner , the series features interviews with inspiring leaders who are shaping impact-driven organisations.

Liska Turner with Sharon Callister, CEO of Mission Australia

Sharon Callister joined Mission Australia as CEO in 2022, following a career leading large and complex organisations across health administration, aged care, education and community services.

Throughout that journey, Sharon’s approach to leadership has been informed by her personal values, the diverse environments in which she has worked and the leaders she has encountered along the way.

In this conversation for The Leadership Series, Sharon reflects on the distinct responsibility of being a CEO, the importance of making difficult decisions at the right time, and how leaders can build cultures where accountability and respect work together.

She also shares why discipline and boundaries are among the most underrated aspects of leadership, and why connecting people to an organisation’s purpose is essential to achieving meaningful outcomes.

Watch the full interview here or read the article below to discover Sharon's perspectives on leadership, from making difficult decisions and building strong cultures to creating the discipline and space to lead effectively.

Watch the full interview here

Learning from every kind of leader

For Sharon, leadership has not been shaped by one defining experience. Instead, it has developed through the different organisations, sectors and working relationships she has encountered throughout her career.

Her personal values provide an important foundation, helping her understand what matters to her, what she respects in others and the environments in which she can contribute most effectively.

Working under a range of leaders has also offered valuable lessons. Some were exceptional, while others had approaches that did not align as closely with Sharon’s own values or working style.

Both experiences were instructive.

“I think I’ve learnt as much from those leaders about what I don’t want to see in my own leadership journey as I have from having really fantastic leaders,” she says.

Those contrasting experiences helped Sharon recognise the behaviours that allow people to improve, contribute and feel valued, as well as those that can have the opposite effect.

When the responsibility sits with you

Before becoming a CEO, Sharon spent many years as an executive reporting to one. At the time, she believed that experience had prepared her well for the top job.

Stepping into the CEO role revealed just how different the responsibility could be.

“When you step into the CEO role, the buck stops with you,” she explains.

Every significant decision carries a level of personal accountability. Even when an issue has been debated thoroughly with an executive team or discussed individually with colleagues, the CEO remains ultimately responsible for the outcome.

Sharon also became acutely aware of the visibility that comes with the position. A CEO may not know every person within a large organisation, but employees generally know who the CEO is and pay attention to how they interact with others.

A single conversation can shape someone’s perception of their leader.

For Sharon, this makes being genuine and present particularly important. She makes a conscious effort to speak with employees, spend time listening to them and ensure that people do not feel invisible simply because the CEO has other competing priorities.

Making difficult decisions at the right time

Difficult decisions are an unavoidable part of leadership. They may create disappointment or disengagement for some people, but avoiding them rarely resolves the underlying issue.

Sharon believes leaders need the courage to make a difficult decision when it needs to be made.

“If you have to make a difficult decision, make it when you should make it. Don’t let things linger,” she says.

Silence does not mean an unresolved issue has disappeared. Delaying a necessary decision can instead affect people’s confidence in their leader and allow uncertainty to continue.

Looking back, Sharon applies this lesson to her own career as well. There have been organisations where she was a strong fit and others where she feels she may have stayed longer than was right for her.

Knowing when to move on can require the same courage as making a difficult organisational decision.

With experience, leaders can become more comfortable backing their judgement. But courage alone is not enough. Sharon believes difficult messages should be communicated clearly, strongly and respectfully.

People may not agree with every outcome, but they are more likely to understand it when the leader is straightforward about the decision and treats those affected with respect.

Building trust without pretending to have every answer

When Sharon joined Mission Australia, she inherited an executive team with extensive institutional knowledge.

Rather than presenting herself as a subject matter expert in every part of the organisation, she was open about what she did and did not know.

“I’m not going to pretend I know what you do from day one, because I don’t,” she recalls telling her team. “But I’m also really comfortable to say: this is how I lead, this is my leadership style.”

Her early conversations with individual executives focused on understanding their work, the challenges they faced and what excited them about their roles.

She also wanted to understand how they saw their contribution around the executive table. Were there existing tensions or barriers? Did people feel safe expressing an unpopular view?

By having these conversations openly, Sharon and her executives could learn how one another worked and begin building trust.

That trust became particularly important as the organisation undertook structural changes and developed Strategy 2030, which Sharon describes as an ambitious plan supported by clear, quantifiable outcomes.

For a long-tenured leadership team, change and challenge can also help prevent experience from becoming complacency.

Sharon expects a high standard of accountability, but balances it with recognition, appreciation and respect. Her executives understand what is expected of them, while also knowing their experience and contribution are valued.

Culture must be active

Mission Australia’s leadership culture draws on a servant leadership approach.

Sharon is clear that servant leadership is not simply about being agreeable or avoiding difficult conversations. It means listening to people, leading with humility, empathy and respect, and still holding one another accountable for delivering the work.

When something is not going as it should, leaders need to be prepared to address it.

This philosophy is reflected around the executive table. Executives are expected to think about Mission Australia as a whole, rather than advocating only for their own functional areas.

To encourage different perspectives, the team regularly uses de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats. Participants may be allocated a particular viewpoint before a discussion and asked to represent it, regardless of whether it reflects their natural position.

The executive team has also created six personas representing broad client experiences across Mission Australia. These personas help leaders test decisions through the perspective of the people the organisation serves, including those experiencing homelessness and requiring significant ongoing support.

These practices make culture more than a set of values displayed on a wall.

Culture becomes active. It is incorporated into meeting structures, leadership development, decision-making and the conversations leaders have when holding themselves and others accountable.

“It’s embedded, but it’s active,” Sharon reflects during the conversation.

Supporting people through demanding work

Mission Australia’s employees often work alongside people experiencing extremely difficult periods in their lives. That work can be demanding, particularly when combined with wider organisational and societal pressures.

Sharon believes it is important to recognise these challenges and give employees opportunities to debrief and access support.

At the same time, she sees the meaningful outcomes employees help create as an important source of motivation. A difficult day can look different when someone has helped a client enter their first home or access support that was previously unavailable.

Celebrating those moments helps people stay connected to the difference their work makes.

Mission Australia’s Celebrate Awards program is one way the organisation formally recognises employee contributions. The value is not primarily in the reward itself, Sharon explains, but in ensuring people know their efforts have been seen and appreciated.

Employee wellbeing also includes paying attention to leave and encouraging people to take responsibility for their own health.

Leaders have a role in creating supportive working conditions, but Sharon views wellbeing as a shared responsibility. The organisation must value it, and employees must also take action to look after themselves.

“It’s a two-way process,” she says.

The underrated value of discipline and boundaries

Asked which aspect of leadership is most underrated, Sharon identifies two closely connected qualities: discipline and boundaries.

For her, these are the foundations that allow her to perform effectively in a demanding role.

Regular exercise plays an important part in maintaining her physical and mental wellbeing. Whether it is running, swimming or walking, Sharon prioritises fitting movement into her day alongside her work and family commitments.

Without discipline and clear boundaries around these different parts of her life, she does not believe she could reach her potential as a leader.

Sharon has seen people spend extremely long hours at their desks without necessarily being as productive as they could be. She does not view routinely working 12 to 15-hour days as a sign of success.

Instead, she encourages leaders to ask why those hours have become necessary. Is there an issue with productivity? Is fear driving the behaviour? Or has a previous working environment created the belief that constant visibility is expected?

Mission Australia asks its leaders for high standards, genuine commitment and a strong connection to purpose. It does not ask them to sacrifice every other part of their lives to demonstrate their value.

By maintaining her own boundaries, Sharon also recognises that she is modelling behaviour for her executive team. When senior leaders demonstrate healthy, sustainable working practices, those behaviours can influence the broader organisation.

Creating time to think

Sharon’s belief in discipline and boundaries is also reflected in one of the leadership books that has recently resonated with her: A Minute to Think by Juliet Funt.

The book explores the importance of creating “white space”, allowing enough time within the working day to step back, think and consider what you are doing.

For Sharon, that space rarely appears on its own. If necessary, it must be deliberately scheduled.

Her leadership team has also explored the book together, creating an opportunity to reflect collectively on its ideas.

In roles filled with urgent demands and competing priorities, creating thinking time can feel difficult. Yet it is precisely this discipline that can help leaders make considered decisions rather than simply moving from one immediate task to the next.

Connecting people, culture and purpose

When asked what ultimately determines whether a leader will succeed, Sharon returns to culture.

Technical ability and communication skills are important, but they are not enough on their own. Leaders must be able to connect with people, motivate them and help them understand how their work contributes to the organisation’s purpose.

“You’ve got to get people absolutely in tune with you so that you’re all focused on the same thing,” she says.

Across Sharon’s leadership journey, that connection is reinforced through accountability, clarity and respect. It appears in the willingness to make difficult decisions, the humility to acknowledge what she does not know and the discipline to model sustainable ways of working.

Her approach offers a clear reminder that strong leadership is not built on having every answer. It is built on creating the conditions in which people can speak honestly, challenge constructively and remain connected to the outcomes they are working together to achieve.

Leadership in three ideas

For Sharon, the key themes are clear:

Exercise , to remain physically and mentally prepared for the demands of leadership.

Time to think, to create enough space for considered decisions and reflection.

Culture, to connect people with one another and with the purpose of the organisation.

Together, they reflect a leadership philosophy grounded in personal discipline, collective accountability and a genuine respect for people.

The Leadership Series

A Leadership Conversation with David Spriggs

Thu, 22 Oct 2026 00:32:41 GMT

(By Alma Raheem)

David Spriggs has been part of Infoxchange for 17 years, with his connection to the organisation stretching back even further through almost a decade of volunteering.

As CEO, David leads an organisation sitting at the intersection of technology and social justice, working with not-for-profits, government, corporate partners and communities to use technology to improve access to services and create better outcomes for people experiencing disadvantage.

David joined Infoxchange in an operational leadership capacity before stepping into the CEO position a few years later. Since then, he has deliberately reshaped where he spends his time and where he believes he can contribute most.

Our conversation moved from that leadership evolution into a broader discussion about the sector: why collaboration is becoming increasingly important, what he looks for when appointing leaders, how AI could help organisations respond differently to growing community need, and why lived experience needs to remain central to decision-making.

We also spoke about something particularly relevant for aspiring CEOs: understanding what the role actually requires and being clear about why you want it in the first place.

I’ve included a few questions throughout to invite further reflection on these themes.

Looking Outwards: Leadership Through Partnership

One of the biggest shifts in David’s leadership has been where he spends his time.

His earlier roles at Infoxchange were much more operational and internally focused. Today, he deliberately spends more time externally: building relationships with government, sector leaders, universities, corporate organisations and technology partners.

That shift has been possible because of the leadership team around him. With strong executives driving strategy and execution internally, David has greater capacity to look outwards and bring those relationships and insights back into Infoxchange.

It also reflects something central to his philosophy: put the purpose above the organisation.

Coming from the technology sector, David expected the not-for-profit sector to be highly collaborative. Instead, he found that limited funding can inevitably create competition between organisations working towards similar outcomes.

Yet the problems the sector is trying to solve rarely sit neatly within one organisation.

David believes there is significant opportunity to bring together not-for-profits, government, businesses and technology partners around shared challenges. Rather than asking who owns the solution, perhaps the better question is: who needs to be part of it?

As community demand continues to grow, this kind of collaboration may become increasingly important to how the sector responds.

Questions to consider

Where are the relationships outside your organisation that could strengthen its impact?
Who isn't currently at the table that perhaps should be?
What would putting purpose above organisational boundaries look like for your organisation?

David Spriggs and Alma Raheem

Hiring for What Someone Can Become

When David spoke about building his executive team, I was interested in how he thinks about experience and potential.

Skills and experience matter, but once candidates meet that threshold, he looks further. David wants people with enough experience to contribute, but also enough stretch in the opportunity for them to grow.

Rather than always appointing someone who has already done exactly the same role, he considers whether their experience is transferable, whether they have drive, whether they genuinely connect with the purpose and what they could become over time.

It is a perspective that resonates with my work in Executive Search. There can be a tendency to look for an exact replica of what has come before. David’s approach is a useful reminder that experience matters, but so does trajectory.

His own career reflects this. David moved from technology into the not-for-profit sector and later from operational leadership into the CEO role. For people making similar transitions, he spoke about the value of mentorship and having someone outside the organisation with whom you can test ideas and gain perspective.

For anyone aspiring to become a CEO, his starting question is: why do you want it?

David describes CEO leadership in the not-for-profit sector fundamentally as a role of service: to your people, your community and the stakeholders around you. It can involve significant advocacy, fundraising, partnerships and external engagement.

For those coming from the corporate sector, his advice is also to understand the environment you are entering. Purpose doesn't mean an easier pace, and understanding the organisation's funding model, culture and Board is critical. David particularly emphasised the impact a strong Board and effective CEO-Chair relationship can have on a CEO’s ability to lead.

Questions to consider

When assessing talent, how much weight do you give to potential as well as experience?
What capability from your current career could translate into a different environment?
If CEO is your ambition, what is it about the role itself (rather than the title) that you want?

Start With the Problem, Not the AI

David describes himself as an AI optimist and sees significant potential for technology to help the sector respond to increasing community need.

But his starting principle is clear: start with the problem you are trying to solve, not with AI as the solution.

Ask Izzy, Infoxchange’s platform connecting people with support services, is a great example. The team has been exploring how voice-based AI could allow someone to explain what they need in their own words and language, making it easier to connect with appropriate support.

David also shared the example of Wombat Housing’s “Wombot”, an AI chatbot helping reduce some of the barriers young people experiencing homelessness may feel when first reaching out for support.

The intention isn't to replace human connection. It is to use technology to make that connection easier to access.

Importantly, David’s perspective on technology remains grounded in lived experience.

When Ask Izzy was originally being developed, people within the sector suggested names explicitly referencing homelessness. People with lived experience offered a different perspective. Not everyone experiencing housing insecurity identifies as homeless, and the stigma attached to the word could itself become a barrier to seeking support.

Their input changed the approach and has continued to inform the service throughout its development.

For David, there is a broader leadership lesson here: listen widely and become comfortable with ambiguity. People with lived experience, frontline teams, government, funders and sector leaders may all see the same issue differently.

Leadership doesn't always mean having one clear answer. Sometimes it means listening to those perspectives and making the best decision you can within the grey.

Questions to consider

Is your organisation starting with the problem, or starting with the technology?
Are the people affected by your decisions involved early enough in shaping them?
How comfortable are you leading when there isn't one clear answer?

Final Reflections

David’s perspective left me thinking about what it means to lead beyond the boundaries of your own organisation.

