– City of Ballarat Director of Innovation and Organsiational Improvement, Cameron Cahill
With its decision last month to bring tourism marketing services back in house City of Ballarat is now recruiting the staff who will deliver its new, broader based, city-wide approach to building the visitor economy. An approach that will capture and promote the full range of benefits of living, working and visiting Ballarat. It will go beyond simply attracting visitors, to selling Ballarat as the ideal destination to live and work.
Key to delivery of this more holistic approach to visitor numbers is the Ballarat is Open Strategy – now in development – which will focus on creating and building economic opportunities which encompass, but are not limited to, the tourism sector.
Development and roll out of Ballarat is Open will be cross-organisational but will occur primarily in City of Ballarat’s Planning and Development and Innovation and Organisational Improvement divisions.
The roles will help deliver strategies, programs and initiatives, including the Ballarat is Open Strategy, and the Regional Councils Transformation Program, a new and more strategic approach to sharing services with councils in the Central Highlands region, leading to efficiencies, improved sustainability and cost savings.
City of Ballarat is running an open and transparent recruiting process for staff and has contracted the services of Davidson – one of companies on Council’s approved panel of suppliers for recruitment and HR services – to assist with advertising the roles, and with the recruitment for some, but not all of the positions. The positions will be advertised on City of Ballarat’s website and in The Age.
Multiple factors were taken into account when determining who would run a part of the recruitment process on Council’s behalf – including price, demonstrated local government experience, and an ability to attract the best, most suitable and diverse field of candidates for the roles. Ballarat-based recruitment companies were considered but Davidson best met Council’s criteria for independent advice in this situation.
The recruitment of these staffing positions is independent of the imminent cessation of City of Ballarat’s agreement with Ballarat Regional Tourism (BRT Inc) which takes effect on 30 September. Council will once again assume responsibility for tourism services on that date as previously specified.
City of Ballarat continues to meet weekly and work closely with key personnel from Visit Ballarat to ensure a smooth transition. Council has already commenced marketing services and has begun planning for a number of campaigns using existing resources.
The Ballarat is Open Strategy and approach to tourism and economic development pre-empts, but perfectly aligns with the release today of the Regional Australia Institute’s report, Regional Population Growth: Are We Ready?, which calls for alternative population growth scenarios that could ease pressures on capital cities and give regional areas an economic boost.
