Public Sector People

Recruiting temporary and permanent staff across Councils,

State Government, Federal Government, Not for Profit and Associated Bodies.

Public Sector People (PSP) is Search4’s dedicated government, public sector, and for-purpose brand. We are the only agency in Australia specialising solely in Local Government recruitment, now expanding into State Government. Our 30+ specialist consultants are dedicated exclusively to government and the wider public sector, supported by a coded database of 800,000+ candidates searchable by role type, LGA, and career history.

We have delivered 406 placements across 103 different councils, including 208 leadership appointments (51%) ranging from Managers, Coordinators and Leads to Directors and C-suite executives. Our 98% placement success rate overall, and 100% at the leadership level, demonstrates the reliability of our process.

Unlike traditional search firms, the consultant who wins the assignment also delivers it end-to-end, ensuring accountability, consistency, and trusted relationships. With a commitment to trust, transparency, and inclusion, our focus is not just placing great people, but building enduring partnerships that strengthen capability and advance community outcomes.

At Public Sector People, our Search services are built for the complexity and diversity of public sector and for-purpose recruitment. As expectations on government and community organisations grow, we help clients appoint leaders and specialists who can set direction, deliver outcomes, and navigate reform and change.

We offer three Search offerings, designed for different levels of leadership and impact:

Executive Search

For C-suite, Directors, and executive leadership roles where discretion, governance, and stakeholder influence are critical. We provide national headhunting, market mapping, optional behavioural/psychometric assessment, structured stakeholder management, and end-to-end support through to onboarding, backed by a six-month placement guarantee.

Leadership Search

For middle to senior leaders who drive service delivery, culture, and performance across portfolios. This includes senior functional leaders (corporate services, P&C, finance, digital, operations) and people/reform leaders (managers, coordinators, team leaders). Our process supports inclusive shortlisting, capability framework alignment, competency-based assessment, and post-placement follow-up, with optional leadership diagnostics.

Expert, Project & Restructure

For specialist hires, project teams, bulk recruitment, and restructure campaigns. We source subject matter experts in hard-to-fill disciplines, coordinate multi-role recruitment programs, and support organisational change with structured screening, panel coordination, reporting, and candidate care suited to sensitive transitions.

What we offer

Senior, Leadership and Executive Positions

Targeted candidate

approach and market mapping

Comprehensive Search Process

Premium Marketing

& Advertising

Candidate Skills Assessment

Candidate Behavioural Assessment

Competency-based

approach

Psychological Assessments

Offer Negotiation & Coaching

of Unsuccessful candidates

Ongoing Transition and Candidate Care

How we deliver

Our delivery is driven by our vision, mission, and values, making each recruitment experience effective and meaningful.

Vision: To be the most trusted recruitment agency in Australia.
Mission: To do right by clients, candidates, colleagues, and community.

Core values in every project:

Feedback: We seek and provide constructive feedback to improve outcomes.
Care: We invest in client success, candidate well-being, and team growth.
Honest Communication: We maintain transparency, responsiveness, and clear expectations.
Focus: We align delivery to client needs, timelines, and community outcomes.

These values guide our teams in building partnerships, managing complexity, and delivering trusted public sector recruitment services.

Proven in Practice

44% of hires come from our network (database, referrals, headhunting), extending reach beyond job ads.

Leadership Capability Assessment

Our framework provides a consistent, evidence-based method for assessing public sector leadership capability. We evaluate:

Strategic Thinking & Vision – Aligning teams to long-term goals
People Leadership & Team Culture – Building high-performing, inclusive workplaces
Stakeholder Influence & Communication – Managing complex relationships
Change Leadership & Resilience – Leading through uncertainty and transformation
Governance & Accountability – Embedding performance and compliance oversight
Public Value & Community Orientation – Prioritising community outcomes and trust

The framework is adaptable across government contexts and supports confident, evidence-based appointments.

Candidate & Client Experience

Dedicated PSP Search team member for each assignment
Structured screening, interview coordination, and logistics
Pre-interview site checks (accessibility, noise, lighting)
Post-placement onboarding check-ins with clients and appointees
Respectful, transparent management of all applicants, including unsuccessful candidates

Our commitment

Commercial Confidence & Flexibility

Transparent pricing with optional add-ons (e.g. leadership testing, onboarding support)
Flexible milestone or campaign-based billing
6-month guarantee on retained executive and leadership appointments

Client Partnerships & Past Success

We have a strong track record delivering executive, leadership, and technical search assignments across government and the public sector, including:

Executive appointments: General Managers, Directors, and CEOs across councils, statutory bodies, and social infrastructure agencies
Leadership roles: Team Leaders, Program Managers, and Coordinators across infrastructure, planning, environment, finance, and people & culture
Restructure projects: Bulk recruitment campaigns for council reform, with 8–20 concurrent leadership and specialist hires
Specialist search: Hard-to-find talent in town planning, building surveying, asset management, and community development

By the numbers