Advertisements seeking applications for the new Southern District Health Board chief executive will start appearing this weekend.
Board chairman Joe Butterfield said yesterday the board had selected Christchurch-based recruitment company EQI Global to run the process, ahead of 16 other applicants.
Existing chief executive Brian Rousseau's resignation was announced in June but he does not leave until the end of the year.
Mr Butterfield was not prepared to reveal the cost of the contract with the recruiting firm because it was commercially sensitive information.
It is expected applicants will be sought both nationally and internationally throughout July and August.
Mr Butterfield said it was expected that there would be a decision, if all went according to plan, by mid-October.
If the successful applicant had to give three months' notice it could be January before they turned up, he said.
Mr Butterfield said EQI Global would come up with a "long list" and then the appointment subcommittee would work out a short-list from that.
Those on the subcommittee are Mr Butterfield, board deputy Paul Menzies, and board members Richard Thomson and Dr Malcolm Macpherson.
Mr Butterfield said he felt the committee had a good depth of experience on health-board issues.
The recruitment firm has been involved with several district health board appointments including chief executives for Canterbury, West Coast, Nelson Marlborough, Wairarapa , Counties Manukau and Bay of Plenty.
Other health-related appointments include chief executives for the Southern PHO, Pegasus Health, the Pharmacy Guild of New Zealand and Pharmac.
