Australia’s leading provider of executive and board talent for social impact

Find your next leader

Find your next role

Connecting governance and executive talent to elevate organisational performance and impact

Empowering Your Organization with Talent and Excellence

We have an extensive network of talented and passionate individuals and a proven track record of placing hundreds of executive and non-executive directors with diverse backgrounds from a diverse range of sectors.

Our experience in finding the right people today, and planning for the best talent for tomorrow, is unparalleled.

OUR SERVICES

Executive
search

We work with highly accomplished leaders wanting to contribute to something bigger than themselves.

Let us help you

Education and events

Events and development opportunities for individuals looking to secure executive and board roles.

Upcoming events

Board
search

We find purpose-aligned directors to complement your existing board.

Find your next leader

Governance advisory

Guiding boards towards operational excellence, behavioral integrity, and strategic clarity.

Explore our services

Hunting unicorns

Yes, we believe in unicorns. But we don't rely on magic.

The right Chair, director or CEO is rarely obvious. And never accidental. We combine governance insight and sector intelligence to identify leaders who bring the rare combination of capability, judgement and purpose alignment.

Our dedicated search and research capability is rigorous, disciplined and data-informed, designed to move with pace and precision while maintaining depth and discretion.

Alongside this, we maintain access to one of the most established and diverse leadership networks in the sector. Built over years of credibility and trusted relationships, our network enables us to connect organisations with leaders others simply cannot reach.

The result is search that is efficient, accurate and deeply aligned — strengthening leadership, governance and ultimately impact.

AREAS WE SPECIALISE IN

WORDS FROM OUR CLIENTS

“One of the critical system challenges that needs to be addressed to drive real change in the sector in securing the right talent.”

People For Purpose think broadly and creatively about how to best source talent and use their extensive network across sectors to tap into a unique and diverse pool of skills and perspectives.

Michael Traill

Chair – Paul Ramsay Foundation

"People for Purpose bring a rare depth of knowledge of the for-purpose sector."

They genuinely care about strengthening organisations and the communities they serve. Their insight and integrity make them a valued ally in the sector and a trusted partner for boards and leaders committed to making a meaningful impact.

Sam Meers

Co-Founder, Nelson Meers Foundation

“With their focus on the for-purpose sector and consideration to an alignment of values, People for Purpose have placed passionate and experienced individuals within our organisation.”

Their service and attention to detail in the search and recruitment process is excellent and we are continuing to work with the team to develop our leadership capability through coaching.

Michael Tizard

Former CEO – The Creche & Kindergarten Association

“People for Purpose have been a refreshing addition to the for-purpose landscape with their mission to provide the sector real access to talent.”

Core to their approach is a commitment to understanding individual organisational culture and the values that help define it so that they can make the right match.

Dr Sam Prince

Chairman & Founder – One Disease at a Time

“People for Purpose have a solid track record of delivering impact and results for the organisations they work with.”

They are driven by the rare mix of professional, ethical and strong personal values

Eric d’Indy MBA GAICD

Former CEO – Westmead Medical Research Foundation

“People for Purpose offered a value-added service to find the right person for JewishCare - they weren’t just looking for another employee.”

We were impressed with how they cared for our needs, all the way to the final candidate, and on that choice we could not be happier.

Jason Sandler

President – Jewishcare

"They understand the drivers, the concepts, and the mission. In addition, years of success means they now have an incredible network of people in different parts of the sector"

People for Purpose itself is a purpose led and focused organisation, which aligns very well with the sector.

Lisa Chung AM

Chair - The Front Project

"People for Purpose ran a comprehensive and engaged process with our board and senior management."

The results were clearly and carefully presented and they have resulted in some material changes in both how we operate as a board, and how I operate as Chair. I could not be happier with the process and the results.

David Jones

Chair of Council – National Museum of Australia

"The team at People for Purpose provided an outstanding level of service in a highly professional manner."

They focussed on the needs of the client and were supportive and considerate of the applicants. Communication and responsiveness are the cornerstones of their service delivery which is underpinned by their commitment to an outcome that exemplifies quality, integrity and client satisfaction.

Brian Powyer

Former Chair – National Trust of Australia

We back ourselves
to deliver

At People for Purpose, we love what we do. Our team comes to work each day excited to connect great leaders with social-purpose organisations needing access to great minds. We back ourselves to find the right unicorn for each board or executive assignment and we are committed to going the extra mile to deliver the right leaders and long-term social outcomes. This is why our fees are fixed and affordable, so you know what you need to invest in your search upfront. And we keep searching until we find you the right leader or opportunity.

TRUSTED BY

"We connected with PfP’s team from the start. They genuinely care about great leadership and understand that a not-for-profit’s recruitment needs are different. Our trust and confidence in PFP’s expertise and support has led to a valuable long-term partnership."

JULIA DAVISON, FORMER CEO Goodstart

"In 2020, we had a lot to achieve in a short time, so we needed great people with specific skills and knowledge. It was like looking for a needle in a haystack. But PfP’s reach across government, industry and not-for-profit helped us find the best people in places we hadn’t even thought to look."

THERESE ARMSTRONG, GENERAL MANAGER, GOVERNANCE RISK AND COMPLIANCE Dementia Australia

"We needed leaders with vision and People for Purpose delivered. With their wide network, they were able to bring those leaders to us. That’s why we’ve been partnering with PFP for our search needs since 2019 …and will keep doing so."

JOHN LYDON Generation Australia

"This wasn’t everyday recruitment for us. These hires were going to have real and far-reaching impact on the lives of people across the world, so we had to get it right. PfP believed in our mission and had the extensive network to find others who did too. They nailed the brief!"

SIMON FREEMAN, CEO Judith Neilson Foundation

"We wanted to expand and enhance our offerings, so we needed NEDs with a wide skillset. PfP wasn’t phased by our wishlist and jumped right in. We were so thrilled with the outcome in 2023 that there was no question of using their services again this year."

JOHN BLEWONSKI, CEO MS Plus

"There are good recruitment companies out there, but not many that understand the needs of for-purpose organisations. For us, recruiting great people is as much about heart as it is about qualifications. PfP truly gets it."

GREG RIDDER, CHAIR Life Without Barriers