Build an executive team you can trust so you have the capacity to look further out. Bring different sectors together rather than assuming your organisation needs to hold the entire solution. Recruit people for where they could go, not simply where they have been. Use technology to remove barriers, while designing it alongside the people it is intended to support.

And through all of it, keep returning to purpose.

For aspiring CEOs, David’s question of why is worth considering. The CEO role brings significant influence and opportunity, but in the for-purpose sector it is fundamentally one of service. Understanding the organisation, its Board, its community and what the role will actually ask of you is just as important as deciding whether you are ready to lead it.

My sincere thanks to David for being so generous with his experience and perspectives, and for a thoughtful conversation about leadership, technology and what greater collaboration could make possible across our sector.

Alma Raheem, Associate Partner, Executive Search

From Job Hugging to AI: What We're Seeing in Associations in 2026

Fri, 25 Sep 2026 05:14:49 GMT

By Jo Brown

I recently presented on emerging workforce trends affecting associations, member organisations and not for profits across Australia. The headlines tend to focus on skills shortages, AI and economic uncertainty, but the deeper story is about changing expectations, from employees, candidates, boards and CEOs, often all shifting at once.

Based on what we're seeing across executive search, recruitment and workforce planning projects, here are seven trends worth paying attention to.

1. People are moving less, but that doesn't mean they're happier

Australian workers are changing jobs less frequently than they were a few years ago. After the post pandemic mobility spike, many employees are staying put, with national job mobility falling to 7.2% last month. Don't be too quick to read your lack of leavers as loyalty. In many cases, people are exercising caution. Cost of living pressures, economic uncertainty and a thinner pool of attractive opportunities have led to a kind of "job hugging", where security wins out over change.

At CEO level, tenure is increasingly shaped by board alignment, financial pressures, governance complexity and the pace of organisational change. A long serving CEO can offer real continuity, but boards should still ask the harder questions about succession, leadership depth, and whether organisational capability is keeping pace with member expectations.

For candidates, the narrative around tenure matters more than ever. Frequent movement needs a clear explanation of outcomes and context. Long tenure needs to be backed by evidence of growth, renewal and increasing responsibility, and candidates need to articulate that clearly at interview.

2. More candidates doesn't always equal better candidates

Candidate quality remains the defining challenge for association leaders. Application volumes have recovered across many operational and mid level roles, yet the pool of candidates who genuinely understand member organisations, governance environments and complex stakeholder ecosystems has not grown at the same pace. Identifying this level of talent still depends on human judgement, not solely on the volume of applicants.

Specialist capability is particularly scarce across policy and advocacy, workplace relations, governance, digital engagement and senior communications. Organisations may need to rethink remuneration if they want to attract and retain talent in these critical roles.

At executive level, the strongest candidates are usually not actively looking. They're employed, performing well, and highly selective. What attracts them isn't simply salary or title, but board quality, clarity of mandate, financial sustainability, reputation and strategic direction. The best of them can also explain clearly how they build influence and drive outcomes through relationships, credibility and stakeholder engagement, understanding that advocacy is often a long game where success isn't always measured in immediate wins.

3. Application volume is creating more noise

Candidate shortages remain in some areas, but application volume has increased significantly, and more applications don't necessarily create better outcomes. Many hiring managers are spending longer identifying genuinely relevant candidates, particularly as AI assisted applications become more common and jobseekers apply across multiple opportunities at once. In our own recruitment processes, a significant proportion of applications simply aren't aligned with the role requirements, even as jobseekers face fewer vacancies and stronger competition.

This environment rewards quality over quantity. For associations, it underscores the value of preparation before going to market: a clear job scope, appropriate salary positioning, agreed interview processes and current, ready to go employment contracts all make for a smoother search.

At executive level, boards should pay particular attention to alignment. Experienced candidates quickly pick up on disagreement around organisational priorities, the CEO mandate or the type of leader required, and if those questions remain unresolved, the market will notice. A strong brand helps attract interest, but it cannot compensate for an unclear brief or below market conditions.

4. Job creep is real

This is one of the biggest themes coming through candidate conversations: across many associations, fewer people are being asked to do more. Membership, communications, events, partnerships, digital engagement and commercial responsibilities are increasingly folded into broader roles. Sometimes this works well. Leadership positions can successfully span multiple functions when authority, resources and priorities are clear. The trouble starts when organisations combine several previously separate jobs without adjusting expectations, support or pay.

Don't assume your people are content simply because they're staying. Many employees are choosing stability while privately feeling stretched, frustrated or uncertain about where their progression goes from here.

For boards undertaking a CEO succession process, this adds another layer worth considering. Succession shouldn't be about replicating the departing executive. It is an opportunity to reassess the leadership mandate and define what the organisation actually needs next. At every level, clear career pathways and meaningful progression are becoming essential retention tools, especially for organisations that cannot compete on remuneration alone.

5. The capability mix is changing

Association leaders are being asked to operate across an increasingly complex environment, where member value, advocacy, governance, commercial sustainability and stakeholder influence can no longer sit in separate conversations. At the same time, digital literacy and confidence with data are becoming baseline expectations rather than specialist skills.

At executive level, sector experience remains highly valuable, but boards are increasingly looking beyond traditional career pathways. The real differentiators are often enterprise leadership, political judgement, change capability, strategic influence, and the ability to balance member expectations against organisational sustainability. Candidates from other sectors can bring a genuinely fresh perspective. The key is being clear about which capabilities are essential and which can be learned on the job.

6. AI will change work more than it eliminates work

The AI conversation keeps evolving, but despite some of the more dramatic headlines, what we're seeing in practice is that AI is changing tasks rather than removing entire roles. Recent sector research bears this out: around 67% of Australian not for profits are already using generative AI, yet only about 14% have a policy or governance framework in place. For associations, the immediate opportunity lies in improving productivity across administration, communications, reporting, research and member services, provided technology adoption is balanced with human judgement and proper governance.

For candidates, simply listing AI as a skill is unlikely to impress. What employers actually want to understand is how technology has improved decision making, service delivery, productivity or outcomes. A recent topic of conversation was the realisation from a CEO that simply giving someone an AI licence is not the same as teaching them how to use it! Training, governance and capability development around AI will be critical part of employee ongoing professional development.

For CEOs, the expectation is rarely technical expertise itself. Boards are looking for leaders who can guide adoption, manage risk, protect data and navigate their workforce through change with confidence.

7. Workforce agility needs structure

Many associations are increasingly turning to interim, temporary and contract appointments to manage transformation, parental leave, funding uncertainty and leadership transitions, and this flexibility can be highly effective. But agility should not tip into ambiguity. People still need clarity about accountability, decision making authority and expected outcomes. Whether a role exists to maintain operations or deliver change should be obvious to everyone involved.

The strongest workforce planning approaches identify capability gaps and succession risks before vacancies actually occur. Too often, recruitment is still treated as a reaction to resignation rather than part of a broader talent strategy.

Finally...

It is no secret that I love the sector I support. The associations sector remains one of the most purpose driven and rewarding sectors to work in, but expectations are rising at every level of the workforce. Boards need greater clarity around leadership mandates. CEOs need broader capability. Managers need to balance increasingly complex remits. Candidates need stronger evidence of impact, adaptability and growth.

The organisations that navigate this best will be the ones that treat people as a strategic capability rather than a transactional recruitment exercise. The market may be changing, but good leadership, clear thinking and strong organisational alignment remain as important as ever.

Beaumont People's associations team specialises in supporting for-purpose member organisations. If you require executive search services, recruitment support or market guidance, please do not hesitate to reach out.

jo@beaumontpeople.com.au

Educate Plus International Conference 2026: A Community That Inspires

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 01:16:12 GMT

By Kiah Hillier

What an incredible few days at the Educate Plus International Conference 2026 in Brisbane.

As our first Educate Plus International Conference, we weren’t quite sure what to expect, but instantly felt inspired, energised and incredibly grateful to have been part of such a welcoming and generous community.

It was particularly special to attend as sponsors of the NSW/ACT Chapter and exhibitors , giving us the opportunity to hear from thought-provoking keynote speakers, attend practical sessions & have many conversations. At conference there is a palpable feeling of people coming together to share ideas, learn from one another and celebrate the incredible work happening across schools.

People, culture and leadership at the heart of schools

Sitting in on the Educate Plus Awards was a real highlight and opportunity to hear about the incredible achievements of schools and the innovative ways they are investing in their people, strengthening their communities and creating cultures where staff can thrive. Congratulations to all of the award winners and finalists.

The Pymble Ladies’ College wellbeing program was a particularly powerful example. Hearing about the impact of wellbeing initiatives that are, quite literally, saving lives was a powerful reminder of the responsibility schools have to look after the people within their communities.

The Leadership Development Program at St Augustine’s was another standout, recognised for excellence in strengthening organisational culture, capability and people practices. Developed by Camilla Smith and delivered with the support of Eliza Babajews, the program brings the College’s values to life through emotional intelligence, coaching, reflection and peer learning.

It was a great reminder that leadership development isn’t simply about preparing people for their next role. It is about giving leaders the tools, confidence and self-awareness to create positive experiences for the people they lead every day.

And then there was Queen Margaret College...

We have to talk about the Queen Margaret College video campaign! What an incredible, empowering and genuinely moving campaign. We've re-watched so many times, and shares it straight to the rest of the team to see too!

It was such a clever example of how schools can communicate their values, celebrate their communities and create something that people genuinely want to engage with. A good reminder that the most powerful storytelling is the kind that makes people feel something.

Great minds really don't think alike

Jason Clarke's keynote explored the idea that great minds don't think alike.

A timely reminder that different perspectives, experiences and diversity of thought are exactly what make organisations stronger. In schools, where we bring together people from so many different backgrounds, disciplines and experiences, embracing difference is usually a strength.

When strategy, culture and capability align

Another standout was Gillian Peacock’s session , exploring the relationship between culture, capability and strategy, and why all three need to align for organisations to successfully deliver their strategies.

A simple concept, but one that really stayed with us:

Strategy tells us where we want to go.
Culture shapes how we behave along the way.
Capability determines whether we can get there.

It was a great lens through which to think about the role of People and Culture teams and the broader leadership community within schools. A strategy can be incredibly ambitious, but without the right culture and capability behind it, it becomes much harder to turn that strategy into meaningful results.

Navigating change, relationships and impact

A must-not—miss session from the team was Liz Hawkins, Chief Advancement Officer at the University of Adelaide , sharing lessons from the largest university merger between the University of South Australia and the University of Adelaide .

One of the insights that particularly caught our attention was how donor expectations, rather than gift size, became the primary basis for segmentation, recognising that donors from the two universities had different expectations around stewardship and engagement.

We were particularly interested in hearing how the teams are navigating relationships with donors connected to a university that no longer exists in its previous form, while continuing to understand donor sentiment and maintain meaningful stewardship.

It was a fascinating example of how organisational change can have a very human impact on relationships, and how important it is to continue communicating, listening and demonstrating impact while navigating new opportunities and measures of success.

More than a conference

Those 4 days in Brisbane felt like much more than a conference. It's a community.

There was such a genuine willingness to connect, share experiences, introduce people to one another and have open conversations about both the opportunities and challenges facing schools. And that connection doesn't stop when the sessions finished.

Listening to the Australian Girls Choir perform renditions of classics like John Farnham. To the Amazing Band on Thursday night with everyone dressed in their best Tropicana outfits (and a conga line to Horses by Daryl Braithwaite!) It was a reminder that this community knows how to work hard and have fun.

Talking advancement, development, admissions, marketing, HR, leadership and beyond; whether it was a quick conversation between sessions, a coffee, a dinner or a few drinks at the chapter events, every interaction led to another interesting conversation. And that is what makes the independent school's community so special.

A huge thank you to everyone who made us feel so welcome, and to the Educate Plus community for putting on such an inspiring few days.

We’re already looking forward to the next one!

Kiah Hillier, Principal Recruitment Consultant, Beaumont People

Twenty five years in the making: our B Corp journey

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 23:02:47 GMT

By Nikki Beaumont, Founder & Director, Beaumont People

I've started writing this blog post about ten different ways. Every version felt too small for what this actually means to me, so I'm just going to tell it the way it happened.

Where this started

Twenty five years ago, I started Beaumont People with an idea that felt almost too simple to say out loud: that a recruitment business could genuinely put people first, not just say it on a website.

I'd seen enough of the industry by then to know what it usually looked like. Placements chased for margin. Candidates treated as a means to an end. Clients handed whoever was available rather than whoever was right. I didn't want to build that. I wanted to build something that measured success by the strength of the relationships it created, not just the invoices it sent.

So that's what we set out to do. Slowly, sometimes messily, always with the same idea underneath it: enrich lives and livelihoods. Help organisations build strong teams. Help people find meaningful work. Invest in the sectors and communities we serve, not just extract from them.

For a long time, that was a set of values we held ourselves to. It lived in how we hired, how we treated candidates, how we chose clients, how we ran the business day to day. But it wasn't independently tested. It was our word.

Why we decided to put it to the test

A few years ago, I started looking seriously at B Corp Certification. For those who haven't come across it before, the B stands for Benefit: it's a certification that says a business is genuinely set up to benefit people and the planet, not just shareholders. I didn't look into it because it was trending, and not because I thought it would look good on a pitch deck. I looked at it because it was the first framework I'd found that actually held businesses accountable, not just to a mission statement, but to evidence.

That mattered to me. Anyone can write a values page. Fewer businesses are willing to open their governance, their pay practices, their supplier relationships and their community impact up to independent scrutiny and have someone else decide whether they've actually lived up to it.

I wanted us to be one of the businesses willing to do that.

What the process actually involved

I won't pretend this was easy. We answered more than 238 questions across five key areas: governance, workers, community, environment and customers. Every single answer needed evidence behind it. Not intentions. Not policies sitting in a folder nobody reads. Proof that the way we said we operated was actually how we operated.

There were moments in this process that were genuinely confronting. We found gaps. Places where our governance was clear in principle but fuzzy in practice. Places where we thought we were measuring our impact well, and discovered we were really only measuring the parts that were easy to measure.

So we fixed things. We strengthened our governance frameworks. We clarified who was accountable for what, and made sure that accountability wasn't just sitting with me or with our leadership team, but built into how the whole business runs. We got much sharper about how we measure and report on our impact, so it's something we can actually track and improve, not just something we talk about once a year.

It took real work from people across the business, not just from me. I want to be honest about that. This certification belongs to every person at Beaumont People who does right by a candidate when it would have been easier not to, who pushes back on a client request that doesn't sit well with our values, who shows up for our community partners because it matters, not because anyone's watching.

What it means, practically

Here's what I keep coming back to. This certification isn't really about a badge or a logo. It's about what it changes for the people we work with.

