Client Overview A leading private healthcare provider, specialising in surgical and outpatient care. The organisation employs specialist staff across multiple departments and prides itself on delivering high-quality, patient-centred care. The Challenge The client needed a confidential executive search for a Director of Nursing. Their existing DON was relocating interstate, and the organisation required a seamless transition with minimal disruption to operations and patient care. Finding a candidate with the right leadership experience, cultural alignment and clinical credibility was critical. Our Approach Conducted an in-depth job briefing with the two owners to define essential skills, leadership attributes and cultural fit. Developed a targeted job ad and social media collateral in collaboration with the client. Initiated a strategic headhunting campaign, leveraging our national network of senior nursing leaders. Maintained regular, transparent updates with the client, ensuring alignment at every stage of the process. The Impact 4 days to deliver a shortlist of high-calibre candidates. 2 weeks total turnaround from brief to placement. 100% compliance checks completed before the candidate started. Zero operational disruption reported during the transition. A highly skilled Director of Nursing was successfully placed, bringing immediate leadership impact and cultural alignment. The client could focus on their clinical responsibilities, confident that the transition was managed seamlessly. Client Feedback: The two owners, both surgeons, praised the process as efficient, low-disruption and professionally managed end-to-end. They highlighted our proactive communication and sector expertise as key factors in the successful outcome.

International Women’s Day invites us to pause. To reflect and to take action. UN Women Australia’s theme for 2026, Balance the Scales , challenges us to confront the structural barriers that still limit equality, safety and fairness for women. In Australia’s healthcare sector, the imbalance is clear. Women make up around 74% of the health workforce a s a whole, delivering care, supporting patients and holding the system together every day. Yet when we look at who leads our healthcare organisations, the picture shifts. According to the Australian Academy of Health & Medical Sciences , leadership teams still don’t reflect the people powering the sector citing that women make up just 26% of leadership roles. A workforce powered by women . Women make up the overwhelming majority of Australia’s healthcare workforce. This is particularly visible across nursing , midwifery, allied health and community care , where women deliver frontline care, support patients and keep the system running day to day. They are, quite literally, the backbone of the workforce. Yet despite this strong representation, the same balance is not reflected in leadership. According to data from the Workplace Gender Equality Agency , women hold just 19.4% of CEO roles and 32.5% of key management positions nationally , highlighting the gap between who powers the sector and who leads it. Healthcare is no exception. While nearly 90% of Australia’s nursing workforce is female , leadership roles remain far less representative; even in sub sectors where they make up the majority of the workforce. Balancing the scales through fair, consistent recruitment . To create leadership teams that reflect the people delivering care, organisations need recruitment processes that are transparent, inclusive and consistent. From our experience here at MAYDAY Healthcare, these five practical steps make a meaningful difference: Use a standardised recruitment process - ensuring every candidate is assessed against the same criteria and interview structure. Form diverse interview panels - bringing multiple perspectives into decision making and reducing unconscious bias. Advertise roles inclusively - using neutral language and highlighting flexibility to attract a broader, more representative talent pool. Develop internal leadership pathways - giving existing staff access to sponsorship, development, and stretch opportunities. Document and review hiring decisions - creating transparency and accountability in how leaders are selected. A leadership team that reflects the workforce . Healthcare is built on empathy, diversity and service. Leadership should reflect those same values. When executive teams mirror the workforce, organisations benefit from stronger culture, better decision making, and improved patient outcomes. Balancing the scales isn’t about favouring one group over another—it’s about ensuring the systems we use to select leaders are fair, consistent and aligned with the reality of today’s healthcare workforce.

Client Overview A leading private healthcare provider, specialising in surgical and outpatient care. The organisation employs specialist staff across multiple departments and prides itself on delivering high-quality, patient-centred care. The Challenge The client needed a confidential executive search for a Director of Nursing. Their existing DON was relocating interstate, and the organisation required a seamless transition with minimal disruption to operations and patient care. Finding a candidate with the right leadership experience, cultural alignment and clinical credibility was critical. Our Approach Conducted an in-depth job briefing with the two owners to define essential skills, leadership attributes and cultural fit. Developed a targeted job ad and social media collateral in collaboration with the client. Initiated a strategic headhunting campaign, leveraging our national network of senior nursing leaders. Maintained regular, transparent updates with the client, ensuring alignment at every stage of the process. The Impact 4 days to deliver a shortlist of high-calibre candidates. 2 weeks total turnaround from brief to placement. 100% compliance checks completed before the candidate started. Zero operational disruption reported during the transition. A highly skilled Director of Nursing was successfully placed, bringing immediate leadership impact and cultural alignment. The client could focus on their clinical responsibilities, confident that the transition was managed seamlessly. Client Feedback: The two owners, both surgeons, praised the process as efficient, low-disruption and professionally managed end-to-end. They highlighted our proactive communication and sector expertise as key factors in the successful outcome.