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:

NSW: Town Planners, Engineers, Surveyors, Traffic Compliance Officers, Waste Depot Attendants, Customer Service Officers

VIC: Town Planners, Technical Officers, Natural Areas Technicians

QLD: Local Emergency Management Officers, Town Planners, Waste Services

WA, SA, TAS, NT, ACT: A similar mix of planning, compliance, and operational support

What Candidates Are Really Looking For

"Planning and engineering roles are always tough to fill. Candidates expect flexibility, not necessarily from day one, but definitely after they’ve settled in” says Gary Ward, Chandler Macleod’s Business Manager for Government in NSW.

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

"Relocation support is often the clincher. If you want people to move regionally, you need to go beyond the job spec and help them picture the whole lifestyle" says Kristy Madaffari, Chandler Macleod’s Manager for Regional NSW 

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:

• Refresh your job ads: make them sharp, human, and honest
• 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 blue 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. 

Contact us today via our Local Government Recruitment page.