For our clients, many of them charities, education providers, health and community organisations and membership bodies doing genuinely hard work themselves, it means you're partnering with a business that holds itself to the same standards of transparency and accountability that your own work demands of you.

For our candidates, it means an even stronger, formally verified commitment to fair, accessible, values-led recruitment, from the first conversation through to the final offer, and beyond it.

For our team, I hope it means something too. We've always known why we do what we do, but there's something powerful about having that put to the test by an independent benchmark, and seeing it hold up. I hope that this certification feels like confirmation of what we already believed, and a sign that the way we do things has real meaning.

Why this is genuinely just the beginning

B Corp Certification isn’t a finish line. It’s not awarded once and then forgotten. It's a standard we now have to keep meeting, on a cycle, with real scrutiny each time. That's exactly what I wanted. It gives us a framework to keep learning, keep measuring, and keep improving, permanently, rather than a plaque on the wall that we point to and stop thinking about.

There's more work ahead. We're looking closely at our supplier relationships, at how we support our people through every stage of their career with us, at how we can keep sharpening the way we measure our impact on the communities and sectors we serve. This certification gave us the framework to do that properly. Now the work is actually doing it, year after year.

Thank you

To every client who's trusted us with something as important as building their team. To every candidate who's trusted us with something as important as their career. To every person at Beaumont People who's helped build this business into something I'm genuinely proud of, over 25 years, this certification is yours as much as it is mine.

I'm proud of every person on our team who helped us get here, and there's one person I want to thank especially. Robyn Riddle led this project from the start, and I don't think I've worked with anyone who's brought more care, patience and determination to a piece of work. She dug into every question, chased down every piece of evidence, and never once let the size of the task make her lose sight of why we were doing it. This achievement would not have happened without her, and I'm so grateful for everything she poured into it.

This has been a long time coming. I'm proud of how far we've come, and honestly, I'm even more excited about what's ahead.

Nikki Beaumont
Founder and Director, Beaumont People

Find out more about B Corp here .

A Leadership Conversation with Natalie Egleton

Sun, 06 Sep 2026 23:16:34 GMT

(By Alma Raheem)

Natalie Egleton is CEO of FRRR (Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal), an organisation that partners with rural, regional and remote communities across Australia to help them thrive on their own terms. Having spent more than a decade with FRRR, Natalie has led the organisation through significant growth and change, while also experiencing firsthand how the role of a CEO evolves alongside the organisation itself.

What I enjoyed about our conversation was how openly Natalie reflected on that evolution: not only what it takes to lead an organisation, but what she has learnt about herself and her leadership along the way.

We spoke about the balance between working in the organisation and on the organisation, the loneliness that can come with the CEO role, and the importance of building an executive team that allows you to operate at the right level. We also explored what Natalie looks for in people who are ready to step into more senior leadership, the changing capabilities leaders will need, and the importance of having a clear personal and organisational compass when so much around us continues to shift.

One of the themes that came through strongly was that leadership at this level isn't something you simply arrive at and master. It requires ongoing judgement about when to step closer to the work, when to step back, what you need to hold yourself and what you need to trust others to carry.

As Natalie reflected, even after many years as a CEO, that balance continues to evolve.

As always, I’ve included a few reflection questions throughout — some prompted by Natalie’s insights and others that I hope encourage current and aspiring executives to consider their own leadership journey.

The Reality of the CEO Role

When Natalie first stepped into the CEO role, FRRR was a much smaller organisation. While she expected to spend much of her time on higher-order strategic priorities, the reality was that she needed to spend considerably more time working in the organisation.

While that has changed as FRRR has grown, Natalie reflected that the tension never completely disappears. There will always be times when a CEO is pulled back into the detail and, particularly when you know how to do the work, it can be tempting to step in.

For Natalie, building a strong executive team was a significant part of shifting that balance. She spoke about supporting her executive leaders to genuinely hold their executive function, which in turn allows her to hold hers. I thought this was an important distinction. A CEO's ability to operate at the right level is closely connected to the capability and confidence of the team around them.

At the same time, CEOs need to remain close enough to understand what is happening. Natalie periodically joins team meetings simply to listen, answer questions and hear directly from people across FRRR. It gives her proximity without needing to be involved in everything.

Natalie also spoke openly about the loneliness of the CEO role, something she particularly noticed after stepping up from within the organisation. The relationships change, people interact with you differently and there are things you can no longer share in the same way.

Coaching and CEO peer networks have been incredibly important throughout her journey, giving her somewhere to think aloud, gain perspective and connect with people who understand the realities of the role.

There was also a lesson that took longer to learn: looking after herself. Like many leaders in the for-purpose sector, Natalie spent years caring for the organisation and everyone around her without creating enough space for her own wellbeing. She is now much more deliberate about taking meaningful breaks and creating boundaries that allow her to reset.

Questions to consider

Where are you currently spending most of your time - in the organisation or on the organisation?
Do you have the right people around you to allow you to operate at the level your role requires?
Who do you have in your corner when you need perspective, challenge or simply somewhere to think aloud?

What Does Executive Readiness Actually Look Like?

Given my work in Executive Search, I was particularly interested in Natalie's perspective on how she knows someone is ready to step into more senior leadership.

Her answer wasn't about technical expertise or already having held the title. She looks for someone's ability to look up and across.

People earlier in their management careers are often understandably focused on their program, function or team. As leaders become ready for broader executive responsibility, Natalie sees them beginning to consider the organisation as a whole. They notice the connections between different areas and start thinking about how a decision in one part of the organisation might affect another.

She also looks at how people manage upwards. Can they anticipate what the executive team, CEO or Board will need to know? Can they take a complex issue, think it through and provide the information required to make a decision?

I thought this was such a useful way of describing executive readiness because it is something I see in Executive Search too. Being exceptional within your function doesn't automatically mean you are ready to lead at enterprise level. The shift is often less about knowing more about your particular area and more about broadening the way you think.

Natalie suggested deliberately exposing yourself to higher-order thinking - reading more broadly about strategy, risk, governance and business, finding mentors who can stretch your thinking and spending time around leaders already operating at the level you aspire to reach.

She also spoke about finding role models and simply observing them. How do they think? How do they behave in a room? What are they noticing? Rather than entering those environments questioning whether you belong there, approach them with curiosity and use the opportunity to learn.

Questions to consider

Are you focused primarily on your own area, or are you looking up and across the organisation?
How well do you anticipate what the level above you needs in order to make decisions?
Who are you learning from who is already operating at the level you aspire to reach?

Leadership Needs a Compass

When we spoke about the capabilities future CEOs will need, Natalie came back to adaptability and the ability to understand what is happening in the environment around you.

Technology, funding models, workforce expectations, service delivery and the way people engage with organisations are all shifting. Natalie believes leaders increasingly need to be able to read the environment, make decisions without perfect information and recognise when they need to change course.

To do that well, you need a compass.

For FRRR, that compass is clear: they are there as partners for rural and remote Australia, supporting communities to thrive on their own terms. When opportunities arise, the organisation can return to that purpose and ask whether what is being proposed genuinely aligns with what communities say they need.

For Natalie personally, her compass comes back to integrity.

I found the distinction she made between an organisational compass and a personal one particularly interesting. In the for-purpose sector, the two can become very closely intertwined. When you care deeply about the work, it can become difficult to separate who you are from what you do.

A three-month sabbatical became an important circuit breaker for Natalie and helped her recognise that while FRRR is a significant part of her life, it isn't her identity. The organisation existed before her leadership and will continue beyond it.

That led to another theme from our conversation that really stayed with me: stewardship.

Natalie described the CEO role as fundamentally a stewardship role. Every CEO holds the chair for a period of time, with an opportunity to influence the organisation in ways few other roles allow. Her advice to aspiring CEOs was to recognise that privilege, but also to enter the role with their eyes open.

Understand the Board, the culture and how the organisation really operates. Do your research and be clear about what you hope to contribute during your time there.

From an Executive Search perspective, I think this is an important question for aspiring CEOs to consider. It isn't simply: Do I want to be a CEO? It is also: Why this organisation, why now, and what am I uniquely positioned to contribute during my time there?

Questions to consider

What is the compass you return to when the environment around you is changing?
How closely connected is your identity to the role you hold?
If you stepped into a CEO role tomorrow, what would you want your period of stewardship to contribute?

Final Reflections

There was a lot I took away from my conversation with Natalie. The CEO role brings enormous opportunity to influence an organisation, its people and its impact, but ultimately every leader holds that responsibility for a period of time. The role is to understand what the organisation needs now, prepare it for what is coming next and eventually leave it ready for someone else to continue the work.

Doing that work well requires stewardship. It requires the ability to look up and across, build the right people around you, stay connected without needing to be involved in everything, and remain grounded in a clear sense of purpose while the environment around you changes.

For aspiring CEOs, perhaps Natalie's advice to enter the role with your eyes open is particularly important. Understand what you are stepping into, know what you stand for and be clear about what you hope to contribute during the time you are entrusted with leading the organisation.

My sincere thanks to Natalie for sharing her experience and reflections so openly, and for the work she and the FRRR team continue to do alongside rural, regional and remote communities across Australia.

Alma Raheem, Associate Partner, Executive Search

The Leadership Series: Jennifer Tierney, CEO of Oxfam Australia

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 09:48:32 GMT

Jennifer Tierney, CEO of Oxfam Australia interviewed by Liska Turner, partner, Executive Search

The Leadership Series

At Beaumont Executive, we know that appointing an outstanding leader is only the beginning. True success lies in how well they integrate into the organisation, thrive, and deliver long-term impact. That's why we created The Leadership Series; contributing to the for-purpose leadership conversation by sharing insights from exceptional leaders. Hosted by our Executive Search Partner, Liska Turner, this series features interviews with inspiring leaders who are shaping impact-driven organisations.

Liska Turner with Jennifer Tierney, CEO of Oxfam Australia

After more than two decades working across social justice, international development and humanitarian response, Jennifer Tierney has built a career leading through some of the world's most complex and challenging situations. Now CEO of Oxfam Australia, Jennifer has previously held senior leadership roles with Médecins Sans Frontières Australia and New Zealand, UNICEF Australia, AB Data and MSF USA.

From responding to major humanitarian crises to leading global teams through uncertainty, her experiences have shaped a leadership philosophy grounded in compassion, perspective and collective action.

In this recent conversation for The Leadership Series, Jennifer shares the experiences that have influenced her the most, the realities of leading through ambiguity, and the lessons she believes all leaders can apply, regardless of sector.

Watch the full interview here or read the article below to discover Jennifer's perspectives on leadership, resilience and navigating change.

Watch the full interview here

Leading through uncertainty: A lesson that lasted

When reflecting on the experiences that have most influenced her leadership, Jennifer points to the 2010 Haiti earthquake.

At the time, she was working with MSF and remembers learning that contact had been lost with colleagues on the ground following the devastating disaster.

It was her first real experience of crisis leadership.

While the situation was urgent and emotionally charged, one lesson from those early days has stayed with her ever since.

Take a breath.

"It can feel instinctive to rush straight into solutions," Jennifer says. "But no matter how serious the situation, stopping for a moment to bring the right people together will serve you better in the long run."

Whether responding to a humanitarian emergency, managing organisational change or navigating a data breach, she believes leaders must first create space to assess the situation, understand the risks, identify stakeholders and acknowledge what they do not yet know.

"Five brains are better than one in a crisis."

Having worked in environments defined by uncertainty, Jennifer has become familiar with what she calls a high "ambiguity tolerance".

For many leaders, ambiguity can create anxiety. Yet Jennifer believes one of a leader's most important responsibilities is helping teams remain grounded when answers are not immediately available.

Rather than trying to eliminate uncertainty, effective leaders acknowledge it.

"We don't always know how things will unfold," she explains. "The question becomes: what do we know, what can we act on, and how do we move forward together?"

Regular check-ins, open communication and a sense of shared responsibility all play an important role. When people feel supported and know they are not carrying challenges alone, uncertainty becomes more manageable.

The importance of listening in leadership

Moving into a new leadership role brings its own challenges, particularly when joining organisations with strong cultures, established identities and passionate stakeholders.

For Jennifer, success begins with understanding where you can immediately add value and where you need to spend more time listening and learning.

When she left MSF, she sought honest feedback from colleagues across the organisation, not just her executive peers. "It was effectively a reverse exit interview," she says.

She asked a simple question: What should I do more of and less of to be successful?

The feedback reinforced a number of strengths, including her values-led approach, compassion and strong work ethic. However, it also highlighted an area for growth.

"Slow down and listen."

Jennifer acknowledges that her natural pace can sometimes lead her to move quickly towards decisions. The experience reinforced the importance of creating space for others to contribute their ideas.

In many ways, the lesson echoes her approach to crisis leadership: pause, listen and bring people with you.

Maintaining perspective

Having worked in countries including Haiti, South Sudan, Bangladesh and Nigeria, Jennifer says those experiences continue to shape her perspective as a CEO.

Witnessing communities facing conflict, displacement, poverty and humanitarian emergencies has reminded her never to lose sight of the broader context in which many people live and work.

"Living in Australia, we are incredibly fortunate," she reflects.

For leaders within international organisations, this perspective creates a responsibility to support colleagues working on the frontline of humanitarian challenges.

Whether managing conflict, navigating insecurity or supporting their own families through hardship, field teams often carry a weight that is difficult to fully comprehend from afar.

Jennifer believes leaders must see themselves as an extension of those teams and provide the resources, advocacy and support they need to succeed.

Preventing burnout in purpose driven organisations

One of the greatest challenges Jennifer sees across the sector is sustaining people through prolonged periods of crisis.

When humanitarian emergencies continue for months or years, employees can experience significant emotional strain, particularly when they are deeply invested in the outcomes.

Taking breaks, sharing workloads, accessing support services and modelling healthy behaviours as a leader all contribute to long-term sustainability.

The goal is not simply to help people cope today, but to ensure they can continue contributing over the long term.

Local voices, local solutions

Jennifer is also a strong advocate for localisation, the idea that decision-making should sit as close as possible to the communities affected by challenges.

Rather than imposing solutions from afar, international organisations should work alongside local partners who understand the context best.

She points to Oxfam's work with Rohingya communities in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, where a local organisation developed innovative vertical gardening solutions to help families grow food in crowded refugee camps.

The idea came not from an international organisation, but from local expertise.

"Our role is to provide support and partnership," Jennifer explains. "The innovation often comes from the communities themselves."

What gives her hope?

Despite the scale of the challenges facing the world today, Jennifer remains optimistic.

The source of that optimism is people.

She speaks with admiration about colleagues dedicated to creating positive change, often under difficult circumstances.

