About Gab Patterson

Every search I lead is run personally - from brief to placement. No hand-offs. 30+ years in search, with deep specialism in not-for-profit, aged care, NDIS and disability, and education.
Patterson Recruitment was founded on a simple belief: that the best recruitment outcomes come from genuine relationships, deep sector knowledge, and a consultant who is personally accountable for every search.
20+
Years of sector expertise
35+
Leadership appointments in 2025
4
Sectors served

A few of the organisations we've worked with

Recruitment done well changes organisations.

A strong senior hire in the right role transforms teams, protects culture, and delivers real outcomes. A mis-hire does the opposite. That's why every search I lead is structured, rigorous and deeply personal. I spend time understanding the role, but also the organisation - your values, your team dynamics, your culture, and what success genuinely looks like 12 months from now. That's what allows me to find people who don't just fit the job description, but belong.

Honesty over comfort

I’ll tell you what I honestly think, including when something will be difficult.

Long-term fit over quick placement

A fast placement that doesn’t last helps no one.

Depth over volume

I’d rather present three exceptional candidates than ten average ones.

Your reputation matters

Candidates are treated with respect throughout. Your employer brand is protected.

How I work

Every search follows a structured 7-step process - from understanding your organisation and culture through to offer negotiation and onboarding support.

For senior and confidential appointments, I offer retained executive search. For senior specialist and leadership roles, permanent recruitment on an exclusive basis. And for urgent needs, temporary and contract placements with full compliance handling.

Want to see what this looks like in practice? View my case studies - real placements across aged care, not-for-profit, NDIS and disability, and education, with the outcomes they delivered.

If you’re a candidate looking for your next senior role, register your interest.

