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Client: Fundraising Institute of Australia
Service: Exclusive Executive Search
Role: Chief Executive Officers
Successful appointment: Rob Edwards (2012) and Katherine Raskob (2018)
Fundraising Institute Australia (FIA) is the national peak body representing professional fundraising in Australia. FIA champions and facilitates fundraising best practice with a code for ethical fundraising, professional development, networking and advocacy for all members.

Challenge

After six years at the helm, outgoing CEO Rob Edwards, originally placed by NGO Recruitment, had transformed FIA both financially and strategically by delivering a wide range of new sustainable services. The FIA Board engaged NGO Recruitment once again to search for a replacement CEO to build on Rob’s legacy and take the peak body to the next level.

The challenge was to find the perfect candidate to work closely with the Board to implement FIA’s latest strategic plan including many bold goals over the next few years. These included repositioning the organisation, to represent not only fundraising professionals, but also the charities themselves as a reputable selfregulatory body. The perfect candidate also needed to help raise the profile of the fundraising profession and the associated professional identity of fundraising. This was a critical role of architecture and building in an industry worth over $12 billion in revenue in Australia.

Solution

NGO Recruitment’s executive search team was tasked with finding someone with the right skills and determination for this critical role. Based on the success of Rob Edwards, who came from an industry association rather than a fundraising background, we knew the ideal candidate would possess similar senior leadership and strategic communications skills including brand, marketing and digital expertise. NGO Recruitment launched a targeted executive search and advertising campaign, including extensive talent mapping across the NFP and industry body sector.

Results

  • 2-month executive search campaign - from brief to placement
  • 143 applications
  • Shortlist of four senior candidates all selected for interview
  • Successful candidate Katherine Raskob had been identified as the standout candidate in her role as Director of Communications and Customer Experience at ADMA (Association for Data-driven Marketing and Advertising)
  • Katherine is an outstanding executive leader and has been well received by the fundraising industry
When we engaged NGO Recruitment to search for a new CEO for the Fundraising Institute of Australia, all our expectations were met and exceeded throughout the search process. The team did a fantastic job in identifying and engaging a remarkable lead candidate for the CEO role. What impressed me most was NGO Recruitment’s great ability to really understand the person needed for the position, beyond just their skills, and to assess cultural fit and suitability based on career stage. We were 100% satisfied with the level of service provided and would not hesitate to engage NGO Recruitment again for future executive search requirements.
JAMES GARLAND, CHAIR, FUNDRAISING INSTITUTE AUSTRALIA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
My experience securing a CEO role with NGO Recruitment was second to none. Richard was incredibly well-informed about the organisation and the position, and provided me with fantastic support throughout the whole process. I could tell executive search is more than just a job for Richard - rather it’s a labor of love and a passion for matching the right candidate to the right organisation, as well as for the entire NFP sector. He is both knowledgeable and well-connected but it's his passion for what he does that really shines through.
Katherine Raskob MIM, GAICD, Chief Executive Officer, Fundraising Institute Australia