She is equally encouraged by the growing strength of social movements around the world, particularly those advocating for greater equity, climate action and social justice.

While she acknowledges ongoing challenges, including the concentration of power and inequality, she believes meaningful change remains possible because of the individuals and communities committed to making a difference.

Leadership in one sentence

Asked about the leadership habit she never sacrifices, Jennifer's answer is immediate: Exercise.

A reminder that even in demanding leadership roles, maintaining personal wellbeing remains essential.

And perhaps that neatly captures one of the strongest messages from her leadership journey: the best leaders are not those who rush hardest or carry the greatest burden alone. They are the ones who pause, listen, lean on others and create the conditions for people to thrive, even in the most challenging circumstances.

Key Takeaways from the Engagement Australia Conference 2026

Wed, 05 Aug 2026 01:19:48 GMT

Engagement Australia Conference, July 2026

Having spent much of my career working in university engagement in the UK, it was genuinely encouraging to attend Engagement Australia 2026 at the University of Melbourne and hear conversations that felt both familiar and increasingly urgent. What stood out most was the level of senior leadership engagement in the discussion. Vice-Chancellors, Deputy Vice-Chancellors, Pro Vice-Chancellors and sector leaders were not treating community engagement as a secondary activity, but as central to the purpose and future of universities.

One of my key highlights was hearing Professor Barney Glover AO, now Chief Commissioner of the Australian Tertiary Education Commission (ATEC), discuss mission-based compacts and the role universities will play in delivering national priorities. The deliberate focus on "mission" was particularly pertinent. The message was clear: universities need the autonomy and academic freedom to respond to the needs of their communities, while also being accountable for delivering meaningful outcomes in participation, equity and skills development.

Across the conference, a consistent theme emerged: universities are at their best when they see themselves as part of communities, not separate from them. I was struck by comments that universities can sometimes resemble gated communities, when in reality they should be open, porous institutions that blend seamlessly into the places they serve. This is a conversation that has gained momentum in the UK over recent years, and it was encouraging to see Australian institutions grappling with the same challenge and opportunity.

The practical examples shared by universities were equally impressive. From UTS embedding community engagement into promotion frameworks and work plans, to investment in staff volunteering and matched community grants, there was a strong recognition that engagement only becomes sustainable when it is valued, rewarded and resourced. Good intentions alone are not enough. Institutions need structures that make engagement part of everyday university life.

The First Nations voices session was another important reminder that meaningful engagement starts with listening. Discussions about cultural safety, inclusion and the ongoing impact of systemic barriers reinforced that universities still have work to do. However, they also highlighted the expertise, leadership and knowledge that First Nations communities have been contributing to universities for decades, often without sufficient recognition.

Day two focused heavily on trust, social cohesion and the social purpose of universities. Several speakers challenged the sector to consider its role in an increasingly polarised world. Universities cannot solve every societal problem, but they remain one of the few places where people from different backgrounds, generations and perspectives come together to learn, debate and build understanding. At a time when trust in institutions is under pressure, that role feels more important than ever.

I really enjoyed the discussion around access and participation. Whether through mature-age pathways, stronger links between vocational and higher education, or support for first-in-family students, there was a shared belief that universities remain one of society's most effective engines for social mobility. As Bill Shorten noted, diversity and merit are not competing ideas. Expanding access to education strengthens both individuals and communities.

As a sponsor of the conference through Beaumont People, it was also fantastic to contribute to these conversations and share insights from our Lead Mentoring program . I left Melbourne optimistic. The challenges facing higher education are significant, but so is the commitment of the people leading the sector. The strongest message I took away was this: universities create the most value when they are deeply connected to their communities, confident in their social purpose, and willing to work together to deliver educational opportunity for all. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to attend and the work Engagement Australia is doing to bring hundreds of people together in a shared vision.

Article written by:
Katie Badman

Senior Recruitment Consultant, Beaumont People Education Team

A Leadership Conversation with Cleola Anderiesz

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 06:34:16 GMT

(By Alma Raheem)

When I asked Cleola Anderiesz what people often underestimate about being a CEO, she described it as "the weight of knowing."

The responsibility of carrying information that can't always be shared. Understanding challenges, risks and difficult decisions before they become visible to others. Continuing to lead with confidence and clarity while holding realities that your team, stakeholders or community may not yet be aware of.

It was a perspective I hadn't heard articulated quite like that before.

As CEO of the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF), Cleola brings more than two decades of leadership experience across research, government and the not-for-profit sector. Throughout our conversation, we explored executive readiness, leadership capability, AI and the challenges facing the sector.

Our conversation covered everything from strategic thinking and organisational performance through to technology and leadership development, but a common thread ran through much of what Cleola shared: the responsibility leaders carry when navigating complexity while remaining anchored to purpose.

As I continue this series, I'm including a few self-reflection prompts throughout each conversation. The intention is not only to share the perspectives of experienced leaders, but also to create space for readers to think about how these ideas might relate to their own leadership and career journey.

Alma Raheem with Cleola Anderiesz

The Weight of Knowing

When Cleola spoke about leadership, she described the CEO role as being the only position in an organisation with visibility across everything.

Teams understand their own functions. Boards provide governance and oversight. Subject matter experts bring deep expertise in their areas. But there is only one person who sees all the moving parts and understands how they connect.

That reality creates a responsibility that many people don't see.

There are moments when CEOs are aware of emerging risks, difficult realities or significant decisions long before they become visible to the wider organisation. They understand the potential implications for staff, stakeholders and the communities they serve, yet they can't always bring people into those conversations straight away.

Cleola's perspective was that the challenge isn't necessarily making the decision itself.

It's carrying that responsibility while continuing to provide confidence, optimism and direction for others.

An insight Cleola shared that I found particularly thought-provoking was:

"A CEO is the only single person in an organisation who knows absolutely everything."

Throughout this discussion, Cleola continually came back to purpose. For her, leadership starts with understanding why the organisation exists and ensuring decisions remain anchored to that purpose, particularly during periods of uncertainty.

She also spoke about resilience, not as the ability to simply push through challenges, but as the ability to hold complexity without losing sight of what matters most.

Questions to consider

What helps you stay anchored during uncertainty?
How closely connected are your decisions to your organisation's purpose?
How do you balance short-term pressures with long-term stewardship?

Leadership Readiness Isn't About Job Titles

One of the most interesting parts of our conversation was around executive readiness.

As someone who regularly speaks with aspiring executives, I'm always curious about what CEOs look for when hiring senior leaders.

According to Cleola, technical expertise is important, but it only gets you so far.

Technical expertise may get someone into executive conversations. Leadership readiness is what gets them the role.

For her, the difference comes down to judgement, accountability and the ability to think beyond your own function.

The leaders who stand out are those who consistently make decisions with the whole organisation in mind rather than simply advocating for their own area. They're balancing short-term demands with long-term sustainability and looking at outcomes through an enterprise-wide lens.

Self-awareness also featured strongly throughout this discussion.

The most effective leaders understand both their strengths and their blind spots. They actively seek different perspectives, welcome challenge and remain comfortable operating in ambiguity.

One part of the conversation challenged something I hear frequently from candidates.

I asked what advice she would give someone who feels they haven't had the opportunity to develop strategic thinking because of the organisation they're in or the role they hold.

Cleola challenged that thinking quite directly. Titles may shape responsibilities, but they don't determine how broadly you think.

Whether through formal learning, cross-functional projects, mentoring, committees or simply raising your hand for opportunities outside your immediate remit, Cleola believes people have much more control over their development than they often realise.

At one point she shared a phrase that perfectly captured how she thinks about leadership:

"Leaders live in the future."

By that, she wasn't suggesting leaders ignore what's happening today. Rather, she was speaking about the importance of looking ahead, anticipating what might be coming next, and thinking beyond the immediate priorities in front of you.

Questions to consider

Are you thinking beyond your own function or area of expertise?
What opportunities are you creating for your own development?
Where might you be waiting for permission instead of taking initiative?

Embracing AI Without Losing Human Connection

When I asked Cleola what leadership challenge future CEOs should be paying attention to, she admitted there were plenty to choose from.

The one she eventually settled on was AI.

More specifically, how organisations embrace AI and digital transformation without losing the human connection at the heart of the not-for-profit sector.

Interestingly, Cleola doesn't see the biggest challenge as the technology itself.

The challenge is navigating the intersection of innovation, trust, ethics and workforce readiness.

AI has enormous potential to improve productivity, reduce administrative burden and help organisations achieve greater impact with finite resources. For a sector constantly being asked to do more, those opportunities are significant.

At the same time, Cleola believes leaders need to think carefully about where technology interfaces with people.

Whether it's donors, service users, communities or staff, empathy, relationships and human judgement remain central to the work we do.

At NBCF, this has meant taking a structured and measured approach to AI adoption, testing different use cases across teams and understanding where it can add value before implementing solutions more broadly.

The more we discussed it, the more it became clear that this wasn't really a conversation about technology. It was a conversation about leadership, and about understanding where technology can enhance human capability while ensuring organisations remain deeply connected to their purpose.

Questions to consider

How is your organisation approaching AI adoption?
Where can technology strengthen outcomes without replacing human connection?
How are you preparing your people for the changes ahead?

Final Reflections

Reflecting on our conversation, I was struck by the balance Cleola brings to leadership.

We spoke about strategy, performance, organisational growth and technology, yet the discussion continually returned to purpose, stewardship and people.

It reinforced something I see often in my work: leadership becomes less about having all the answers and more about helping people navigate complexity while remaining anchored to what matters most.

And perhaps that's why "the weight of knowing" was the phrase that stayed with me long after the conversation had finished.

It's not a phrase I'd heard before, but it captures something many CEOs experience every day and rarely talk about: the responsibility of carrying information, context and decisions that others may not yet see, while continuing to provide confidence and direction for the organisation.

My sincere thanks to Cleola for her openness and generosity in sharing her experience.

Alma Raheem, Associate Partner, Executive Search

A Leadership Conversation with Susanne Legena

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 04:45:19 GMT

(By Alma Raheem)

One of the things I value most about working in executive search is the chance to spend time with leaders outside of a live recruitment process.

More often than not, we meet CEOs at very specific moments, whether that’s appointing a new executive, navigating a period of change, or thinking about succession. Those conversations are important, but they’re usually quite focused on a particular outcome. What we don’t always get the opportunity to do is step back and have a broader conversation about leadership itself.

As part of our Leadership Conversations series, I recently sat down with Susanne Legena, CEO of Plan International Australia.

Susanne is widely respected in the global social change space, with deep experience across climate justice, gender equality and international development. Alongside her CEO role, she is Chair of the Emergency Action Alliance, a Board Director at CommUnity Plus, and has recently joined the board of the Australian Conservation Foundation.

I asked Susanne five questions about leadership, executive readiness and where the for-purpose sector is heading. We covered a lot of ground, from AI through to feedback, but what stayed with me most was how often the conversation came back to the same idea: leadership really starts with how you lead yourself.

As we spoke, I found myself reflecting on how much of this applies more broadly, so I’ve included a few questions throughout for anyone who wants to pause and consider their own leadership along the way.

Susanne Legena with Alma Raheem

Leadership Is More Visible Than You Think

When I asked Susanne what people tend to underestimate about the CEO role, she spoke about how visible leadership really is, whether you intend it or not. In fact, her exact words were:

“You can be very powerful without meaning to be.”

She reflected that people are constantly taking cues from leaders, not just in the obvious moments like all-staff meetings or board presentations, but in everyday interactions. How you respond under pressure, how you deal with uncertainty, how you engage with people in small moments: all of these things are noticed, and they shape how others experience you as a leader.

As leaders become more senior, it’s less about what they know and more about how they show up day to day. Susanne spoke quite openly about her early experience as a CEO, where she felt the need to do everything. Over time, what made the biggest difference wasn’t pushing harder, but becoming more deliberate. Slowing things down, looking after herself properly, and being more thoughtful in how she responded, particularly in high-pressure situations.

For me, it was a reminder that wellbeing isn’t something separate from leadership and it’s actually part of doing the role well.

Questions to consider

How do you tend to respond when you’re under pressure?
What might your team be picking up from your behaviour, even in small moments?
Are you putting as much focus on your own wellbeing as you are on your professional development?

The Best Leaders Are Comfortable With Uncertainty

Another theme that came through clearly in our conversation was adaptability.

The for-purpose sector is operating in an increasingly complex environment. Funding models are evolving, expectations are shifting, and technology is continuing to reshape how organisations work. In that context, it’s no longer realistic to wait until you have all the information before making a decision.

What I found particularly interesting was how Susanne approaches those moments of uncertainty. Rather than automatically speeding things up, she often does the opposite and deliberately slows down.

She talked about creating space before making significant decisions and asking herself whether something really needs to be decided immediately, or whether it would benefit from more time, more input, or simply a pause to think it through properly. It sounds simple, but it’s also something that can be quite difficult to practise, especially in environments where everything can feel urgent.

She also spoke about focusing on momentum rather than perfection, recognising that leaders are rarely operating with full certainty. Instead, they are helping people continue moving forward, even when the path isn’t completely clear.

We also touched on AI and what it might mean for the sector. What resonated was her view that it should enhance human capability rather than replace it, which feels particularly important in organisations that are built around people, relationships and community impact.

Questions to consider

Are there decisions you’re pushing through quickly that might benefit from a bit more space?
How comfortable are you operating without having all the answers?
Where could technology support your team without losing the human side of the work?

Self-Awareness Is the Leadership Advantage Nobody Talks About Enough

When I asked what really differentiates someone who is ready for executive leadership, Susanne didn’t hesitate.

She said it comes down to self-awareness.

More specifically, she spoke about the importance of being willing to actively seek feedback, to genuinely hear it, and then to do something with it.

She shared a question she often asks leaders:

“Tell me about a time you got it wrong. What did you learn and what would you do differently now?”

I really liked this because it reveals far more than a list of achievements ever could. In fact, it is one of my favourite interview questions to include when I am interviewing a candidate.

In my experience as well, the strongest leaders aren’t the ones who feel they have everything figured out. They’re the ones who stay open, who are curious about themselves, and who are willing to keep learning over time.

Another part of the conversation that I enjoyed was her perspective on feedback. She spoke about the importance of it being delivered thoughtfully, in a timely way, and with genuine care for someone’s development. The intention shouldn’t be criticism, but helping someone improve.

That distinction feels especially important in a sector that places such a strong focus on people and culture.

Questions to consider

Who are the people in your life who give you honest feedback?
What’s a piece of feedback you’ve received recently that made you think differently?
How do you tend to respond when someone points out something you might not see yourself?

