Case Studies

Strategic Marketing Leadership Transformation for Beyond Blue

How purpose-driven recruitment delivered exceptional marketing leaders for Australia’s premier mental health organisation

The Brief

Beyond Blue, one of Australia’s most respected mental health organisations, reached a pivotal moment in its organisational evolution. The CEO recognised that to amplify Beyond Blue’s mission in a rapidly changing public health landscape, the organisation needed to transform its marketing and engagement capabilities.

This transformation required three newly created, strategically aligned leadership roles that would drive brand impact, deepen community connection, and increase national visibility.

Galvin-Rowley Executive was appointed to lead the recruitment for these critical positions: General Manager, Marketing; Head of Community Engagement; and Head of Marketing and Brand. Each role was integral to Beyond Blue’s evolution from traditional awareness campaigns to integrated, data-informed marketing that could truly amplify its life-saving mission.

The Challenge

This engagement presented unique challenges that required both marketing expertise and deep cultural understanding. Beyond Blue needed leaders who could deliver sophisticated marketing strategies while remaining authentically connected to the organisation’s mental health mission.

The successful candidates would need to navigate the delicate balance between commercial marketing excellence and the sensitivity required in mental health communications.

Finding leaders capable of stewarding Beyond Blue’s trusted brand whilst driving innovation in community engagement required candidates with exceptional emotional intelligence, proven marketing acumen, and genuine alignment with the organisation’s purpose-driven ethos.

Our Approach

Targeted Search Strategy: We leveraged our deep networks within the marketing, not-for-profit, and social impact sectors to directly approach high-potential leaders who had demonstrated both technical excellence and values alignment in similar environments.
Creative Campaigning: We developed a bespoke advertising and messaging strategy that authentically reflected Beyond Blue’s purpose-driven ethos, ensuring we attracted emotionally intelligent, impact-oriented candidates who were genuinely motivated by the organisation’s mission.
Cultural Assessment Framework: Our process was underpinned by a strong focus on cultural fit, mission alignment, and leadership capability across brand stewardship, community engagement, and digital transformation.

The Outcome

All three roles were successfully filled with exceptional leaders who embodied both strategic marketing acumen and a deep connection to Beyond Blue’s purpose. The newly appointed General Manager, Marketing; Head of Community Engagement; and Head of Marketing and Brand have since contributed to:

Enhanced brand consistency and public resonance across all communications
Deeper, more inclusive community outreach that extends Beyond Blue’s impact
Stronger internal alignment across campaigns and initiatives
More sophisticated, data-informed marketing approaches that amplify the organisation’s mission

This engagement demonstrates Galvin-Rowley Executive’s ability to support purpose-led organisations through periods of strategic change, delivering not only technical capability but cultural resonance that drives long-term success.

Not-for-Profit Recruitment Expertise

Galvin-Rowley Executive brings specialised expertise in not-for-profit recruitment, understanding the unique challenges these organisations face in attracting commercial-grade talent whilst maintaining mission alignment.

We recognise that successful NFP leaders must balance commercial acumen with genuine passion for social impact, and our recruitment processes are designed to identify candidates who excel in both areas.

Our deep networks within the social impact sector, combined with our understanding of purpose-driven leadership, enable us to deliver exceptional results for organisations committed to making a positive difference.

Strategic Marketing Leadership Transformation for Beyond Blue

Key Takeaways

• Purpose-driven recruitment requires a nuanced understanding of both commercial excellence and mission alignment.

• Strategic marketing transformation in the NFP sector demands leaders who can balance sophisticated marketing approaches with cultural sensitivity.

• Successful organisational restructures depend on securing leaders who embody both technical capability and authentic connection to organisational values.

• Hybrid search strategies combining targeted networking and creative campaigning can attract exceptional purpose-driven talent.

• Cultural fit and emotional intelligence are critical success factors for leadership roles in mission-driven organisations.

FAQs

How does Galvin-Rowley Executive approach recruitment for not-for-profit organisations differently from commercial searches?

Galvin-Rowley Executive recognises that NFP recruitment requires a deeper focus on values alignment and purpose-driven motivation. We assess candidates not only for their technical capabilities but for their genuine connection to the organisation’s mission and their ability to inspire others around shared social impact goals.

What makes Galvin-Rowley Executive particularly effective at finding marketing leaders for purpose-driven organisations?

Our success stems from understanding that exceptional NFP marketing leaders must balance commercial sophistication with authentic mission alignment. Galvin-Rowley Executive’s networks span both commercial marketing excellence and social impact sectors, enabling us to identify candidates who excel in both areas.

How does Galvin-Rowley Executive ensure cultural fit when recruiting for sensitive sectors like mental health?

Galvin-Rowley Executive develops comprehensive cultural assessment frameworks tailored to each organisation’s unique environment. For sensitive sectors, we place particular emphasis on emotional intelligence, cultural sensitivity, and demonstrated experience in navigating complex stakeholder environments whilst maintaining authentic brand stewardship.

What Our Clients Say

I first met Jennifer as a candidate. Having touched most of the major search firms as a candidate for executive roles and experienced first-hand their generally low level of candidate care, I have had no hesitation in recommending Jennifer to colleagues who are searching for a new job, or in using her myself as a preferred provider when in need of HR staff.

Mike Johnson

Former HR Director, SKILLED Group

Jen has really invested in understanding our culture and what attributes to look for to ensure a seamless team-fit. In addition, her definition of quality and high-calibre is the same as ours.
That makes life so much easier, and means we are consistently forced to make tough choices at the end of a relatively short recruitment period.
What else could we ask? Highly professional, and a calmly positive influence on us all.

Russell Parker

CEO, Kikki.K
Former CEO, Hallmark International

Galvin-Rowley Executive is a boutique executive placement agency that delivers above and beyond service with integrity to its clients.
The Director, Jennifer Galvin-Rowley, takes the time to understand her clients’ needs and then searches through her amazing network of contacts to find the right people for the right jobs.
Whilst I was CEO of BeyondBlue, Jennifer and her team were a delight to work with and I wouldn’t go anywhere else if I was looking for a key executive.

Dawn O’Neil, AM

Former CEO, BeyondBlue

For nine months we’d searched in vain for a HSE Manager. This was a difficult project: candidates were scarce, our standards were high, and the role was in the country.
When Jen was referred to us, she stood above the other recruiters for three reasons: she dealt in specialist OH&S Managers; she knew how to fill rural roles; and she didn’t advertise—she searched.
Jen approached the task with imagination. Her ideas were unusual, yet so logical. She handled candidates with promptness and respect, and we swiftly found and hired a great fit. I therefore suggest you let Jen recruit your next manager.

Jim Cooper

CEO, Port of Portland

Over the past decade I have engaged Jenny on a number of occasions to source talent across a variety of roles, specifically in HR. She is excellent in her client management as well as her candidate care.
She is responsive to the more challenging assignments and creates a realistic expectation for both the client and her deliverables. Given the service she has provided each time, I have consistently sought her out as a provider and truly value the relationship.