Collaboration

The Department of Social Services oversees delivery and regulatory oversight of social programs around Australia, including the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022–2032. The Commissioner leads the national discussion about preventing violence against vulnerable members of the community, and needs to be a nationally recognised leader in the social services sector. The client were conscious of the importance of gaining the support and collaboration of community groups and state government agencies, and came to us in ensuring the appointment was merit-based and sensitive to the complex stakeholder network.

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Solution

We conducted thorough sourcing via our networks alongside research into the potential pool of candidates for this unique and politically important role. Our focus was ensuring that people from every relevant area were approached and able to contribute to the process. We spoke to academics, community organisers, high-level public sector executives, leaders from the legal sector, and sector figureheads with on-the-ground knowledge.

In our interview process, we worked to develop a strong understanding of the candidate’s professional history, their personal connection to the issues the Commissioner would oversee, and their capacity to overcome obstacles to build collaboration. A focus in this process was ensuring that candidates were capable public speakers and advocates, as the work of the Commissioner would be highly visible to the public.

Impact

A shortlist of candidates was developed, with the top five candidates proceeding to panel interviews. Following a considered panel assessment process, Michaela Cronin was appointed as the DFSV Commissioner. Michaela had previously served as CEO for both Hagar International and MacKillop Family Services, and spent eight years as President and Board Member of the Victoria Council of Social Service.