Before You Become a CEO, Know Your Why

I finished by asking Susanne what advice she would give to someone aspiring to become a CEO.

Her answer was simple: “Know your why, write it down, keep it somewhere visible, and come back to it often.”

Susanne spoke honestly about the reality of the role. While CEO positions can be incredibly rewarding, they’re also demanding, and at times can feel quite isolating. There’s a side of leadership that people don’t always see, including the difficult conversations, competing priorities, and the weight that comes with making decisions that affect others.

Having a clear sense of purpose gives you something steady to come back to in those moments.

She also emphasised the importance of having the right support structures around you. Mentors, coaches, trusted peers, supportive board members, as well as family and friends all play an important role, and it’s much easier if those relationships are already in place before you need to rely on them.

One resource she mentioned was The First 90 Days by Michael Watkins. While it’s often positioned as a guide for transitions, she spoke about how valuable the questions in the book are more broadly, which is why she now regularly shares it with leaders stepping into executive roles.

Questions to consider

Why do you want to lead, really?
Who do you have around you that you can rely on?
What do you need to put in place now before stepping into your next leadership role?

Final reflections

What struck me most from the conversation was that it reinforced something I see quite often in my work, which is that as leaders grow, their impact becomes less about their expertise and more about how they show up, particularly when things are challenging or uncertain.

Susanne’s perspective was a helpful reminder that investing in yourself isn’t separate from leadership and is fundamental to it.

A genuine thank you to Susanne for her openness and generosity in sharing her experience.

Alma Raheem, Associate Partner, Executive Search

How to make the most of unused recruitment budget before EOFY

Tue, 19 May 2026 02:12:52 GMT

How to make the most of unused recruitment budget before EOFY

End of financial year (EOFY) is just around the corner and with it, a familiar challenge for many HR teams and hiring managers: unspent budget. 

With ongoing pressure on budgets and increased scrutiny on spend, making the most of what’s left matters more than ever. For many organisations, it’s not just about using budget before it resets. It’s about investing it in ways that genuinely support their people, strengthen capability and set their organisation up for the year ahead.

If you have budget remaining, this is a valuable opportunity to take a thoughtful, strategic approach. Used well, even a small amount of remaining budget can help address skills gaps, strengthen teams and improve retention.

Where do you sit?

Budget already used
Planning to use it before 30 June
Still have budget, but no needs and not sure how to use it
Not going to use it, prepared to risk a reduced budget next year
Not planning on using it, need to save costs
Repurpose budget to learning & development

Why unused recruitment budget matters

Recruitment budgets are closely reviewed at EOFY. Underspend this year can create challenges in the year ahead. It can affect future budget allocations, slow approvals for roles that are already needed, or could mean tapping straight into next year's budget in July/August when you had budget left over this year that could have been forward paid. Remaining recruitment budget can be used strategically before 30 June.

Identify the gap 

What investment is needed most? Is it leadership development, team growth or something else entirely?

Aligning your remaining budget to strategic priorities rather than just ticking a box will ensure the spend is meaningful and justifiable. Even modest investment can have a big impact on your people, your culture and the future of your organisation. 

Here are six impactful ways to use your remaining recruitment or L&D budgets: 

1. Bring forward recruitment you already know is coming

If you are aware of roles that need to be recruited in July or August, bring these roles forward now. Early briefing, market mapping and candidate engagement can make a real difference to time to hire and help your team start Q1 with momentum rather than vacancies.

It also means using this years budget (whether that be forward paying a partial fee or full fee), rather than drawing on next years budget in the first month of the new financial year.

2. Grow your teams for the year ahead with recruitment 

Identify the specific skills and experience your team will need in the year ahead. This includes looking at capability gaps, future priorities, and where the right hire can have the greatest impact.

Partnering with a recruitment specialist can support this more targeted approach. It will help you access wider talent pools, reduce time to hire, and ensure you’re bringing in people who align with both your immediate needs and longer term direction.

You might also consider alternative approaches such as contract or project-based hires, particularly where you need specialist skills or short-term capacity. This can offer flexibility while still making effective use of available budget.

Taking a more strategic view now can help you avoid reactive hiring later and set your team up with the capability it needs to deliver.

3. Use temporary recruitment to protect delivery during peak periods or annual leave

EOFY often brings reporting pressure, project deadlines and annual leave gaps at the same time. Temporary recruitment can be a smart use of remaining budget when you need to maintain delivery, protect permanent teams from overload and access capability quickly. For many organisations, it is also a practical way to support people well during peak periods rather than expecting already stretched teams to absorb more. It could also be covering a role with a temp whilst recruiting a permanent role to ensure the team doesn’t burn out with additional workload.

4. Support leaders and emerging leaders

Employee retention remains a top priority with current economic conditions. Now more than ever it is critical to invest left over budget into Learning & Development for your team.

Leaders are being asked to take on more, with less support and resources in today's environment. Leadership development is a valuable investment for all parties. It shows a commitment to the growth of your team and helps shape the leaders you’ll need tomorrow. 

Structured programs, like our  LEAD Mentoring Program ,  can be game-changing. By combining professional development, strengths profiling and one-on-one mentoring, LEAD helps emerging leaders build capability and confidence.  Mentoring, in particular, can be a powerful way to retain talent and provide individuals with a confidant and guide outside of their usual working group. 

5. Help your employees unlock their strengths 

Strengths profiling and assessments offer a smart, impactful way to utilise L&D budgets while delivering real outcomes. Strengths profiles can be used both at an individual or team level, providing valuable insights into strengths, behaviours and talent potential.

These tools help employees become more self-aware, allows individuals to better understand their unique strengths and what energises them and enable teams to collaborate more effectively by playing to each other’s strengths. Rather than focusing on gaps or weaknesses, strengths-based development empowers individuals to work from a place of strength, maximising their potential and improving team dynamics. 

Given its relatively low cost and high impact, strengths profiling is an excellent choice for organisations looking to get the most value from their L&D budget. It can be offered to specific individuals or entire teams, depending on the budget available. 

6. Invest in strategic support 

Sometimes, the best investment you can make is bringing in an external perspective. Whether it's workforce planning, structural changes, or shaping your culture strategy, our consulting team can help you tackle those critical projects that often get sidelined. If you've been meaning to review your team’s capabilities, redefine roles, or clarify your organisational priorities, now is the perfect time to take action and use your leftover budget to move those initiatives forward. 

Making your budget count 

If you have recruitment budget left over this year, you can prepay part or all of the recruitment fee this financial year that can be used for temporary, permanent, unbundled services, psychometric testing or learning and development.

If you don’t use your recruitment budget this year, it is often reduced the following year. This can lead to lost momentum, capability gaps or team burnout, and may leave you relying heavily on that budget early in the new financial year for planned or unexpected hiring needs.

If you are in a position to do so, spend your remaining budget with purpose. It’s an investment in your people. Recruitment, leadership development, strengths profiling and strategic consulting offer practical ways to deliver value for your people and your organisation. 

And if you’re unsure where to start, Beaumont People is here to help. 

Get in touch with us   to talk through your goals and to find a solution that's right for you – and your budget. 

Written by: Debbie Davis, Beaumont People CEO

Leadership Trends and the Trust Deficit - What leadership really requires

Thu, 14 May 2026 06:53:36 GMT

Article written by Jo Brown, General Manager, Associations and Memberships, Beaumont People

Leadership Trends and the Trust Deficit - What leadership really requires

Working in recruitment across the association and membership sector gives you a front row seat to leadership in practice. Not just what is said publicly, but what happens in boardrooms, executive meetings and day‑to‑day decision making when the pressure is on.

And honestly, it’s one of the reasons I’ve stayed in this sector and chosen to build my career here.

The depth of talent, commitment and care across membership organisations is genuinely impressive. Purpose is not a slogan; it's lived. People are invested because the work matters, and that creates an energy you don’t find everywhere.

But it also creates a quiet tension.

Purpose driven environments move fast. There’s always more to do, more to deliver, more people depending on outcomes. In that momentum, reflection often becomes a luxury rather than a discipline. And without space to pause, leadership can become reactive instead of deliberate.

That pause and reflection is no longer optional. In 2026, I believe it’s a leadership responsibility.

The environments we’re operating in are shifting too quickly to rely on leadership models designed for stability. Workforce expectations, technology, trust and capability are all in motion at the same time. Concerningly, only 37% of employees strongly agree they understand how their work connects to organisational priorities (Gallup, State of the Global Workplace).

To lead well through that, we need a fresh view of what leadership actually requires now, especially if we want teams that can hold autonomy and accountability in parallel without losing clarity or cohesion.

I was reminded of this recently in one of those rare in-between moments. Somewhere between designing an executive role for a new board, co-ordinating a CEO roundtable, and spending a school holiday day at the zoo with my son, I found myself reflecting on what’s really separating good teams from great teams right now.

Two things keep standing out.

Skills over roles - designing for movement, not permanence

The move towards skills-based hiring isn’t new, but it is now firmly established. LinkedIn’s workforce research shows that organisations using skills‑based approaches expand their talent pools significantly and improve internal mobility outcomes. According to Deloitte, the Global Human Capital Trends 2025 reported that 73% of organisations globally are already using or actively moving towards skills‑based workforce models.

In practice, though, many organisations are still anchored to structures built for a different era. Fixed role descriptions that are not personalised, linear career paths and organisational charts that assume predictability rather than change.

Work has already moved on.

Careers are increasingly non‑linear. Capability is built across sectors, environments and life stages. The idea of a role as a fixed container for work is giving way to a sharper focus on the skills needed to deliver outcomes. In the not too distant future (2027) 44% of workers’ skills will be disrupted, according to the World Economic Forum, Future of Jobs Report 2023.

More progressive organisations have shifted the question entirely. Not “who fits this role?”, but “what capability do we need, and how quickly can we build, grow or access it?”

This demands a different leadership stance. Capability building becomes an operating principle, not a side conversation. Internal mobility shifts from a retention initiative to a strategic lever. Transferable skills move from the margins to the centre of workforce design. Organisations with strong internal mobility consistently fill roles faster and reduce hiring costs, with LinkedIn research pointing to improvements of up to 41% and 20% respectively.

There is discipline required here. Skills-based models only work when standards are clear. Without a shared understanding of what good looks like, mobility creates noise rather than momentum.

At an executive level, the implication is simple. The organisations that outperform won’t just be the ones that hire well. They’ll be the ones that build capability faster than they can recruit it. And, an additional positive is that organisations that prioritise reskilling are 2.8× more likely to be innovation leaders, Boston Consulting Group.

Trust as leadership currency - consistency beats charisma

Alongside this structural shift sits something more human, and far more fragile. Trust has become one of the defining variables in leadership effectiveness.

Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace research consistently shows that employee engagement remains stubbornly low globally, with managers accounting for around 70% of the variance in team engagement. In simple terms, people’s experience of leadership day to day matters more than almost anything else when it comes to trust and performance.

In practice, that trust is built less through vision statements and more through consistency. People aren’t looking for charisma or constant reassurance. They’re looking for leaders who are clear on expectations, follow through on commitments, and explain decisions, even when those decisions are difficult.

Employees are significantly more likely to trust leaders who demonstrate transparency and explain the rationale behind decisions. Trust deteriorates most often when information is withheld, decisions are reversed without explanation, or accountability feels uneven.

It’s rarely the big moments that erode trust. It’s the accumulation of smaller ones. The conversation that’s avoided, the decision that changes quietly or the priority that shifts without acknowledgement.

When trust weakens, performance follows. Engagement dips, discretionary effort reduces, and retention becomes more fragile. Organisations often look externally for explanations, but the drivers are frequently internal and behavioural. Trust is fundamental, as low trust environments experience up to 50% lower productivity. (Harvard Business Review)

People rarely leave the organisation in isolation - they leave environments where leadership feels inconsistent or unclear.

What ‘people first’ looks like in practice

Most organisations now describe themselves as 'people first'. The language is not uncommon, but from our interactions with candidates, we know the experience is far less consistent.

At leadership level, it shows up in clarity of priorities, intentional role design, investment in manager capability, and honest conversations about capacity and trade-offs.

At organisational level, it’s evident in hybrid models that are designed rather than defaulted, through visible and accessible career pathways, and in mentorship that’s built into the system rather than left to chance.

At cultural level, it’s reflected in recognition that is specific and meaningful, and in leadership that’s demonstrated through everyday behaviour, not values posters.

None of this is new - the challenge isn’t understanding what good looks like, it is sustaining behavioural consistency over time.

In the membership sector, where purpose already runs deep, leadership that is deliberate, consistent and human has an outsized impact. The teams that thrive will be led by people who create clarity, build trust through action, and design work around capability rather than titles. I believe that’s what modern leadership now requires.

Supporting the next generation of women leaders in PR and communications

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 05:22:04 GMT

Supporting the next generation of women leaders in PR and communications

Beaumont People is proud to have partnered with GWPR Australia to support the 2026 GWPR Australia Mentoring Scholarships , which were expanded this year following strong interest from across the PR and communications industry and sponsored by Blue Chip Communication and Beaumont People.

The 2026 scholarship recipients, Anastasiia Nazarenko from Palin Communications and Sophie Budzevski from DEC PR, were selected from a highly competitive field of applicants. Their selection reflects both their leadership potential and the growing demand for structured, practical leadership development at the early to mid‑career stage.

Through the scholarship, recipients are awarded a fully funded place in our award‑winning LEAD Professional Development and Mentoring Program*. LEAD is a six‑month, program designed to build confident, capable leaders through one‑to‑one mentoring, skills and strengths coaching, masterclasses, online learning and peer connection. The program supports participants to develop self‑awareness, lead with clarity and navigate the real challenges of leadership.

We are delighted to welcome Anastasiia and Sophie into the LEAD program and to continue supporting the development of future leaders.

You can read the full coverage here:

Campaign Brief: GWPR Australia expands mentoring scholarships, names 2026 recipients
Telum Media: GWPR Australia names 2026 mentoring scholarship recipients

Discover more about LEAD here .

*Beaumont People’s LEAD program, powered by Art of Mentoring, was awarded Diamond Winner in the 2025 LEARNX Awards in the EdTech Mentoring Online category recognised for excellence in mentoring innovation.

How Advancement and Development Teams are Evolving

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 00:54:34 GMT

How Advancement and Development Teams Are Evolving Across the Australian Education Sector

Advancement and development functions across Australian schools and universities continue to expand as institutions face increasing pressure to diversify income, strengthen community relationships and secure long term sustainability. Recent sector reports show steady growth in both fundraising activity and the teams that support it.

