Geelong man, Melbourne woman in race for City of Greater Geelong chief executive role

Unite Geelong council to solve its problems is the message for candidates wanting to be Geelong council boss. The Addy goes inside the 11-month recruitment process.

Geelong council has been looking for a permanent boss for 11 months.

• How the CEO search unfolded
• What the new boss needs to fix

The 11-month search to find a permanent City of Greater Geelong council chief executive is down to two people, multiple sources say.

After council “cocked up” the initial process to find a city boss with candidates pulling out, the Geelong Advertiser can reveal second-round interviews are due next week.

It is understood one of the shortlisted candidates, which include a Geelong-based man and a woman from Melbourne, could formally start work around September.

It is expected the role will pay above $400,000 per year.

A well-placed council source said former Transport Accident Commission chief executive Joe Calafiore was not on the current shortlist. On Friday, Mr Calafiore did not return requests for comment.

One-time council director Kaarina Phyland has been the city’s acting chief executive since August last year but is not a candidate for the permanent position.

Council has been without a permanent chief executive since September 2022.

A source with high-level knowledge of the recruitment process said the appointee must bring stability to council.

“There’s a lot of healing that needs to go on within the organisation. People are very unhappy; morale is low; people are going off on stress leave regularly.

“The incoming chief executive needs to create a good rapport with the councillor group and the mayor.

“The council is in financial turmoil... but both candidates have given the indication, with their skills, expertise and background, they have the capacity to resolve those issues.”

In April the state government removed a directive that prevented council from employing a permanent boss.

A senior council source said “at least six candidates” pulled out of the recruitment process, some due to the risk related to the culture and financial state of the organisation.

“We completely cocked up the first process. There are interviews occurring next week.”

Geelong mayor Trent Sullivan said: “The new CEO...will be responsible for ensuring the organisation is financially sustainable. All of our operations will be examined to determine the best way to achieve this while minimising the impact on the community.”

Mr Sullivan said Ms Phyland had not applied to be the permanent chief executive.

He said she was “consistent in her communication to the council that she is interim in the role”.

“She has supported the council to navigate an extremely challenging budget position and led the continuation of the Future Ways of Working program, in line with the priorities set by the council when she was appointed to the acting position.”

Ms Phyland will return to be the director of council’s strategy, governance and corporate department when a permanent chief executive is found, Mr Sullivan said.

The operation of Geelong council is being overseen by two state-government-appointed governance experts.

Originally published as Geelong man, Melbourne woman in race for City of Greater Geelong chief executive role