Paula joined Merit Solutions in 2015 and offers a wealth of search, recruitment, and selection expertise, spanning almost 30 years. For the last decade, Paula has been supporting Merit clients by offering a range of high-quality services including search, end-to-end recruitment, consulting on recruitment strategy and policies, panel member and selection support, psychometric assessment and career coaching for roles up to executive and Board level.

Prior to joining Merit Solutions, Paula worked for more than 20 years in the private sector, gaining international exposure as both a HR and Recruitment Manager in the UK, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates (Dubai). Migrating to Australia in 2004, she initially joined the Chandler Macleod Group (CMG), working within their Executive Recruitment Division before moving to a smaller HR Consultancy, providing Outplacement and Career Services. Paula then spent 5 years at a boutique mining and resources recruitment firm as Manager – Search, leading a small research and search team.

Paula has an outstanding record of success over more than 20 years in the provision of search services for executive and hard-to-fill roles. Assignments have ranged from basic search processes, involving database and social media approaches (often supplementing results from traditional online advertising methods) to in-depth national and international searches requiring advanced research to locate and approach a more targeted audience. Recent successful search assignments have included Regional General Manager, Director, CEO and Board Chair roles across a range of government agencies, statutory authorities, and not-for-profit organisations.

Recently, she led the successful search for a CEO for one of our not-for-profit clients. This was a multi-pronged approach, including a national targeted search along with a social media advertising campaign (across multiple media channels) and complementary on-line and local advertising. Conducting a very thorough research and search process and working in true partnership with the client, resulted in a highly qualified applicant pool, surpassing the Chair’s expectations.

With over 30 years’ experience, Paula is professionally qualified to recruit for most executive and non-executive positions. Working locally and internationally across a broad spectrum of industries including government, not for profit, mining and heavy industry, engineering, FMCG, pharmaceutical, oil & gas and ICT, she has mastered the ability to quickly comprehend both highly technical and executive leadership requirements. From initial client briefing to writing and editing position descriptions, writing enticing advertisements to screening and shortlisting applicants, Paula is confident in her end-to-end recruitment capabilities, this includes situational and behavioural interviewing, offer negotiations and post-employment checks. Positive feedback from clients and candidates confirm her focus on high-quality, respectful candidate care along with the achievement of superior client outcomes.

For specialised or hard to fill vacancies, Paula has partnered with a range of clients to provide more innovative and strategic recruitment strategies, solutions, and practices. Recent projects have involved regional positions as well as new roles in a complex and sensitive work team which involved shiftwork.  In each case, Paula has partnered closely with the client while conducting a thorough desk-top review and analysis of the prior recruitment practices and processes. This has included assessing diversity and quality of prior applicant pools, process compliance, candidate withdrawals and post-selection retention. Based on investigations, Paula has developed revised recruitment and attraction strategies, identifying target applicant groups, broader advertising campaigns and new sourcing solutions. Recruitment process efficiencies have also been identified to expediate end-to-end recruitment processes. Paula has also provided consultancy services to government owned corporations, implementing their transition to compliance with new Queensland Government recruitment and selection processes.

Due to increased client requests over the last couple of years, Paula has accepted the challenge to champion our new Temporary Talent Solutions team to offer our clients temporary recruitment services across several niche disciplines, ranging from officer to executive manager levels. Our Temporary Talent Solutions range from communications and change experts, finance, people and culture to project and policy professionals. Using our extensive networks and database, Paula has successfully placed temporary staff, many of whom have had their original contracts extended.

Over the last 10 years, Paula has supported numerous panels by providing shortlisting and independent panel member services as well as broad selection support for roles up to Senior Executive level. Her work has branched across three levels of government and is often requested by our clients based on her impartiality, expert interview techniques and observations and confidential advice during the selections process.

Qualified in providing a range of personality and ability psychometric assessments, Paula has been actively supporting clients with the benefits of world-renowned and authentic psychometric tools for over 25 years. She is licensed to administer, interpret and provide both client and applicant feedback on personality assessments including PAPI 3, 15FQ and Jung Type Indicator. Paula has used psychometrics to support a range of people and culture functions including recruitment and selection, training and development and career coaching.

Paula is particularly passionate in the areas of career coaching and counselling, where she can impart her vast recruitment and selection knowledge to support those impacted by organisational change, restructure, or redundancy.  She has partnered with a range of clients, collaborating closely with individuals to support them in the preparation of highly marketable resumes, succinct job applications, social media profiling, and behavioural interview role-plays.

Having worked overseas earlier in her career, Paula has developed a strong understanding of cultural differences and sensitivities. She draws upon her international experiences to converse genuinely and respectfully with a wide range of people from differing cultures and backgrounds.