Growth in Advancement capacity

Universities continue to increase their focus on structured philanthropy. The annual CASE Insights on Philanthropy survey confirms rising investment in fundraising staff, with participating institutions reporting detailed tracking of team size, expenditure and funds secured. The survey highlights that teams are growing to meet higher expectations around relationship management and campaign delivery. ( case.org )

Increasing complexity and compliance

Universities face continued tighter financial conditions, including the long-term decline in student funding and the impact of international student caps. Students paid up to $368 million extra in 2024 than they would have under fee structures that applied before the Job Ready Graduates Scheme was introduced (adjusted for inflation), according to new modelling from the Innovative Research Universities lobby.

However universities received $813 million less to teach and support students. These constraints are increasing reliance on philanthropy and elevating the strategic importance of senior structured advancement roles. ( universiti...lia.edu.au )

The sector is also preparing for wide scale reform through the Australian Universities Accord. Proposed changes include new governance structures and adjusted funding models, which will place greater expectations on advancement leaders to demonstrate clear outcomes, transparent reporting and strong stewardship. ( aph.gov.au )

School sector trends

School Foundations continue to rely on philanthropy to support facilities, scholarships/bursaries and capital projects. Fundraising approaches within schools are also shifting. We are seeing more digital and community based giving models becoming more common as well as the development of structured bequest programs and endowment funds, with increased emphasis on personalised campaigns and long-term engagement to maintain donor interest.

Challenges facing Advancement teams

HR teams should be aware of several current challenges:

Talent shortages : Sector-wide staffing pressures, a case for support to pay a competitive salary for a strategic professional fundraiser who will cover their own ROI and generate significant income for a school or university which should be considered in the package available.
Higher expectations from donors : Benchmarking reports confirm a growing focus on impact measurement and transparent communication to maintain trust, this relies on well-maintained donor databases, stringent reporting and resource to not just maintain great donor stewardship, but also back end operations.
Economic pressures : Across the board fundraising is reporting increased operational costs despite revenue growth, influencing donor behavior and a stronger need for demonstrated impact of their giving.

What this means for HR

Advancement teams now require a blend of relationship management, data capability, governance literacy and strategic thinking. HR leaders in schools and universities can support this by:

recruiting for transferable skills rather than narrow sector experience
investing in training for compliance, digital fundraising and stewardship
creating career pathways that retain specialist staff
ensuring workloads are sustainable given rising expectations

As philanthropy becomes central to institutional resilience, the ability to attract and retain strong advancement professionals will be a key differentiator for both schools and universities. At Beaumont People we have been working with both Universities and Independent schools on building their advancement teams, from donor relationship managers, to strategic capital campaign fundraisers and Directors of Development. We can support with not only the recruitment- based on a values and skills match- but also with benchmarking and sector insight to support decision making.

written by:
Katie Badman

Senior Recruitment Consultant, Beaumont People Education Team
With 6 years working within Higher Education and 7 years’ experience as a fundraiser in Not‑For‑Profits, Katie brings a genuine understanding of how education environments operate and what makes them thrive. Katie manages temporary and permanent recruitment for advancement, development and philanthropic roles, drawing on her own experience as a fundraiser to provide deep insight into the needs, structures and expectations of modern advancement teams.

International Women's Day | How do we support women to build the careers they deserve?

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 01:20:54 GMT

This International Women's Day, we talked to Robyn Riddle, our Meaningful Work & Inclusion Manager , on the barriers women continue to face in today’s job market and, importantly, what we can do to help remove them.

What’s one barrier women still face in today’s job market?

Structural flexibility bias. Not just access to flexible work, but the persistent perception that flexibility equals lower commitment, lower ambition, or lower leadership potential. Even in 2026, flexibility is still too often seen as being at odds with progression.

In Australia, this bias shows up in several ways:

Women are more likely to take career breaks or work part‑time due to caring responsibilities
Senior leadership roles remain designed around full‑time, always‑available models
Pay progression and superannuation accumulation are disproportionately impacted by reduced hours
Hiring managers may unconsciously view part‑time work or career gaps as a risk

The result? A compounding impact on women’s career growth and progression — clearly reflected in the WGEA Gender Pay Gap report.

So how do we remove this barrier?

Redesign roles, not just policies
Shift from “flexible on request” to “flexible by design.” Senior roles can be structured around outcomes, not hours.

Normalise visible flexible leadership
When men and senior leaders openly work flexibly, take parental leave, or compress hours, stigma reduces and culture shifts.

Measure output, not hours
Performance frameworks should prioritise delivery, impact, and contribution over time spent at a desk.

Protect superannuation and progression
Encourage salary packaging into super during part‑time periods and ensure development opportunities are maintained during leave.

How do we support women to build the careers they deserve?

At Beaumont People, we act as strategic partners — not just recruiters — and we’re proud to be led by women in a women‑empowered work environment.

Deep career conversations
Our consultants go beyond transactional placements, taking the time to understand goals, strengths, priorities, and constraints. This ensures women step into roles aligned with long‑term aspirations.

Advocating for flexibility by design
We work with clients to reframe roles around outcomes, flexibility, and inclusive design. This opens more pathways for women seeking part‑time, hybrid, or non‑traditional career models without sacrificing progression.

Building confidence and capability narratives
Through coaching, interview preparation, and personal brand support, we help women articulate their value, navigate transitions, and negotiate fair remuneration.

Educating clients on inclusive hiring
We partner with organisations to reduce bias in job design, interviews, and progression frameworks — creating environments where women’s full experience is recognised as an asset.

Championing equitable outcomes
From transparent salary guidance to advocating for parental leave and return‑to‑work support, we focus on fair pathways, not just placements.

Ongoing partnership and support
Our relationship doesn’t end at placement. We stay connected, offering market insights, career planning and strategic guidance to support long‑term progression.

In essence: Beaumont People supports women through a blend of personalised career strategy and systemic change in hiring and role design — helping women build the careers they deserve, and helping organisations build stronger, more diverse leadership pipelines. Internally, we demonstrate this commitment through hybrid work structures, 4‑day work week option, and flexibility initiatives that support staff wellbeing and long‑term career sustainability.

The Temp Matchmakers

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 23:34:40 GMT

The Temp Matchmaker – it's not just fast, it's a great match

February often brings conversations about great partnerships, strong connections and finding the right fit. While Valentine’s Day may be centred on personal relationships, the same principle applies in the workplace, particularly when it comes to temporary recruitment, as the right candidate needs to hit the ground faster than a normal onboarding.

At Beaumont People, we are focused on precise matchmaking. Aligning skills, culture, pace and purpose so that organisations can continue to perform at their best, even during periods of change, growth or increased demand.

Temporary Recruitment Done Strategically

In today’s market, high performing organisations rely on flexible talent to remain agile. Whether it is covering leave or a recruitment gap, supporting project delivery, managing peak workloads or trialling new roles, temporary professionals are a critical part of modern workforce planning.

What makes the difference is not speed alone, but quality of match.

Our specialist consultants take the time to understand:

The real business need behind the role
Team culture and leadership style
Required technical capability and adaptability
Timeframes, outcomes and future potential

This allows us to connect clients with temporary professionals who can add immediate value, not just fill a seat.

Our Temp Network Stands Out

With deep roots across the for purpose, association and education sectors, our temporary talent pool is built on long term relationships, rigorous screening and ongoing engagement.

Many of our temps choose Beaumont People because they value meaningful work, strong support and opportunities aligned with their skills and aspirations. That means our clients gain access to professionals who are motivated, reliable and ready to deliver. It is recruitment built on trust and connection.

An Offer to Celebrate Great Matches

To mark the season of matchmaking, we are pleased to announce our special offer of four hours FREE with any temporary booking confirmed between 11 February and 31 March 2026.

Terms & Conditions

The 4 hours will be deducted from the first full week invoice.
The temporary candidate must work 38 hours or more for the offer to apply.
Offer is valid from Wednesday 11 February to Tuesday 31 March 2026 at 5pm.
All standard Beaumont People terms of business apply – please speak to a consultant for more information.

Let’s Find Your Next Great Match

Whether you need immediate cover or are planning ahead, our temporary recruitment specialists are ready to support your workforce strategy with precision and care. Please reach out to your Beaumont People specialist temp recruitment consultant to learn more about this offer or to discuss your temporary staffing needs.

Because the right match at the right time makes all the difference.

Melanie Lewis | Charity Specialist | melaniel@beaumontpeople.com.au | 0450 320 547

Katherine Holyman | Charity Specialist | kat@beaumontpeople.com.au | 02 9093 4941

Sam Rasera | Charity Specialist | sam.rasera@beaumontpeople.com.au | 02 9093 4918

Taylor Fifield | Charity/Associations Specialist | taylor.fifield@beaumontpeople.com.au | 02 5629 7213

Nicole Dames | Associations Specialist | nicoled@beaumontpeople.com.au | 02 9093 4962

Katie Badman | Education Specialist | katie.badman@beaumontpeople.com.au | 02 9093 4966

Sharon Chisholm | National Talent Coordinator | sharon@beaumontpeople.com.au | 02 9093 4970

Human-centred recruitment in action

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 02:59:19 GMT

A story of partnership, purpose and impact

We are pleased to shine a light on a story that represents the very best of what meaningful, human-centred recruitment can achieve.

Recently, Robyn Riddle (Meaningful Work & Inclusion Manager) had the privilege of working with Phoebe Mwanza , a remarkable leader whose global experience, intellect and lived expertise were undeniable, yet she faced barriers re-entering the Australian job market. Like so many internationally trained, purpose-driven professionals, her story and impact weren’t being fully seen.

What unfolded next was a true partnership in action.

Through a deep discovery process, together we reframed her leadership narrative, elevated her visibility, and activated the market in a strategic, intentional way. It wasn’t driven by filling a role. It was driven by purpose, alignment, and a belief in her value.

When we connected with Diversity Council Australia Ltd , it was immediately clear there was a shared mission. Their commitment to building inclusive, equitable workplaces resonated strongly with Phoebe’s expertise, and with the work we do at Beaumont People to embed universal design and inclusive hiring practices across the sector.

What made this partnership stand out was DCA’s willingness to think beyond traditional recruitment parameters. Through open conversation and a strengths-based approach, they explored how Phoebe’s expertise could best support their long-term work. Their flexibility and commitment to values alignment ensured the process focused on capability, purpose and contribution.

The result:
�� A leader whose experience, integrity and purpose are now helping shape national conversations on inclusion.
�� A client who demonstrated what inclusive workforce design looks like in practice.
�� A process that put partnership and possibility at the centre.

This is the kind of recruitment that changes lives. This is the power of being truly values aligned.

A heartfelt thank you to the team at DCA for their trust and vision, and to Phoebe for allowing us to walk alongside her on this journey. She is already making an impact.

The New Leadership Currency: Cross-Sector Collaboration for Public Good

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 03:49:11 GMT

Bridging Purpose and Power: How Tri-Sector Leadership Shapes Modern Influence, Governance, and Impact - a n article series written by Blake Tierney – Non-Executive Director and Former Deputy Chair
Blake Tierney is a dynamic leader with over 14 years of experience spanning commercial enterprises, industry associations, and charitable organisations, serving in both executive roles and on boards. His tri-sector expertise enables him to bridge perspectives across government, business, and civil society, driving strategic influence and meaningful change.

In this article series, Blake traces the evolution of leadership capability across three stages from influence, to governance, to systems leadership arguing that the future of impact lies in leaders who can navigate and align business, government, and community. It’s about how purpose-led organisations can move beyond passion to performance, and how leaders can use strategic discipline, cross-sector collaboration, and ethical influence to create meaningful, measurable change.

In this third and final article, Blake explores collaboration as the new leadership currency for driving collective impact across business, government, and community.

The New Leadership Currency: Cross-Sector Collaboration for Public Good

Across this series, I’ve explored how Australia’s purpose-driven leaders can bridge advocacy and influence, strengthen governance without losing soul, and now, embrace the next great shift: collaboration as the new leadership currency.

Our biggest challenges, climate transition, workforce inclusion, artificial intelligence, and economic equity, don’t belong to one sector alone. Advocacy can raise awareness, governance can create stability, but only collaboration can deliver scale.

The leaders who will define the next decade are those fluent in the languages of policy, profit, and purpose and skilled in collaboration. This “tri-sector fluency” transforms isolated effort into collective impact. I’ve seen it firsthand underfunded community organisations partnering with business and government to unlock regional investment, create jobs, and deliver measurable social outcomes. They leveraged their greatest strength: relationships, not just resources.

Volunteer boards and underfunded NFPs can’t shoulder these responsibilities in isolation. Collaboration isn’t a luxury just for the well-resourced it’s a necessity, a lifeline for those running on passion and thin margins. When business, community and government share capability, data, and discipline, they help to build confidence, capacity, and governance strength.

Leadership today isn’t about control; it’s about connection and relationships. Real systems change happens when leaders align market incentives with social outcomes and community values.

My own experience across business, government, and community has taught me that leadership isn’t about owning the outcome; it’s about orchestrating it.

The next generation of leaders, CEOs, Chairs, and Directors won’t just build commercial companies or community causes. They’ll build connections. Because that’s where real power and real purpose meet.

A big thank you to Blake Tierney for creating this insightful article series and allowing us to share these valuable perspectives with our audience.

Good Hearts, Great Boards: Lifting Governance Standards Without Losing Soul

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 04:42:20 GMT

In this second article, Blake explores how volunteer boards - while the backbone of Australia’s community sector - need strong governance frameworks to turn passion into performance and build lasting impact.

Good Hearts, Great Boards: Lifting Governance Standards Without Losing Soul

Volunteer boards are the backbone of Australia’s community sector. They give their time, heart, and experience freely. Yet even the best intentions can falter without structure. Good governance is what turns passion into performance.

Most NFP boards face five familiar challenges: time scarcity, unclear roles, mission drift, unmanaged risk, and decisions made without data. These pressures are magnified by a lack of funding, where compliance is treated as a luxury rather than a necessity. But good governance isn’t expensive; it’s built on clarity, transparency, and consistency.

Another quiet challenge: many directors are volunteers who bring heart but limited governance experience. They’re asked to interpret constitutions, absorb risk, and manage finances they were never trained to handle. That’s not a failure of will, it’s a failure of scaffolding.

The solution isn’t to professionalise or train compassion out of the sector. It’s to equip volunteers with practical tools, structured induction, simple reporting templates, peer mentoring, and Chairs who lead with both empathy and clear expectations.

As a Director and executive supporting multiple boards, I’ve seen how the right framework transforms volunteer intent into institutional resilience.

A useful model is the “tri-sector governance triangle”: Purpose → Policy → Performance .

