Executive search & leadership assessment

I help organisations find and assess senior leaders, and build the tools behind better talent decisions.

Sydney-based, with a background in organisational psychology and experience both in-house and in executive search firms. Open to permanent roles and contract work.

Jason Hunt

References

“Willing to support and at times challenge … understanding the balance between organisational need, leadership style, team fit and cultural alignment.”

Brett DaleyHiring Stakeholder · Air New Zealand

“Technically brilliant … Jason is exceptionally smart. Yet, humble, authentic and willing to listen. He is open, transparent with high integrity.”

Will WilsonManaging Partner · Executive Quarter

Experience.

Talent Partner

Senior commercial and operational hiring, alongside practical AI tools and colleague coaching.

Woolworths Group · April-July 2026 · Contract

What I did

Supported senior commercial and operational hiring during a period of high demand. Alongside recruitment, I developed AI tools and coached colleagues in applying them at work.

The work in practice

The contract combined recruitment delivery with practical support for colleagues using new tools.

Executive Talent Strategy Partner

Delivered searches for General Counsel and VP appointments across the US and EMEA.

UpGuard · October 2025-February 2026 · Contract

What I did

Delivered executive talent mapping and search for a cybersecurity business, using AI tools to support leadership-market research.

Examples and outcomes

Appointments included a General Counsel in San Francisco, VP Revenue Enablement in Los Angeles and VP Sales EMEA in London.

Partner Executive Search & Head of Assessment

Senior search and executive assessment across health, not-for-profit, transport and utilities.

Executive Quarter · June 2024-March 2025

What I did

As the firm’s first Sydney-based hire, I delivered CEO, CFO, COO and other senior searches across health, not-for-profit, transport and utilities. I led executive assessment work and developed a bespoke leadership competency framework.

The work in practice

The framework supported candidate assessment and client use. I also introduced AI and automation into mapping and workflows. The firm subsequently closed.

Manager Executive Recruitment

Established executive recruitment and supported senior appointments across the Qantas Group.

Qantas Group · April-October 2023

What I did

Established executive recruitment and advised the Group Management Committee on senior talent requirements and hiring processes.

The work in practice

Supported appointments including Jetstar Chief Customer Officer, Head of Customer Strategy and Journey, Head of Group Fleet Procurement and Head of Sydney Airport. External search partners were involved where engaged; a search firm ran the Jetstar CCO search.

Executive Search Consultant

Executive search and an assessment structure used for approximately 70 leaders during an operating-model transition.

Air New Zealand · May 2021-December 2022

What I did

Partnered with executives on senior search, assessment and selection across commercial, operational and corporate functions, including the enterprise Agile transition.

Examples and outcomes

Co-developed the framework and owned the assessment structure used for approximately 70 leaders. In a separate process, designed selection of 45 high-potential employees to train as Agile Coaches.

Executive Search Associate

Board and executive search, from briefing and research through shortlist and offer.

SEQEL Partners · October 2019-May 2021

What I did

Worked across briefing, research, longlist, shortlist and offer, managing client and candidate relationships throughout the search process.

The work in practice

Board and executive mandates included CEO, CFO, COO and Chief Strategy Officer roles for listed, private-equity, privately owned and multinational clients.

Leadership Talent and Reward Analyst

Leadership-development workshops and support for a high-potential leadership assessment programme.

Korn Ferry · January-October 2019

What I did

Conducted leadership-development workshops for managers in a major New Zealand postal business and assisted development of a leadership assessment programme at a major listed company.

The work in practice

The assessment programme was intended to identify and develop high-potential leaders. I contributed to the programme’s development.

Army Reserve Infantry Rifleman & Organisational Psychology Intern

Army Reserve service and a separate organisational psychology internship.

New Zealand Defence Force · Reserve: 2014-2019 · Internship: November 2016-February 2017

What I did

Served as an Infantry Rifleman in the NZ Army Reserve from 2014 to 2019. Separately, undertook an Organisational Psychology Internship from November 2016 to February 2017.

Building
with AI.

I use AI-assisted development to turn specialist knowledge and everyday problems into software.

Trajectas

Independent project · Working platform

From capability framework to assessment delivery.

I built the workflows for capability libraries, assessment items, campaigns and reporting. With an early collaborator, I also refined a coaching framework and authored its assessment items.

The implementation is prepared; pilot outcomes and validation are still to be established.

Explore Trajectas →
The Marathon Clinic’s interactive Sydney course map and elevation profile, showing pace guidance along the route.

The Marathon Clinic

Marathon training guidance, planning tools and course-specific pacing. I built the software with AI assistance; the training calculations follow defined rules.

Try the course-pacing tool ↗

Big Listen

Built to help my partner’s family talk with her grandfather, who is hard of hearing. A phone becomes a live-captioning screen with large, high-contrast text.

From booking to follow-through

Booking, voice dictation and meeting notes in one tool, bringing together AI summaries and a shared notes library.

Project 215

Strava data alongside health and recovery tracking, built to review training towards a long-term 2:15 marathon goal, with sub-2:20 as the nearer target.

Background.

Education
  • University of Canterbury

    Master of Science with DistinctionApplied Psychology · University of Canterbury

  • University of Otago

    Bachelor of ArtsPsychology & Music · University of Otago

  • Queen’s University

    International exchangeQueen’s University, Canada

Research

Burt, C. & Hunt, J. (2019). A predictive criterion-related validation study of a short version of the Hazard Awareness Test. 15th European Conference on Psychological Assessment · Brussels · 7–10 July 2019.

Validation of the 4pHAT · MSc dissertation, 2019

Assessment experience
  • Korn Ferry
  • SHL
  • Hogan
  • Talegent

And outside work,
I run.

From professional long-distance triathlon to winning the Sunshine Coast Marathon.

Marathon personal bestGold Coast, 2025
Guinness World Records

I also hold the Guinness World Record for the fastest marathon in a suit. A different kind of challenge, raising money for Movember.

The Marathon Clinic

Founder & Head Coach

One-to-one marathon coaching, free training guidance and practical race-planning tools, built from my experience as an athlete and coach.

The coaching story →

Let’s talk

Book a meeting with Jason.

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Prefer to get in touch directly?Email Jason ↗