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The Pressure is Real and Growing
For HR managers and team leaders in local government, the hiring challenge isn’t theoretical, it’s on your desk every day. From planning to childcare, councils are competing to secure skilled, committed workers. The vacancies are real, the teams are stretched, and the community still expects top-notch delivery.
This isn’t about plugging short-term gaps. It’s about futureproofing your workforce.
Why the Talent Pool is Drying Up
We’re seeing a convergence of long-term trends and short-term pressures:
- An ageing workforce and rising retirement rates
- Ratepayers expecting more services, with tighter budgets
- Private sector competition offering better pay, faster progression, and full-time flexibility
- Declining interest in frontline and technical council roles
These challenges are felt differently depending on the region, but the result is the same: critical roles are going unfilled for longer.
Snapshot: The Roles Councils Are Struggling to Fill
Local governments in all states across Australia are sharing the pain of these hiring challenges, with various roles begging to be filled:
What Candidates Are Really Looking For
The post-COVID job market changed the game. Candidates, especially those coming from private sector roles, are asking different questions:
- “How flexible is this job, really?”
- “Can I work a 35-hour week?”
- “What’s the culture like day to day?”
For regional councils, another question comes first: “Can I picture myself living there?”
Housing, local schools, and partner employment options are often more persuasive than salary.
How Councils Are Getting Creative
Some councils are rethinking their approach entirely. They’re:
- Tapping into TAFE partnerships to build junior pipelines
- Headhunting passive candidates instead of waiting for applications
- Reframing their employer brands to spotlight purpose, stability, and team culture
- Giving employees real mobility, not just jobs, but clear pathways
But there’s still plenty of ground to cover.
Many regional councils do exceptional work for their communities, yet this often flies under the radar for job seekers. Strengthening employer branding through social media, careers pages and storytelling can make council roles more appealing to younger candidates and professionals from other sectors. When candidates understand the positive impact councils make daily, they are far more likely to see themselves contributing to that purpose.
Additionally, some councils rely on large, generalist recruiters and miss out on the benefits of partnering with local specialists. Recruitment partners with deep community networks can offer tailored support, helping councils secure community-facing and project-specific talent more efficiently.
What You Can Action Today
Not sure where to start? Try these:
Tighten your relocation story for regional hires
Run a quick staff survey to spot internal flight risks
Identify stretch roles that could benefit from early promotion
Book time with Chandler Macleod to solve your hardest roles fast
How Chandler Macleod Can Help
With over 60 councils on our books, we understand local government hiring from the inside. We support with:
- Targeted search for technical, trade, and leadership roles
- High-volume campaigns for blues collar and community staff
- Relocation and onboarding programs
- EVP and employer brand development to boost talent attraction
Let’s build a workforce strategy that works, not just for now, but for what’s next.
Chandler Macleod is the winner of the 2025 RCSA Industry Award for Excellence in Safety and Wellbeing Culture, celebrating 65 years of safety leadership, innovation, and a culture of shared responsibility across Australia and New Zealand.
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