Purpose sets direction. Policy provides guardrails. Performance ensures delivery. When those align, overarching governance protects the strategy (mission) rather than diluting it.

Good governance doesn’t require deep pockets, just a strong framework on which to build. And when volunteer boards are equipped, not just inspired by a mission, they become the quiet engine of success for community organisations.

In the third and final article of this series, Blake will highlight why cross-sector collaboration is the new leadership currency - uniting business, government, and community to tackle complex challenges and transform isolated efforts into collective impact. Stay tuned for The New Leadership Currency: Cross-Sector Collaboration for Public Good.

Bridging Purpose and Power: How Tri-Sector Leadership Shapes Modern Influence, Governance, and Impact.

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 02:38:32 GMT

An article series written by Blake Tierney – Non-Executive Director and Former Deputy Chair
Blake Tierney is a dynamic leader with over 14 years of experience spanning commercial enterprises, industry associations, and charitable organisations, serving in both executive roles and on boards. His tri-sector expertise enables him to bridge perspectives across government, business, and civil society, driving strategic influence and meaningful change.

In this first of three articles, Blake draws on his deep experience in corporate affairs and not-for-profit leadership to explore how organisations can move beyond advocacy to build lasting influence.

From Advocacy to Influence: What the Not-for-Profit Sector Can Learn from Corporate Affairs

Australia’s not-for-profit sector excels at advocacy, mobilising communities, capturing hearts, and speaking truth to power. But advocacy alone doesn’t shift systems. Influence does. And the difference lies in strategy, structure, and storytelling.

In the corporate world, influence is never accidental. It’s deliberately built on stakeholder mapping, message discipline, and timing. Every initiative begins with a clear “ask,” aligned firstly to corporate priorities, then to government intel. It is supported by trusted relationships that endure beyond campaign cycles. The goal isn’t to shout louder. It’s to be heard smartly.

For many NFPs, limited resources mean strategy often gives way to urgency, where the organisation reacts instead of leading the discussion. Yet influence doesn’t demand a large budget — it demands clarity. Start with three questions:

What change are we asking for?
Who holds the power to make it happen?
How do we engage them consistently, not just when funding or crises demand it?

As a former corporate affairs executive and board director, I’ve seen small, under-resourced organisations achieve national impact by reframing their message from a moral plea to an economic opportunity. They didn’t gain new funding; they gained focus.

For not-for-profits, influence is best achieved through purpose and persistence. Strengths in passion, community and storytelling when paired with communication discipline, will lead to strategic, long term achievements.

For CEOs and Chairs in corporates, influence isn’t a function of communication, it’s a function of alignment: between purpose, policy, and ultimately commercial performance.

In the next article of this series, Blake turns his attention to governance, exploring how purpose-led organisations can strengthen their boards without losing their soul.

Stay tuned for Good Hearts, Great Boards: Lifting Governance Standards Without Losing Soul.

Article #2 :

Good Hearts, Great Boards: Lifting Governance Standards Without Losing Soul

Article #3 :

The New Leadership Currency: Cross-Sector Collaboration for Public Good

Your Recruitment Strategy is actually a Marketing Strategy

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 04:31:18 GMT

Why it's time to see your hiring process through a candidate lens

Written by Jo Brown

We often see employers rush headfirst into hiring. There’s a pressing business need, a gap to fill, a team under pressure - and so the default reaction is to whip up a job description, launch an advert, conduct a few interviews and hope the right person comes along.

But here’s the catch: the traditional approach to recruitment is all about you. Your need. Your structure. Your job description. Your checklists. Getting it done.

That might seem logical, but it’s not smart.

A future thinking recruitment strategy doesn’t start with your business need. It starts with your ideal candidate. And then work backwards from there.

Because in today’s market - one where candidates hold the power - the organisations who succeed in attracting the best available talent are those who shift their entire recruitment strategy to act like a marketing function. The goal? To attract, engage, connect and convert the very best people to be your people.

Every Touchpoint is a Sales Opportunity

Your job advert is not just an advert. It’s an invitation. A campaign. A brand pitch. The interview is not an interrogation. It’s an experience. A showcasing.. A huge opportunity. The offer letter is not a transaction. It’s a final nudge in your value proposition. The tone, the excitement, the human element - is vital at every stage.

From the moment someone sees your vacancy to the moment they first walk through the door, your recruitment process is selling something:

The role
The impact
The culture
The leadership
The purpose
The values
The people

If it’s not doing that, you are missing the mark and an opportunity to spark the curiosity of your potential next high performer.

Ask Yourself: What Does the Candidate See?

For example, many job adverts still open with a laundry list of responsibilities and a wall of criteria. We tell candidates what we want, before ever telling them why they should care. But great candidates, the ones in high demand, will require more than a list. They need a story .

Are your values and purpose front and centre?
Can you include a short statement from a team member about why they love working with you?
Does the candidate walk away from the interview excited by the role, or simply informed?
Does a candidate know how their role will play into the purpose on a day-to-day level?

What a candidate sees, hears, and feels throughout your hiring process will shape whether they choose you or not.

Remove the Barriers - why the 'must have'?

Must have five years of experience. Is it a demand? Or could the best person be out of scope? I understand why you’re asking for minimum five years’ experience - you want the best. But your star applicant with 4.8 years of exactly the right experience is wondering if they should even bother. And the statistics show that they’ll likely self-select out.

Too many job descriptions are filled with unnecessary filters - requirements that aren’t actually requirements but rather outdated placeholders. Strip them back. Focus on capability, not checkbox compliance.

Practical Steps for a Candidate Led Strategy

If you’re reviewing your recruitment process - and you should - here are a few ways to strengthen it, from the candidate’s perspective.

Add your mission to the job description : Candidates want to know why your organisation exists.
Include your values in the ad : Not just listed, but explained. Show how they show up in daily work.
Show, don’t just tell : Include a quote or short video from someone already in the team.
Talk about the team and culture : What’s the energy like? The rhythm? The leadership style? Find three words to encapsulate your culture.
Make it easy to apply : Clunky systems and excessive requirements will cost you good people. We know that 83% of applicants are put off by long application processes.
Be responsive : Silence speaks volumes. Keep communication flowing and timely. Respond to everyone. Protect your brand.

The Bottom Line

In a market where candidates are spoilt for choice, you cannot afford to treat recruitment as an admin function. It’s a strategic marketing effort and every element should be designed to engage, attract and excite the people you most want on your team.

Put your process under the microscope. Ask: Would you apply if you were the candidate?

Because people are your biggest asset and recruitment done well is not about ticking a box. It’s about attracting the best to your cause.

Written by:

Jo Brown

General Manager & Partner Executive Search | jo@beaumontpeople.com.au

Finding Meaningful Work: Bethany York-Brookes’ Career in the For Purpose Sector

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 02:51:10 GMT

We are delighted to introduce our first candidate spotlight - Bethany York-Brookes!

Read how Bethany found meaningful work in the for purpose sector, through temporary roles with leading charities.

When moving to a new country, securing your first role can completely shape your entire journey. For Bethany York-Brookes, it started with a job advertisement listed by Beaumont People that she came across while browsing online - an Executive Assistant position with an Australian Charity.

With her desire to find a meaningful role that aligned her values, it felt like the perfect fit. That first role was the catalyst to an exciting future with several leading charities.

“I found Beaumont People by chance through a Google Search. I came across a role on their website that really stood out and seemed like the perfect first job in Australia.”

Not knowing much about the company or the charity sector, Bethany sent through her application and quickly secured her first temporary role in Sydney.

A Meaningful First Step

"Beaumont helped me secure my first role in the charity sector,” she shares. “I’ve always believed in the importance of loving what you do. For me, working in this sector is about being part of a community and making a tangible difference.”

Since her first position, Beaumont People has placed Bethany in a further eight temporary roles with purpose-driven organisations.

Bethany shares her experience of working with Beaumont; "I always say this, but they really are the best in the business. They’re supportive, professional, and approachable. It’s refreshing to find an agency that consistently delivers and goes above and beyond.”

A Lasting Partnership: Recruitment that Places People First

What stood out for Bethany about her experience with Beaumont People wasn't just the role itself, but the continued support received by the consultant long after she started.

“Beaumont has been incredibly consistent, keeping me in the loop every step of the way. From regular check-ins to understanding my needs and finding roles that suit me, they take the time to truly understand each individual. Their support doesn’t end once a role is secured—they’ve followed up to ensure everything is going smoothly and that I’m happy in the position.”

Exploring the Sector Through Temporary Work

Taking on temporary roles gave her space to explore the sector and build a career aligned to her passions.

“Temp work has given me the flexibility to explore different roles within the sector, gain diverse experiences, and discover what I truly enjoy. It’s also helped me build a strong network within the charity sector and provided a sense of freedom that, while unconventional, has made me more adaptable both in my career and personal life."

Advice for Others Looking to Get Started

To anyone considering a career in the charity sector, Bethany encourages starting small and following your interests.

“My advice is to follow your passion and start with volunteering or temp roles to gain experience. The sector is full of opportunities for those who are dedicated and open-minded. Stay focused on what you want to achieve, and if your core values align, the sector or role will be a great fit for you.”

Aligning Passion with Purpose Matters

Bethany’s story is a reminder of what is possible when values and opportunity align and when the right support is there to help you build a career with purpose.

At Beaumont People, we are proud to champion meaningful work by connecting purpose-driven people with roles that truly make a difference to them, and to the communities they serve.

Stay tuned for more monthly stories from candidates and clients who are building careers with purpose.

Beaumont People Wins National Client Service Award at the 2025 RCSA Industry Awards

Tue, 27 May 2025 07:15:09 GMT

We are proud to announce that Beaumont People has been awarded the ‘Excellence in Client Service’ Award at the 2025 RCSA (Recruitment, Consulting & Staffing Association (RCSA) Industry Awards. The RCSA is the peak body for the recruitment, staffing & workforce solutions industry across Australia.

This national recognition is deeply meaningful to us. Since our founding in 2001, our purpose has been clear: to place people first. This award affirms that purpose and celebrates the consistent, high quality service our team delivers every day to our clients and the broader community.

“This is a proud moment for Beaumont People.” said Nikki Beaumont , Founder and Director. “In 2001, we were driven by a clear purpose of placing people first and delivering recruitment services with care and integrity. This purpose still stands and being recognised nationally for the quality of our service is a meaningful reflection of everything we do.”

The Excellence in Client Service Award acknowledges excellence in delivering value, care and results to clients and several key elements of our approach contributed to our win:

Exceptional fill rates of 86% for permanent roles and 85% for temporary placements, far exceeding industry benchmarks
An NPS of 86.3, reflecting strong, sustained client satisfaction
Over half of all placements made through our extensive candidate database
Personalised, expert support from our team of sector specialist consultants, who take the time to deeply understand client needs and deliver tailored solutions.
Smart use of technology to drive efficiencies and improve outcomes, including AI tools and data led platforms that enhance the recruitment experience.
Strong client relationships , maintained through regular service reviews, transparent communication and a leadership team that remains closely connected to client outcomes.
Value added initiatives like our LEAD Scholarship program, inclusive hiring support, industry working groups and complimentary training and events, all designed to support clients beyond the recruitment process.

These are just some of the ways we aim to deliver meaningful, lasting value to our clients. At Beaumont People, we pride ourselves in the excellent service that we deliver to clients, candidates and partners.

This award is a celebration of our people. To our team: thank you for showing up every day with care, consistency and integrity. To our clients: thank you for your trust and support. We are proud to support your success and grateful to be part of your journey.

We also congratulate our colleague Alma Raheem , Recruitment Manager, Melbourne, who was recognised as a Rising Star finalist. Her dedication, professionalism and impact are already being felt and we are excited to see her continue to thrive in our industry.

We are incredibly proud of this achievement, but we know the work doesn’t stop here. We remain committed to setting new standards for service excellence and to helping our clients and candidates achieve meaningful outcomes, every step of the way.

Temporary talent is on the rise: Here's why organisations are hiring temps in 2025

Tue, 20 May 2025 01:39:05 GMT

In today’s unpredictable business landscape, flexibility has become an essential part of an organisation’s resourcing strategy.

Across Australia, many organisations are rethinking how they resource their teams, with a clear trend emerging: temporary recruitment is no longer a reactive measure. It’s a strategic move.

Insight from JobAdder showed a significant increase in temporary and contract roles across Australia in early 2025, with temporary placements rising 13% and contract roles up 10% year-on-year ( HR Leader, 2025 ). This growth highlights how employers are embracing more agile staffing models to keep pace with rapid change.

While temporary hiring might once have been associated with lower skilled roles, that is no longer the case. Increasingly, businesses are using temp staff to fill highly skilled, specialist roles across finance, marketing, HR, projects and executive support.

Why are organisations hiring temporary talent in 2025?

We asked our dedicated team of temporary consultants what is driving demand. These were the top five reasons our clients have hired temporary roles over the past six months:

Business continuity during leave

Whether it is extended leave or unexpected absences, organisations are proactively using temps to maintain business continuity. This approach ensures consistent productivity and prevents burnout among current teams.

Scalable support for projects and peak periods

Leadership development is always a valuable investment for all parties. It shows a commitment to the growth of your team and helps shape the leaders you’ll need tomorrow.

Bridging the gap during permanent recruitment

Hiring the right permanent talent can take time. A temporary hire can fill the gap and keep things moving. Many of our clients also use this period to assess cultural and role fit, often transitioning temporary staff into permanent roles.

Targeted resourcing for seasonal demands

Periods like end of financial year and audits can require additional, urgent support. Temporary talent with relevant experience can step in and deliver from day one, ensuring critical deadlines are met without disrupting core operations.

On-demand access to specialist expertise

Today’s temporary workforce includes highly skilled professionals across core disciplines. Whether it’s systems implementation, compliance or transformation, temps bring specialist capabilities exactly when they’re needed.

What are the top benefits of hiring a temp?

If your organisation is navigating change, resourcing challenges, or project peaks, hiring temporary talent offers clear advantages:

Speed to hire and flexibility - Temps can be placed quickly, often within days, giving you flexibility without long-term commitments.
Cost effective - With no additional headcount or long term costs, temps provide a cost efficient way to manage workload and deliver projects.
Access to specialist skills - From project management to systems implementation, temporary talent can bring key expertise with minimal onboarding.
Explore the fit first - Temporary-to-permanent arrangements give you the chance to assess fit, capability and culture alignment before offering a permanent role.
Increased productivity - Temps keep things moving during busy periods, avoiding the productivity dips that can occur when teams are stretched or under resourced.

Why choose Beaumont People for your temp recruitment?

