Browse Council jobs

As is the case in much of the world, council and local government jobs in Australia tend to be relatively low-paid in terms of monthly salary, but carry with them a range of other benefits, such as high levels of job security, clear prospects for promotion and training, and a decent pension. This is basically a good deal for everyone: The people running local government exchange high wages for other benefits and it costs the taxpayer less money because job security is cheaper than high pay.

While a local government employee can expect a slightly lower pay cheque than someone with similar qualifications in the private sector, there are a wide variety of jobs available, so 'the pay's low but you won't get sacked' isn't the whole story. Because local governments benefit from being seen to be committed to getting people into work, especially people who might normally struggle, they provide a lot of entry level jobs for school leavers as well as part-time and flexible jobs for people whose circumstances make it harder for them to work full-time.

Responsibilities & Skills

Local government work requires people willing to make long term commitments and work hard in the public interest. Because of the high levels of job security, local governments tend to look for people who are solidly reliable and dedicated, so qualities like punctuality and good organisation skills are pretty standard for all kinds of local government work. You may also be working in a public-facing role, so you should have good communication and people skills. Councils tend to be hierarchical in organisation, so you should be able to work as part of a team and within certain guidelines

• You must have a good work ethic and be willing to show dedication and commitment at all times
• You must have good people skills, especially, but not exclusively, if you are working in a public-facing role
• You should be able to work as part of a team, as there's little in the way of solo work in council jobs
• You should be good at, and preferably enjoy, working towards a specific set of goals

Required Qualifications

• Having a school-leavers' certificate will be advantageous or necessary for most council jobs
• Local council jobs may require anything up to a university baccalaureate and possibly beyond

Useful Links

• General government page for Australian local council jobs
• General government page for Australian state government jobs
• All local and state governments also have their own job information pages