Our Story

Based on an unfortunate personal lived experience within Australia’s care economy, Orchard's Founder, Alex McDonald, created Orchard to remedy leadership challenges that were shaping Australia’s human services and care economy.

The aim was to assist organisations of social focus to source, secure and sustain quality leadership that directly influences community outcomes.

From an initial focus assisting reform leadership spanning multiple care economy royal commissions, over time, our work has expanded across the care economy, government, social infrastructure and education, reflecting the increasing demands placed on these systems and the need for a commercially focussed, socially wedded search partner model.

While our reach has grown, and we have evolved into a national leader of search, selection and volume recruitment, our purpose remains constant - to elevate leadership that strengthens organisations, systems and the lives of Australians.

Meeting room discussion with people seated around a table, including one person in a wheelchair.

Board and advisory

Redefining governance excellence: assisting boards to redefine governance through a contemporary edge in skills matrixes, alignment and diversity.

Board and advisory

Three coworkers in a bright meeting room talking around a table with a laptop and documents

Executive search

Elevating leadership impact: assisting organisations through deep market access, commercial insight and strong alignment on values and purpose.

Executive search

Instructor leading a discussion with seated students in a classroom near a TV screen

People meeting in a glass-walled office, with a blurred person walking past in the foreground.

People in a meeting around a table, discussing papers in a bright office lounge

Two people smiling and talking outdoors in a park, one resting a hand on the other’s shoulder.

Aged care

Services supporting older Australians with care, wellbeing and independence

Two smiling children hugging outdoors, with another child in a yellow shirt nearby.

Child, Youth and Family

Programs supporting children, young people and families

Child, youth and family

Person in a wheelchair smiling on a garden path surrounded by lush greenery

Disability services and NDIS

Services supporting people with disability under the NDIS framework

Disability services and NDIS

Aerial view of a suburban neighborhood with rows of modern houses and straight streets under a clear sky

Housing and homelessness

Services addressing housing, homelessness and domestic violence support needs

Housing and homelessness

Small group seated in a bright meeting room, discussing around a circle of chairs.

Healthcare worker in blue scrubs smiling at a laptop on a bright outdoor patio

Two children playing with toy cars on a wooden floor in a bright room

Early Years

Early childhood education supporting development, learning and wellbeing

Two children walking on a sunny suburban street, one smiling, backpacks on, with houses and trees in the background

Schools

Primary and secondary education supporting learning and development outcomes

Four friends smiling outdoors, gathered around a phone with a historic building in the background

Higher Education

Universities delivering tertiary education, research and innovation outcomes

Higher education‎

Person using a laptop at a doorway, with an orchard and sunny field in the background

Professional Associates

Membership bodies representing professions, standards and industry

Professional associations

Worker in blue shirt and safety harness stands in a teal-framed construction corridor, looking up.

Wind turbines on a grassy hillside under a blue sky with scattered clouds.

Aerial view of an airport runway and taxiways beside buildings and dry terrain

Overhead view of a train station platform with a silver train on the tracks and wet floor reflections

Rows of dark mailboxes with pink number labels in a narrow corridor