Within the Public Sector, there are many different departments and divisions that require very specific knowledge and skills. Which is why at Public Sector People we have a number of consultants who specialise on recruiting for these particular areas- whether Finance and HR or Construction and Engineering. By focusing on one or two disciplines, our consultants can absorb and develop an extensive knowledge on the market and know what organisations are looking for when hiring new talent. Our consultants can then utilise this knowledge to ensure their candidates have the best and most-up-to-date information when applying for roles as well as guiding them to roles that will best match their needs.

One of our key consultants for the Planning and Environment industry is Emma. We’ve provided a little more information on what Emma does at Public Sector People below;  how she manages the recruitment process, the relationships she builds with both clients and candidates and the current roles she has available.

Can you explain your role at Public Sector People?

Part of the team at Public Sector People, my role is to manage the recruitment for Planning & Environment roles in Victoria.

What are the types of positions you recruit for?

I recruit for Planning & Environment based roles, typically for contract positions within local council across Victoria. Some of the roles I recruit for are Statutory Planners, Strategic Planners, Urban Designers, Landscape Architects, Planning Compliance Officers and more recently I have been recruiting for Environmental Health Officers too!

What are the types of candidates you ideally look for to fill these roles?

In the current market, ideally we are looking for someone who has previous Local Government experience so that they can hit the ground running when being onboarded remotely. For planners, we are seeking those who are experienced with the Victorian planning scheme and can work autonomously. One positive from Covid is that candidates now have the opportunity to work with councils that they could not have feasibly commuted to before, now that they can work remotely, they can gain experience in areas of Victoria they would not have otherwise.

For active jobseekers, what are the key things your successful applicants have in common ?

Flexibility, reliability, and experience! As a contractor in this market, candidates need to be a bit more flexible with their expectations. Yes, a 12-month contract might be the preference, but if you are not currently working, it does not make sense to turn down a 3 month contract in the hopes something better may come along. Otherwise, you may find yourself out of work for too long.

The ability to manage your own time effectively and use your initiative. As you will be onboarded remotely, you can’t walk up to someone in the office and ask them a question but you can jump on Microsoft Teams and ask. You need to want to make it work and do your best, take pride in your work.

Our Contractors are a reflection of our team at PSP, we need to trust that they will show up when they are supposed to, look after council equipment and do the work they are hired to do. Local government is a small industry, and to be a successful contractor you need to put your best foot forward with everyone you deal with.

What commitment will you make to the active job seekers you choose to work with?

I am open and transparent with those who work with me, I will provide as much insight into each role and team as I can. I am more interested in building long-term relationships than getting a quick win. Often, I will ring people to tell them about jobs I have seen advertised that are not through PSP because I know it's an area they may be interested in. If one of my contractors decides to pursue other opportunities that are not through me as an agent, I will fully support them and their best interests. Ultimately, I want people to feel that they can approach me with any issue without fear of me trying to push them into an opportunity or role that isn’t right for them.

Why is the aftercare stage so important in the recruitment process- especially within urban design and planning?

As we have learned from Covid, things can change very quickly. The purpose of the aftercare stage is to check in and make sure everything is running smoothly. If the workload is manageable, if the person has been inducted correctly, if they feel like they are getting the support they require, if they are enjoying the role, etc.  We don’t place people in roles and then leave them to it, we make sure the roles were as originally described and the candidates are getting the support they need.

How do you conduct the aftercare process in the roles you recruit for?

We speak to all our contract staff fortnightly, however, I am always a Call/text/email away if anything urgent crops up. I make a conscious effort to respond as quickly as possible to any of our contractors so they can trust that I will action anything they need ASAP. Oftentimes the aftercare process becomes more of a conversation about how we are coping with lockdown, who is baking what, what’s new on Netflix and little about work actually gets discussed.

We also send out surveys throughout all parts of the recruitment process, so that we can learn from any feedback and improve. The surveys are anonymous but the responses demonstrate that we are doing the right thing by our candidates and clients alike.
 

Emma's Current Roles Available: 

Senior Landscape Architect

Location: Melbourne

Contract Type: Contract

Job Summary: A busy metro council is looking for a Senior Landscape Architect to work on the design and delivery of parkland and streetscape upgrades, on a contract basis until June 2021. 

Click here for more information

Senior Strategic Planner 

Location: Melbourne

Contract Type: Contract

Job Summary: A metro council are looking for a Senior Strategic Planner to translate the planning scheming into the new format required by Smart planning program as part of a six-month contract. The successful applicant would also be working on planning scheme amendments and managing the exhibition and assessment of submissions.

Click here for more information

Environmental Health Officer 

Location: Melbourne

Contract Type: Contract

Job Summary: A local council in the South Eastern suburbs are looking for an Environmental Health Officer to competently complete registered premises inspections whilst communicating with local proprietors in a professional manner. 

Click here for more information

Contact Us

To find out more about any of the roles listed above, or to reach out to Emma for a confidential chat about the job market within the public sector and her upcoming opportunities within urban panning and design, you can contact her at:

Email: emma@publicsectorpeople.com.au

Phone: 0385353111