Welcome Orchard Talent Group
IPAA Queensland is pleased to welcome Orchard Talent Group to our growing community of organisational members.
We took a few minutes to sit down with Adam Dent, Partner Executive Search and Board and experienced public service leader, to find out more about Orchard, their mission and why they support IPAA Queensland.
Why has Orchard Talent joined IPAA Queensland?
Orchard Talent Group is proud to join the IPAA Queensland community, contributing to the professional development and connectedness of Australia’s public sector. As a firm deeply committed to social purpose, we exist to elevate people, organisations and sectors that meaningfully contribute to a stronger tomorrow, today.
Our work is underpinned by a clear vision – to partner on the people strategies that will realise Australia’s social agenda through the influence of policy, service and community outcomes. Joining IPAA aligns with this vision and supports our broader mission to be Australia’s most valued and trusted talent partner.
What is Orchard’s core value offering to the public sector and public purpose organisations?
We bring a unique combination of search expertise, commercial understanding and direct experience within public sector leadership. Across hundreds of executive and senior appointments, we’ve seen the evolving challenges facing leaders across all levels of government. Our Partners have also served as agency CEOs and senior executives, giving us a lived understanding of the complexity and accountability inherent in public sector leadership.
We work nationally and maintain strong relationships with leaders across federal, state and local government jurisdictions. This enables us to provide clients with deep insight into the leadership landscape and access to a broad and diverse pool of public sector executives and senior leaders.
We offer rigorous, merit-based recruitment that aligns with the Leadership Competencies for Queensland, governance standards and probity requirements, ensuring the most suitable candidate is appointed. We are also skilled in assessing candidates from the private and not-for-profit sectors for their readiness and potential to transition into government and contribute to public value.
What are the current trends you see as a talent partner to the public purpose ecosystem?
The public sector, like the broader social purpose sector, is navigating significant complexity – from economic and workforce pressures to rising service demand and accelerated reform. These shifts are placing new demands on leadership. We’re seeing increasing emphasis on adaptive capability, resilience, and the ability to lead transformation while maintaining service continuity.
Shifting community expectations – particularly in the context of digital engagement – are also shaping the role of public institutions. Citizens today have more ways than ever to voice their views, advocate for change and hold government to account. In this environment, leadership requires not only technical skill and policy acumen, but a commitment to transparency and genuine engagement.
At the same time, resource constraints mean that public sector leaders are being called on to exercise sharper strategic judgement – making difficult decisions about where to invest, what to prioritise and how to maximise public impact. It has never been more critical to get executive appointments right – not only for stability, but to unlock the full potential of reform and innovation.
As a former senior leader and CEO in public services, what role do you see IPAA playing in the system?
IPAA plays a vital role in building and sustaining the capability of the public sector. From my experience as both a Councillor with IPAA NSW and as an agency head, I’ve seen how powerful it is to bring the sector together – to share ideas, build networks and challenge thinking. With the decline in external advisory work, IPAA is uniquely placed to lead the rebuilding of internal capability through professional development, thought leadership and a strong sense of community. In the coming years, not only are we rebuilding internal capability, but we will also need to develop new capabilities – and IPAA can be a powerful partner to the sector in doing so.
What challenges do you see on the horizon for public purpose organisations?
Beyond financial constraints, public purpose organisations are facing talent shortages, increased scrutiny, and the need to transform legacy systems while continuing to deliver essential services. The challenge is not just operational – it is cultural, strategic and adaptive.
From time to time, the public narrative also loses track of the impact of the incredible work of the public sector, often in the most difficult of circumstances. We can’t lose sight of the remarkable work done by the people who have committed their careers to public good, even when times are tough.
And what about opportunities?
For Queensland especially, the work of the public sector will be on show globally over the years leading up to and during 2032. It is an extraordinary opportunity to show the world what Queensland is made of – a state with natural beauty, thriving industry and connected public services.
There is also a real opportunity for the sector to continue to define what great leadership looks like – not only in terms of technical expertise, but also in values, lived experience and the ability to lead change that has substantial public impact. Organisations that invest in their people, build inclusive cultures and prioritise leadership development will be well placed to navigate the road ahead.
At Orchard, we are excited to play our part in supporting that journey.
Membership supports the professional development of your workforce, particularly senior leaders and emerging leaders. It supports leaders to be at the cutting edge of thinking and practice in public administration, and to build their networks with others engaged in the profession or who support public purpose work – industry and community organisations, tertiary institutions and local, state, and federal government agencies.
Organisational membership supports IPAA Queensland’s vision of an independent, thriving and trusted public sector profession in Queensland. It makes a strong statement. It says that your organisation is genuinely committed to making an important contribution towards achieving better outcomes for Queenslanders. Membership achieves this by supporting growth in thought‐leadership within your organisation and the public purpose sector more broadly.
Our organisational memberships are open to government departments, agencies and statutory bodies at local, state and federal levels throughout Queensland, as well as non-government organisations engaged in public purpose work.