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Growing Future Farmers – Executive Search Case Study
Case Study
Our client, Growing Future Farmers, is a nationwide organisation dedicated to inspiring and developing the next generation of skilled farmers through hands on agricultural education and training. Operating across 14 regions throughout New Zealand, the organisation partners with schools, industry, and rural communities to provide practical learning pathways that strengthen the future of the country’s primary industries. With a strong focus on sustainability, capability building, and long-term workforce development, Growing Future Farmers plays a critical role in supporting the pipeline of talent into New Zealand’s agriculture sector.
- Service: COO & Board of Director appointments
- Industry: Agriculture Education and Training
A leadership search success story
- 160+ applications received through a targeted leadership search
- One COO and three Trustee appointments successfully delivered
- Nationwide executive search undertaken across commercial and purpose-led sectors
- Robust assessment process implemented to evaluate leadership and governance capability
- Strong stakeholder alignment maintained throughout all appointment decisions
The challenge
Growing Future Farmers was entering a pivotal stage of growth, requiring the appointment of a Chief Operating Officer to help transition the organisation from a high growth start up into a scalable and sustainable operating model. At the same time, the organisation sought to strengthen its governance capability through the appointment of experienced Trustees who could support long term strategic direction. The search required leaders who could balance commercial capability with a strong commitment to Growing Future Farmers' purpose, values, and contribution to rural communities. Operating within a niche talent market, attracting candidates with the right combination of leadership experience, governance expertise, and cultural alignment presented a unique challenge.
Setting up the partnership
Our Executive Search team worked closely with Growing Future Farmers' leadership to gain a deep understanding of the organisation's strategy, culture, growth ambitions, and leadership requirements. Together, we developed clear success profiles for both the COO and Trustee appointments, defining the capabilities, experience, and personal attributes required for success. We also positioned the opportunities to reflect the organisation's purpose led mission and national impact, while establishing a transparent and structured search process that included market mapping, candidate assessment, stakeholder engagement and interview planning.
The solution
We delivered a nationwide executive search for one Chief Operating Officer and three Trustee positions, combining targeted market outreach with strategic advertising to maximise candidate reach. The search engaged talent across agriculture, education, operational leadership, governance, and purpose led organisations, ensuring access to a broad and diverse candidate pool. Our team managed the end-to-end process, from attraction and assessment through to stakeholder coordination and appointment, with a strong focus on leadership capability, governance expertise, cultural alignment and long-term organisational fit.
Key results
The search generated significant market engagement, attracting more than 160 applications across the four appointments and creating a strong pipeline of leadership talent from across New Zealand. Through a rigorous assessment and selection process, we successfully appointed a Chief Operating Officer to support the organisation's next phase of growth, followed by the appointment of three Trustees to strengthen governance capability and strategic oversight. The breadth and quality of the candidate pool provided stakeholders with confidence in the decision-making process, while the successful appointments positioned Growing Future Farmers with the leadership capability required to support its long-term vision and continued national expansion.Client Testimonial
Hear from Wendy Paul, CEO at Growing Future Farmers
“As Growing Future Farmers transitions from a successful start-up into a more mature and scalable organisation, we recognised the importance of strengthening both our leadership and governance capability. The team took the time to understand not only our operational needs, but also our purpose and the unique role we play in developing future talent for New Zealand's food and fibre sector.
They understood that organisations like ours require leaders who can balance commercial discipline with a genuine commitment to impact. The quality of candidates presented, and the appointments made have positioned us strongly for our next stage of growth."
Wendy Paul
Growing Future Farmers
CEO
Client
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