Council administration and staff
The council administration is responsible for implementing council decisions and providing council services. The administration comprises the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the council staff.
Council officers also provide advice and expertise that help a council to form policy decisions, along with delivering services, implementing decisions and managing the organisation.
The Chief Executive Officer
The Local Government Act requires a council to appoint a CEO, negotiate his or her contract and manage and review his or her performance.
The CEO is the only staff member who is appointed by the council. The CEO is appointed for no more than five years, on a performance-based contract. An incumbent CEO can be re-appointed for a further term.
The CEO is responsible for:
- establishing and maintaining an appropriate organisational structure for the council
- ensuring that the decisions of the council are implemented without undue delay
- the day to day management of the council's operations in accordance with the Council Plan
- providing timely advice to the council
The CEO must ensure the council organisation has the staff needed to carry out its functions. The CEO is responsible for appointing, directing, managing and dismissing council staff and for all other issues that relate to council staff.
Council staff
Council staff put the decisions of the elected council into action. They are the resource that ensures the day to day running of the organisation and the delivery of council services and functions. Staff members have a wide range of training and expertise.
Staff members are an important “public face” of the council as they interact with the community. This can range from the customer service officer answering phone calls to the parks and gardens staff maintaining a reserve, or the design engineer talking to local residents about changes to a suburban street.
The Local Government Act requires council staff to observe specific conduct principles. These are:
- acting impartially
- acting with integrity and avoiding conflicts of interest
- accepting accountability for results, and
- providing responsive service
Working in local government
Working for a Victorian council is a unique way to participate in government. It offers the chance to do something with a direct impact on the local community.
Councils operate from many locations around the State. Because they deliver a broad range of services, councils need staff with diverse training and experience – ranging from engineering to horticulture; land use planning to health; youth work to aged care or financial services. The work is both demanding and rewarding.
The website of the
Municipal Association of Victoria contains comprehensive information about a career in local government and links to other useful sites.As well as traditional employment advertisements, many councils now list their employment opportunities on their websites. Vist your council's site to check on employment opportunities in your field.
Among employment websites listing councils jobs are:
Australian Local Government Job Directory Council Jobs online Gradlink Mycareer Seek Workplace
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