Like other businesses, Kiama Council is finding it hard to get staff and CEO Jane Stroud is thinking laterally about ways of broadening its appeal.

“Industry wide, local government is experiencing an acute crisis of workers,” she says, while also acknowledging the additional impact of Council operating under Performance Improvement Orders from the Office of Local Government.

“Recently Linda Scott, the Australian Local Government President, had a round table with the Federal Government and spoke directly to them around skill shortages in local government and the real time impact that that’s having on delivery of services. I think we’re the perfect example of that.”

She cites only just recruiting an economic development coordinator, after the position was advertised three times before being successfully filled.

There are currently 19 vacancies on Council’s website, some seasonal swimming positions, and Ms Stroud says in some instances that means the job just isn’t being done until it is filled.

Key shortages are in the areas of planning, compliance and finance, with an ongoing hunt for Blue Haven care staff and nurses.

Council's CEO Jane Stroud

Interviewing is underway for a new Chief Financial Officer (vacant as the previous appointee was offered the same job closer to home, not long after he started), and the projects of the Manager Strategic Planning (left vacant when Edward Patterson left to work for the Illawarra Shoalhaven Six Cities region) are being undertaken by temporary appointments.

While Kiama remains an attractive place to work and live, Ms Stroud feels the lack of affordable housing is playing a big part in not being able to fill positions.

“It is really difficult for key workers to afford to live in Kiama and there is no question in my mind that housing affordability plays a role in this equation.”

In response to this and other factors, Ms Stroud is keen to attract people who are already living here to apply for some of the roles, and policies to enable that are already in train.

“As our LGA’s biggest employer, I think we need better flexibility to allow people to work one or two days, or come out of retirement or choose to come back from leave,” she says.

“We also need to have a better organisational policy on work from home. We made it work over COVID, I don’t see why we can’t do it now like everyone else.

“I would love it if some of the talented people we have in our midst would consider working for Council in a way that suits us both.

“I don’t need people to come to work thinking that they’re going to work here for the rest of their lives, but I need them to come and want to be part of that journey of improvement and business transformation that we have going on.”

For example, she doesn’t see that lack of a degree or previous experience in local government should be an obstacle to being considered if other experience warrants it.

Policies to enable the flexibility are currently being drafted for the workplace change to be tabled with the unions.

In addition, a significant organisational restructure is expected to be announced next shortly, following Council approval and consultation with staff.

See the current jobs available.