Case Study: Appointing a CEO for the Illawarra Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre
Client: Illawarra Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre
Role: Chief Executive Officer
Search Type: Retained Executive Search
Sector: Domestic & Family Violence | Trauma Recovery | Community Services
Location: Illawarra, NSW
The Challenge
The Illawarra Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre is a new, purpose-built service and one of the first of its kind in Australia, providing specialist, wrap-around trauma recovery support for women and children.
The Board was seeking a Chief Executive Officer at a pivotal moment — following the Centre’s establishment phase and the departure of its inaugural leader. This appointment would shape not only the Centre’s future direction, but also its credibility as a leading model of trauma-informed service delivery nationally.
The search presented several challenges:
- A smaller talent pool due to the regional location
- A highly niche brief, requiring deep sector understanding
- The need for a rare blend of strategic leadership and hands-on operational capability
- Strong people leadership, cultural alignment, and credibility with stakeholders
- Experience across domestic and family violence, trauma-informed practice, advocacy, and systems change
This was not a role that could be filled through a traditional or transactional recruitment approach.
Our Approach
Be Recruitment partnered closely with the Board through a retained executive search, investing time upfront to fully understand:
- the Centre’s purpose, values, and future aspirations
- The leadership style required for a new and evolving service
- The balance between governance, strategy, advocacy and operational delivery
Given the niche nature of the role, we undertook a targeted search strategy, engaging with senior leaders across domestic and family violence, trauma recovery, clinical leadership and advocacy settings – including candidates who were not actively seeking new roles.
Our approach focused on identifying leaders who could:
- operate confidently at an executive and Board level
- build and lead high-performing, trauma-informed teams
- influence systems and policy while remaining grounded in service delivery
- authentically connect with the Illawarra community and broader sector
The Outcome
The search resulted in the appointment of the new Chief Executive Officer.
An Illawarra local who brings nearly two decades of experience across clinical leadership and advocacy roles in the community services and domestic violence sector. Her background combines:
- deep sector expertise
- strong strategic capability
- proven people leadership
- a values-led approach aligned with the Centre’s mission
The new CEO described the role as a “dream job” — one that allows her to meaningfully influence how trauma recovery services are delivered and how outcomes are achieved for victim survivors and their families.
Her appointment positions the Centre strongly as it enters its next phase of growth, with ambitions to not only strengthen services locally but to serve as a leading model nationally.
Why Retained Search Mattered
This appointment required more than advertising and shortlisting. A retained approach enabled:
- access to a broader and more senior talent pool
- careful assessment of leadership style, values, and cultural fit
- a trusted partnership with the Board throughout decision-making
- a considered, high-quality outcome aligned with long-term impact
The Result
✔ A successful CEO appointment
✔ Strong alignment with organisational purpose and values
✔ Leadership capability to support growth, influence, and sustainability
✔ A partnership approach built on trust, insight, and sector knowledge
