Who does the work?

Our Local Government School Kit helps primary and secondary school students who are looking for information about Council and the role of councillors.

This section looks at who does the work. Many people work for Council so it can provide services to the community. Council staff are not elected; they apply for their positions and are paid for their work.

Council staff

Maroondah City Council has about 650 staff. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is the head of staff - it's a bit like a school community, where the Principal is in the highest position.

A number of managers make sure all the areas of Council are running efficiently and effectively.

Jobs at Council

There are hundreds of different jobs in Council, requiring a wide variety of people. Many staff have tertiary qualifications from a university or college, others have developed special skills.

  • Accountant - keeps records of money being received and paid by Council
  • Aged & Disability Officer - supervises help available for seniors and people with a disability
  • Building Surveyor - makes sure builders follow the regulations when constructing new buildings or changing existing buildings
  • City Valuer - updates the values of properties
  • Computer Programmer - manages the computer software used by Council
  • Construction Engineer - gives advice on structural matters
  • Engineer - involved in design of buildings, bridges and playgrounds
  • Environmental Health Officer - advises on pest control, tests water at swimming pools and spas, inspects restaurants, hotels and shops to make sure the food being sold is safe to eat
  • Environmental Officer - makes sure the environment is protected and improved
  • Family Day Care Worker - looks after other people's children in their own home
  • Gardener - works in the parks and gardens and around Council properties
  • Librarian - manages the resources in libraries
  • Local Laws Officer - advises on Council rules like parking and pet controls
  • Maternal & Child Health Care Nurse - gives advice to parents of young children and monitors babies' growth and progress
  • Parking Officer - issues parking fines
  • Parks Officer - manages the development and preservation of open spaces
  • Payroll Officer - is in charge of staff wages
  • Personal Assistant - helps a specific manager with their work
  • Public Relations Officer - distributes information (like this!) about Council to the community and media
  • Records Officer - keeps Council documents in order and finds information when requested
  • Recreation Officer - plans and manages sporting programs and events
  • Theatre Manager - organises theatre programs, bookings and publicity
  • Town Planner - advises whether developments are suitable for particular areas of the city
  • Traffic Engineer - surveys local traffic, designs traffic management devices like roundabouts, and advises where pedestrian and school crossings are needed
  • Works Engineer - decides what maintenance is needed on Council properties and calculates the cost
  • Youth Worker - looks after issues and interests of people aged 12 to 25 years.