Burnside Council appoints new CEO to take the top job
One of Adelaide’s wealthiest councils has appointed a new CEO, with a sizeable pay jump included in her top role.
SA News
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Burnside Council has appointed a long-term Adelaide council director as its new CEO, and it comes with a huge pay jump.
Mayor Anne Monceaux said that after a nationwide search, Julia Grant, the current community director at Onkaparinga Council has been chosen out of about 60 applications.
Burnside’s former CEO Chris Cowley resigned in August to take up the top job at Gawler Council.
As head of Burnside, one of Adelaide’s wealthiest councils, the CEO will take home a salary package of up to $282,955 a year plus car, council documents show.
It’s a sizeable pay rise from Ms Grant’s salary at Onkaparinga, where the Director of Community had a negotiated package of $232,144. As acting CEO at Onkaparinga, she was on $304,500 a year.
In comparison, Mr Cowley took a pay cut of about $2000 a year when he changed jobs. Premier Peter Malinauskas takes home about $418,000, but SA’s top-earning public servant is the chief of the Department of Premier and Cabinet, who in October secured a pay rise of more than $25,000 to $760,035 a year.
Playford Council’s CEO earns up to $325,851 plus car, while the CEO of Walkerville – one of Adelaide’s smallest councils – has a total package of $300,869.
Mayor Anne Monceaux said an “extensive” recruitment process drew applications from across Australia.
“Ultimately Julia’s experience in driving high-performing teams, ensuring sustainable financial management, improving council community engagement outcomes, and a strong record of policy development, really stood out,” Mayor Monceaux said.
“Julia is the best person to lead the City of Burnside and to deliver our strategic community plan 2024-2030.
“Julia has worked in local and state government and brings a strong insight into building green and resilient cities with a focus on sustainability and climate change impact, planning and heritage all major factors in the future governance of our city.”
Mayor Monceaux thanked acting CEO Martin Cooper for leading Burnside Council since August.
“Martin is an exceptional leader who I thank for his unwavering support during this time,” Mayor Monceaux said.
“The organisation continued to deliver exceptional services to the community under Martin’s leadership, most notably the reopening of the George Bolton Swimming Centre with the newly upgraded pool heating system and securing a $2.434m grant from the Federal Government’s Thriving Suburbs Program to support the Regal Theatre Precinct project redevelopment.”
Ms Grant will start her job at Burnside Council in late January.
Mr Cowley – the tattooed, Harley Davidson-riding martial arts expert – moved to Burnside in 2020 from Whyalla Council and worked at numerous councils before that.
He said the decision to leave Burnside was “one of the hardest” he’d had to make.
Gawler Mayor Karen Redman said Mr Cowley brought more than 20 years of experience to Gawler, had demonstrated exceptional leadership and strategic vision and understood the challenges facing the area.
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