Chief Finance and Corporate Services

The organisation

Operating since 1998 as Victoria’s flagship Youth AOD service, YSAS employs over 350 skilled staff across 19 sites in metropolitan and regional Victoria. While the prime focus of YSAS remains on effective Youth AOD Treatment and sector leadership, the organisation also has extensive experience in providing young people and families with services that support improved  mental health and meaningful community participation.

The brief

In July 2018, the Youth Support + Advocacy Service (YSAS), Australia’s largest, youth-specific community service organisation, engaged Brooker Consulting to undertake a comprehensive executive search to support the organisation to recruit a Head of Finance and Corporate Services.

The Head of Finance and Corporate Services is a key leadership position in the organisation and is responsible for the smooth functioning of all operational aspects of the entity. More specifically, the position was responsible for managing the following areas: Finances, Information Technology, Corporate Governance, Risk Management Systems, Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Organisational Accreditation & Compliance and Property & Fleet.

The process

Brooker Consulting undertook a targeted search process, combined with a print and online media campaign. After two rounds of panel interviews, Kamalini Kandasamy was confirmed by the Selection Committee as the successful candidate.

The outcome

Upon Kamalini’s resignation in July 2021, Brooker Consulting was again approached to identify an interim resource for this role.  

After a rigorous process Anne King was announced as the Chief of Finance and Corporate Services.  Anne began her career as a banker and held senior roles in business and private banking and forensic accounting.  She moved into the for-purpose sector and managed functional and corporate service teams with a focus on improved reporting. 

Since that time, Brooker Consulting has been involved in a number of searches for substantive and interim roles at YSAS.  The most recent executive search and selection process was for the role of Human Resources Manager. This was completed successfully in April 2022 with the placement of Benaifer Sabavala.