At Beaumont People, we understand that speed, quality and flexibility are non-negotiable when it comes to temporary recruitment. Our dedicated temporary recruitment team works across a wide range of industries and sectors, placing skilled professionals in diverse roles.

When you partner with us, you benefit from:

Access to an engaged network of work-ready temps
A responsive service that prioritises your organisation’s needs
Consultants who truly understand your industry and get to know your company culture and values
Support at every step, from job brief to placement and beyond

Whatever the need, Beaumont People is here to make temp hiring seamless, efficient and effective.

Need support finding the right temporary talent?

Think Temp. Think Beaumont People. Get in touch with us today to find your next temporary hire.

How to Attract Top Talent in a Competitive Market

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 01:28:21 GMT

In today’s evolving job landscape, securing top-tier talent requires a strategic and people-first approach. With extensive experience in recruitment, we understand what it takes to attract exceptional candidates in a competitive market. Here’s how your organisation can stand out and secure the best talent.

1. Cultivate a Meaningful Employer Brand

Candidates are increasingly seeking roles that offer purpose and align with their personal values. Our research indicates that factors such as safety, teamwork and a clear organisational purpose significantly contribute to meaningful work. By actively promoting these aspects, you can enhance your employer brand and appeal to top talent.

Action Steps:

Highlight core values: Ensure your organisation’s mission and values are clearly communicated in job advertisements and careers content.
Showcase employee experiences: Share testimonials and stories that reflect a supportive and inclusive workplace.

2. Enhance the Candidate Experience

A seamless and respectful recruitment process demonstrates your organisation’s commitment to its people. A positive experience can make all the difference in attracting and securing top candidates.

Action Steps:

Communicate transparently : Keep candidates informed about their application status and provide timely feedback.
Streamline processes: Ensure application and interview stages are efficient and respectful of candidates’ time.

3. Empower and Engage Your Current Team

Your employees are your strongest advocates. When they feel valued and supported, they naturally promote your organisation to potential candidates.

Action Steps:

Referral programs: Encourage employees to refer qualified candidates by offering incentives.
Professional development: Invest in training and mentorship programs. Our LEAD Development Program and Strengths Assessments help organisations develop future leaders and enhance employee engagement.

4. Commit to Diversity and Inclusion

A diverse workforce fosters innovation and reflects a modern, forward-thinking organisation. Demonstrating a genuine commitment to inclusivity can attract a broader talent pool.

Action Steps:

Inclusive job descriptions: Ensure the job description is easy to understand and accessible to all potential candidates, regardless of their background or abilities.
Unbiased recruitment practices: Implement structured interviews and diverse hiring panels to mitigate unconscious bias.
Provide necessary accommodations: Ensure accessibility throughout the recruitment process.

Our Diversity, Equity, Access, and Inclusion Consulting service can help you build an internal strategy to create a truly inclusive workplace.

5. Partner with a Values-Driven Recruitment Agency

Partnering with a recruitment agency that aligns with your values gives you access to a wider talent pool, streamlines your hiring process and accelerates time-to-hire. At Beaumont People, we prioritise placing people first, focusing on meaningful work that enriches both individuals and organisations.

We go beyond recruitment, supporting the entire employee lifecycle—from hiring and development to training and outplacement. With us, you’ll find the right people quickly, efficiently, and in full compliance with industry standards.

Action Steps:

Define your needs: Are you hiring for an existing role, looking for leadership development, or needing outplacement services?
Engage in open dialogue: Work closely with your recruitment partner to ensure alignment and tailored solutions.

Final Thoughts

Attracting top talent in a competitive market requires a holistic, people focused approach. By fostering a meaningful workplace, enhancing candidate experience, empowering employees, prioritising inclusion and partnering with an aligned recruitment agency, you can find the right match for your organisation.

At Beaumont People, we’re committed to placing people first, ensuring long-term, successful placements.

For more insights on creating meaningful work environments, explore our latest research on what Australian workers value .

When to Use a Recruitment Agency: The Business Case for Outsourcing Hiring

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 01:18:49 GMT

At Beaumont People, we know that hiring the right people is about more than filling a vacancy - it’s about building a team that aligns with your organisation’s values and contributes to your mission. However, recruiting top talent can be complicated and time consuming. This is where a recruitment agency like Beaumont People can help.

When should you consider outsourcing your hiring needs? Here are the key scenarios where working with a recruitment agency can add real value to your recruitment process.

1. When You Need to Hire Quickly

Vacant positions can cause immediate disruptions to your business, whether through lost productivity, overburdening your existing team, or missing growth opportunities. A recruitment agency can expedite your hiring process, ensuring you fill crucial roles swiftly with best-in-class talent. At Beaumont People, we’ve developed efficient processes to get the right people in place, when you need them.

Why it works with us:

Our network of pre-qualified candidates means you have access to a diverse pool of talent, including those who aren’t actively job hunting.
We work closely with you to understand your exact needs and priorities, reducing time-to-hire without sacrificing quality.
Our experienced consultants streamline the recruitment process, letting you focus on your organisation while we focus on finding the right talent.

2. When You’re Struggling to Find the Right Candidates

When you are searching for talent, it is important to find people who fit both your organisation’s culture and the role you are recruiting for. If the applications you are receiving don’t quite match your needs or if you’re having trouble reaching the right candidates, it may be time to partner with a recruitment agency.

Why it works with us:

We have a deep understanding of the sectors we serve, and we know where to look for the best talent.
Our targeted, data driven recruitment strategies connect you with both active and passive candidates who may not be visible to you through traditional channels.
By partnering with you, we ensure your roles are positioned in the market in a way that attracts the right talent, at the right time.

3. When Hiring for Specialist or Senior Roles

When it comes to finding your next leader, or technical expert, a recruitment agency can provide a great help. Senior roles often require a different approach. At Beaumont People, we’re experts at sourcing executives who can contribute to your organisation’s growth in the long run.

Why it works with us:

Our executive search services give you access to high-level professionals who are often not actively looking for a new role.
We have the expertise to directly approach top-tier candidates, expanding your reach and ensuring you’re not missing out on exceptional talent.
Our rigorous screening process ensures that candidates not only have the right skills but are a strong cultural fit for your organisation.

4. When You Want to Improve Hiring Compliance and Best Practices

Recruitment isn’t just about hiring the right people, it’s about doing it the right way. Beaumont People ensures your recruitment practices align with the latest employment regulations and standards, helping you build a fairer, more inclusive workforce.

Why it works with us:

Our team stays up-to-date with the latest legal requirements and hiring best practices, ensuring you stay compliant at every stage of the process.
We’re committed to diversity and inclusion, using strategies that attract a broad range of qualified candidates and removing bias from the recruitment process.

5. When You Need a Scalable Hiring Solution

An organisation’s needs can change quickly. Whether you’re scaling for growth, adjusting to seasonal demands, or launching a new project, we provide flexible recruitment solutions at competitive rates.

Why it works with us:

We offer a tailored approach to both permanent and temporary staffing, depending on your current needs.
From high volume hiring to high-priority roles, we have the expertise to scale up or down quickly, so you’re always supported.
By working with Beaumont People, you reduce administrative overhead and free up your internal teams to focus on what matters most.

6. When You Want to Focus on Core Business Priorities

Recruitment is a complex and time-consuming process, especially for a small team. At Beaumont People, we handle the entire process, leaving you with candidates who are ready to integrate into your business.

Why it works with us:

We handle the end-to-end recruitment process, from sourcing candidates to guiding them through interviews, assessments and onboarding.
As your dedicated recruitment partner, we manage the time-consuming tasks so your team can focus on their work.
We take a long-term, strategic approach to talent acquisition, ensuring every hire aligns with your business goals and growth trajectory.

Partnering with Beaumont People

Since 2001, Beaumont People has been helping organisations connect with exceptional talent. We believe in placing people first, taking a values-driven approach that ensures your hires are not just qualified, but aligned with your company culture and goals.

Whether you need to fill a leadership position, hire a team for a new project, or expand your workforce, Beaumont People is here to support you every step of the way.

Ready to elevate your hiring strategy? Let’s start the conversation.

Why Hiring a Temp Can Support Your Organisation's Success

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 01:05:32 GMT

In today’s fast-paced workplace, flexibility is key. Whether you're dealing with unexpected absences, shifting workloads, or require support whilst you hire, temporary staff can provide the flexibility and expertise you need, exactly when you need it. Here’s why a temporary hire might be best for you:

1. Ensure Continuous Staff Coverage

Sickness, annual leave, or parental leave can disrupt operations. Temporary employees step in to fill these gaps, keeping your team running smoothly without overburdening existing staff.

2. Smooth Transitions Between Hires

If an employee leaves before their replacement starts, a temp can provide essential handover support. This minimises disruption and ensures business continuity while you take the time to hire the right permanent candidate.

3. Support Restructures & Redundancies

During periods of organisational change, maintaining business operations is crucial. Temporary staff offer flexibility, allowing you to adjust resources while navigating restructures or workforce transitions.

4. Boost Project Support

Temporary employees can free up your permanent team by taking on administrative tasks or short-term projects. This allows your key staff to focus on strategic priorities without getting overwhelmed by additional workload.

5. Manage Peak Workloads Without Overloading Staff

Sudden workload increases can put pressure on your team, leading to burnout and reduced productivity. Instead of stretching your existing employees too thin, temps can step in to handle the extra work and maintain efficiency.

Temporary Recruitment, Made Easy

At Beaumont People, we make hiring temps simple and seamless. Our temporary recruitment solutions allow you to scale your team quickly, without the hassle of recruitment, screening, or contract management. We handle all the admin, including tax, superannuation, workers’ compensation, and payroll processing, so you can focus on running your organisation.

Our Temporary Staffing Solutions

Need urgent admin support? Our Express Temp Service provides experienced receptionists, administration officers, customer service officers, EAs, and PAs who are ready to start the same day.

Call us from 8:30 am, Monday to Friday, and we’ll send a skilled temp that day.
All Express Temps are pre-screened, skills-tested, reference-checked and ready to hit the ground running.
Many have worked with us before, so we know they’re great.

Payroll Services: Hassle-Free Payrolling for Temporary Staff

Don’t want the hassle of payroll management? We’ve got you covered.

We handle tax remittance, superannuation, workers’ compensation and payroll tax.
Available for all role levels, from short-term assignments to executive interim contracts.
Weekly invoicing based on approved timesheets, with an agreed rate for total cost transparency.

Specialist Leadership, On Demand

When you need senior expertise for complex projects, leadership transitions, or change management, Executive Interim Contractors offer the experience and flexibility to deliver results.

We manage advertising, sourcing, selection and follow-up, while you retain full control over hiring decisions.
Suitable for both short-term and long-term business needs.

Let’s Take the Stress Out of Hiring

Temporary employees give your business flexibility, efficiency and immediate support without the long-term commitment of permanent hiring. With an intimate knowledge of our clients organisation and an appreciation of the demands placed upon them, we’re able to pinpoint the right person for the right place, every time.

Need a temp today? Let’s talk

Collaborating with an award-winning recruitment agency, like Beaumont People, means you get access to the best temporary talent quickly.

Beaumont Blog

The Leadership Series: Sharon Callister, CEO of Mission Australia

The Leadership Series

Liska Turner with Sharon Callister, CEO of Mission Australia

Watch the full interview here or read the article below to discover Sharon's perspectives on leadership, from making difficult decisions and building strong cultures to creating the discipline and space to lead effectively.

Learning from every kind of leader

When the responsibility sits with you

Making difficult decisions at the right time

Building trust without pretending to have every answer

Culture must be active

Supporting people through demanding work

The underrated value of discipline and boundaries

Creating time to think

Connecting people, culture and purpose

Leadership in three ideas

A Leadership Conversation with David Spriggs

From Job Hugging to AI: What We're Seeing in Associations in 2026

1. People are moving less, but that doesn't mean they're happier

2. More candidates doesn't always equal better candidates

3. Application volume is creating more noise

4. Job creep is real

5. The capability mix is changing

6. AI will change work more than it eliminates work

7. Workforce agility needs structure

Educate Plus International Conference 2026: A Community That Inspires

People, culture and leadership at the heart of schools

Great minds really don't think alike

When strategy, culture and capability align

Navigating change, relationships and impact

More than a conference

Twenty five years in the making: our B Corp journey

Where this started

Why we decided to put it to the test

What the process actually involved

What it means, practically

Why this is genuinely just the beginning

Thank you

A Leadership Conversation with Natalie Egleton

The Leadership Series: Jennifer Tierney, CEO of Oxfam Australia

The Leadership Series

Liska Turner with Jennifer Tierney, CEO of Oxfam Australia

Watch the full interview here or read the article below to discover Jennifer's perspectives on leadership, resilience and navigating change.

Key Takeaways from the Engagement Australia Conference 2026

Engagement Australia Conference, July 2026

A Leadership Conversation with Cleola Anderiesz

A Leadership Conversation with Susanne Legena

How to make the most of unused recruitment budget before EOFY

How to make the most of unused recruitment budget before EOFY

Leadership Trends and the Trust Deficit - What leadership really requires

Leadership Trends and the Trust Deficit - What leadership really requires

Skills over roles - designing for movement, not permanence

Trust as leadership currency - consistency beats charisma

What ‘people first’ looks like in practice

Supporting the next generation of women leaders in PR and communications

Supporting the next generation of women leaders in PR and communications

How Advancement and Development Teams are Evolving

How Advancement and Development Teams Are Evolving Across the Australian Education Sector ﻿

International Women's Day | How do we support women to build the careers they deserve?

What’s one barrier women still face in today’s job market?

So how do we remove this barrier?

How do we support women to build the careers they deserve?

The Temp Matchmakers

The Temp Matchmaker – it's not just fast, it's a great match

Temporary Recruitment Done Strategically

Our Temp Network Stands Out

An Offer to Celebrate Great Matches

Let’s Find Your Next Great Match

Human-centred recruitment in action

A story of partnership, purpose and impact

The New Leadership Currency: Cross-Sector Collaboration for Public Good

The New Leadership Currency: Cross-Sector Collaboration for Public Good

Good Hearts, Great Boards: Lifting Governance Standards Without Losing Soul

Good Hearts, Great Boards: Lifting Governance Standards Without Losing Soul

Bridging Purpose and Power: How Tri-Sector Leadership Shapes Modern Influence, Governance, and Impact.

From Advocacy to Influence: What the Not-for-Profit Sector Can Learn from Corporate Affairs

﻿

Your Recruitment Strategy is actually a Marketing Strategy

Why it's time to see your hiring process through a candidate lens

Written by Jo Brown

Every Touchpoint is a Sales Opportunity

How Advancement and Development Teams Are Evolving Across the Australian Education Sector

Need support finding the right temporary talent?