Summer Intern - Executive Search (Nov 2026)

GOTAFE; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 28,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work in Sydney

Paid induction

Auckland training trip

Job summary

Kerridge & Partners is seeking a summer intern to work directly with the Partner who leads our Australian business. The role blends strategic projects with live search work, including researching companies and leaders and supporting client development and interviews.

The internship is based in Sydney CBD with hybrid arrangements and flexible start dates, from late November, with a paid induction. This varied role offers exposure to senior-level search and client work, with some weeks full-time

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled university student or recent graduate
• Strong written communication
• Ability to handle a wide range of tasks and move between them easily
• Discretion with sensitive information

Responsibilities

• Conduct research on companies, industries and senior leaders
• Support business development activities including client relationship planning
• Assist active assignments from candidate research to involvement in interviews

Job description

Our Firm

Kerridge & Partners is an executive search and board advisory firm with offices in Sydney and Auckland. Executive search means finding, assessing and appointing senior leaders on behalf of organisations, from chief executives and their leadership teams through to non-executive directors. Our clients range from the largest ASX and NZX-listed corporates through to private equity-owned businesses and NGOs. The work is a blend of art and science, combining rigorous research with careful judgement about leadership behaviours and drivers. Our firm is a partnership first established in 2005 in Auckland, and in a growth phase as we expand our Australian business from Sydney.

The Opportunity

We are looking for a summer intern to work directly with the Partner who leads our Australian business. The role is a mix of strategic projects and live search work, including:

• Researching companies, industries and senior leaders
• Supporting business development, including client relationship planning and meeting preparation
• Supporting active assignments, from candidate research to involvement in interviews

This is a varied role for a growing business. It is not a structured intern programme, however. The intention is to work one-on-one and shadow a senior partner while also supporting broader initiatives across the New Zealand business, which means you will see closely how search and client work are done at a senior level.

Practical Items

The internship can start as early as the last week of November, with a break over Christmas and New Year. Start and finish dates are flexible. The hours will vary with the intensity of the work: some weeks will be full-time, others lighter. The role therefore suits someone comfortable flexing their commitment up and down. In return, we offer a competitive day rate and a paid induction and training trip to our Auckland office. The role is based in our Sydney CBD office and we are open to discussing hybrid arrangements.

Who This Is For

This role suits current university students, though it could also suit upcoming graduates who are uncertain about a career direction and want broad exposure across industries. We are not precious about your degree or academic background, though evidence of effort is important - whether grades, extra-curriculars or juggling work commitments. What matters most is:

• Having a real curiosity about businesses and leadership
• Strong written communication that is not reliant on AI
• The ability to handle a wide range of tasks and move between them easily
• Discretion, because the firm handles highly sensitive information about individuals and clients