Testimonials

From start to finish, Gabrielle was a joy to interact with—her communication was fabulous, and she brought such enthusiasm and empathy to the table. She genuinely cared about finding the right fit for me and negotiated brilliantly on my behalf. Gabrielle made the whole process smooth and enjoyable, and I couldn’t be happier with the Business Development Manager position she helped me secure.
Justine Terese
Business Development Manager
Gab is a highly professional, committed and effective executive recruitment consultant. All interactions with Gab have been courteous, positive and helpful. Gab takes the time to get to know her clients and prospective employers to ensure the match. I could not recommend her highly enough and I'm looking forward to a continued relationship into the future.
Gaye Wealthy
People & Culture Executive
Gab is a great operator when it comes to recruitment and someone I would absolutely go back to as a trusted advisor in this space. She knows her stuff, is so easy to work with, supported me and the team to get the best outcome on a short turnaround, kept me updated at every step of the way, and is just a genuinely lovely person to work through tricky or technical recruitment matters with. Her people-centric approach, her dedication and her kindness put me at ease that I had the right person on the job.
Grace Oakley
People & Capability Business Partner
Gab is an excellent and highly professional recruitment consultant. My dealings with Gab have been so wonderful, her communication always finding time for you, and expertise has been so valuable to me. The trust was instant and she has a great ability to make you feel valued and supported. I could not recommend her highly enough and would continue to use her as a client of mine if the situation arose.
Jeremy Clark
Head of marketing
Gab spent time listening to the needs of our College and what was required from a candidate. Her work in vetting and finding the best applicant saved me hours of work. We had been looking for a HR Officer for months and upon seeking help from Gab, we had a candidate in days who we have now employed. Gab was terrific in this process and communicated well and kept me in the loop. Thank you.
Nick Moloney
Deputy Principal
Gabrielle’s guidance and insights are invaluable. Smart, kind, Gabrielle has the ability to perfect match the right person with the right organisation.
Ashlea Hogg
Communications & Engagement Officer
Gabrielle's work on behalf of Wildlife Victoria ensured a quick appointment and an overall smooth and easy recruitment process. The calibre of the candidates put forward was of the highest standard and showed her understanding of the role and the organisation. Would highly recommend Gabrielle to other non-profit organisations.
Aleisha Hall
Acting Head of External Relations
We all know that December is not a great time to be looking for new staff. One call and I was convinced that Gab would do her best to help us find the right candidate for our 12 month PR role and she didn't disappoint. Whilst other Agencies closed for a few weeks, Gab worked through and presented us with very high calibre candidates making it a pleasure but difficult to short-list down to 4 for interviews. All impressed us, but in the end one candidate stood out and we were able to negotiate quickly for that important 'we need someone now' date to start. Gab was a pleasure to work with and I highly recommend her to anyone.
Jody Kelly
Manager People Services, Wildlife Victoria
From start to finish, Gabrielle was a joy to interact with—her communication was fabulous, and she brought such enthusiasm and empathy to the table. She genuinely cared about finding the right fit for me and negotiated brilliantly on my behalf. Gabrielle made the whole process smooth and enjoyable, and I couldn’t be happier with the Business Development Manager position she helped me secure.
Justine Terese
Business Development Manager
Gab is a highly professional, committed and effective executive recruitment consultant. All interactions with Gab have been courteous, positive and helpful. Gab takes the time to get to know her clients and prospective employers to ensure the match. I could not recommend her highly enough and I'm looking forward to a continued relationship into the future.
Gaye Wealthy
People & Culture Executive
Gab is a great operator when it comes to recruitment and someone I would absolutely go back to as a trusted advisor in this space. She knows her stuff, is so easy to work with, supported me and the team to get the best outcome on a short turnaround, kept me updated at every step of the way, and is just a genuinely lovely person to work through tricky or technical recruitment matters with. Her people-centric approach, her dedication and her kindness put me at ease that I had the right person on the job.
Grace Oakley
People & Capability Business Partner
Gab is an excellent and highly professional recruitment consultant. My dealings with Gab have been so wonderful, her communication always finding time for you, and expertise has been so valuable to me. The trust was instant and she has a great ability to make you feel valued and supported. I could not recommend her highly enough and would continue to use her as a client of mine if the situation arose.
Jeremy Clark
Head of marketing
Gab spent time listening to the needs of our College and what was required from a candidate. Her work in vetting and finding the best applicant saved me hours of work. We had been looking for a HR Officer for months and upon seeking help from Gab, we had a candidate in days who we have now employed. Gab was terrific in this process and communicated well and kept me in the loop. Thank you.
Nick Moloney
Deputy Principal
Gabrielle’s guidance and insights are invaluable. Smart, kind, Gabrielle has the ability to perfect match the right person with the right organisation.
Ashlea Hogg
Communications & Engagement Officer
Gabrielle's work on behalf of Wildlife Victoria ensured a quick appointment and an overall smooth and easy recruitment process. The calibre of the candidates put forward was of the highest standard and showed her understanding of the role and the organisation. Would highly recommend Gabrielle to other non-profit organisations.
Aleisha Hall
Acting Head of External Relations
We all know that December is not a great time to be looking for new staff. One call and I was convinced that Gab would do her best to help us find the right candidate for our 12 month PR role and she didn't disappoint. Whilst other Agencies closed for a few weeks, Gab worked through and presented us with very high calibre candidates making it a pleasure but difficult to short-list down to 4 for interviews. All impressed us, but in the end one candidate stood out and we were able to negotiate quickly for that important 'we need someone now' date to start. Gab was a pleasure to work with and I highly recommend her to anyone.
Jody Kelly
Manager People Services, Wildlife Victoria

Frequently asked questions

Who leads my recruitment search?

Every search is personally led by Gab Patterson. There are no hand-offs to junior consultants or account managers - you work directly with the founder from brief to placement.

Does Patterson Recruitment work outside Melbourne?

Yes. I’m based in Melbourne and work with organisations nationally, with a growing presence in Sydney and Brisbane. Many of my searches involve candidates relocating between cities.

What makes Patterson Recruitment different from larger agencies?

Three things: specialist focus (I work exclusively in not-for-profit, aged care, NDIS and disability, and education), personal accountability (I lead every search myself), and values-based matching (I assess for cultural alignment, not just skills on a CV).

Let’s work together.

If you’re looking for a recruitment partner who will take your search as seriously as you do, I’d love to hear from you.

Let’s talkBook a free consultation
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Let's talk
gab@pattersonrecruitment.com.au
0416 170 100
Melbourne

Patterson Recruitment acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and acknowledges their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our respects to the people, the cultures and the Elders past and present.

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