Principal consultant Basil Varouhas recruits across a full range of corporate positions within both the public and private sectors. These include programme and project management; business, process and policy analysis; change/transition management; communications; and HR / organisational development. Many of Basil’s clients require interim cover (e.g. for a staff secondment or parental leave) with a specialist skill set, on either an open-ended or a fixed-term basis.

Having launched his recruitment consultant career in Australia with one of the world’s largest recruiting firms, Basil returned to New Zealand in 1999 and has now worked in the industry for over 20 years. During this time he has completed a number of New Zealand public sector change transformation projects.

Highly experienced, consultative and thorough in his approach, Basil has a gift for engaging candidates easily to draw out their key skill sets and standout qualities. He loves ‘the journey of matching people capability with organisational need’, and he is known for ensuring clients have the pick of candidates to guide them to an informed selection.

Areas of specialisation: Professional contracting
Years in the industry: 22

Andrew Watson of JacksonStone Consulting is a founding Director of JacksonStone & Partners. Andrew provides a wide spectrum of professional consulting and contracting resources to clients involving advising and supporting senior leadership teams through to operational line management. Assignments have supported public sector initiatives such as the set-up of new regulatory entities, the implementation of complex social services policy initiatives, business transformation programmes and large capital infrastructural investment projects.

Andrew’s experience began in internal auditing, marketing and project management before joining the professional services sector. Two decades on, he has an in-depth knowledge of the consulting market, having personally facilitated more than a thousand assignments at all levels in sectors that include finance, human resources, communications, legal, marketing and policy.

Focused on a high-quality client and candidate experience, Andrew is known for his consistency and efficiency, and a transparent and consultative approach. His warm, personable style has led to many long-term, successful relationships with both contractors and clients, where he ensures both parties’ needs and wants are met for high-quality placements and partnerships.

Areas of specialisation: Professional contracting in all corporate disciplines including programme, project and change roles
Years in the industry: 20

Mary’s clients include hiring managers at all levels across the public, private and NGO sectors. She places professional contractors into a broad spectrum of disciplines including communications, stakeholder engagement, marketing, business analysis, public policy, project and programme management, change management, planning and human resources. Her speciality is hourly rate and fixed-term contracts of up to 12 months’ duration.

Mary has more than two decades’ experience in recruitment. Her approach was deeply informed early on by a very useful sabbatical spent within the HR management team of one of New Zealand’s largest employers. This experience led her to focus strongly on relationship management throughout the recruitment process: collaborating with clients and candidates to achieve shared goals and rewarding positions, and proposing contractors who add a huge amount of value even on short-term assignments.

She is well regarded for her professionalism and honesty, working efficiently and effectively to facilitate the recruitment process; as one satisfied client explained, she ‘provided exceptional and responsive assistance in every interaction’ and was ‘clear, honest and supportive’ to prioritise the candidate’s fit to the role.

Area of specialisation: Contracting
Years in the industry: 20

Tracy has specialised in placing professional consultants, contractors and permanent candidates in the Wellington market since 2005.

Working in the accounting, finance and assurance fields with public, private and NGO clients, she understands the market and skill sets required, and keeps abreast of contemporary practices and trends.

Having worked in New Zealand and overseas across many industries, Tracy believes her strengths lie in her commercial acumen and ability to join the dots, and her dedication and commitment to her clients and candidates.

She takes pride in being able to provide quality candidates, enabling clients to operate successfully to deliver on goals, and ensuring candidates get the career growth and challenges they desire.

Working alongside John Bell and Andrew Watson, Tracy is part of a team which is exceptionally well connected and informed on the current market environment.

Areas of specialisation: Professional Contracting, Consulting & Permanent – accounting, finance, assurance, planning and performance
Years in the industry: 15