Head of Local Economy and Business Strategy

Head of Local Economy & Business Strategy
Full time, fixed-term Senior Officer position (12-months)
Leading change for an enhanced business experience
Attractive remuneration package
At Boroondara we put the customer at the centre of everything we do. This includes the 26,549 local businesses and 53 shopping precincts which make our city a great place to live, play and work.
We want to make it easier for businesses to start-up, operate in, expand, or relocate to Boroondara. To this end, we have a major initiative to uplift how we support local businesses across our organisation.
And here’s where you come in.
We’re looking for a Head of Local Economy & Business Strategy as a fixed-term senior officer role to lead our economic development and business support evolution. The role will report into the Director Community Services; be part of the organisation’s senior leadership team; and work across all levels of the Council.
Your role will build on strengths, identify opportunities and explore new ways of working to enhance our business concierge and economic development programs, marketing and promotion of local businesses, and business regulation models. You will also contribute to opportunities to improve information for local suppliers, attract new business investments, and leverage strategic economic assets.
About the Role
In this role, you will uplift our current business models and benchmark successful examples to streamline processes for businesses. You will review key Council permits and licenses to reduce red tape and work with Council teams on major business acceleration projects. Your responsibilities include enhancing economic development programs, identifying strengths and gaps, and evolving marketing strategies for local businesses and shopping precincts. You will collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, including government departments and professional bodies, and contribute to the 2025-2035 Boroondara Community Plan implementation and the development of the next 3-year Economic Development Action Plan.
You will work closely with officers, senior leadership, Councillors, and external stakeholders to identify tangible opportunities for economic development and local business support. Leading and embedding change across economic development initiatives will be crucial, as will driving strategic transformation by aligning staff, stakeholders, and partners with new economic development priorities and service models. Facilitating clear communication and engagement to build understanding and commitment is essential.
Additionally, you will lead and drive the Steering Committee Coordination, engaging and collaborating with various Council departments and external stakeholders, including the Vibrant Shopping Precincts Advisory Committee and trader associations, to gather insights and foster partnerships.
About You
You are a visionary leader with a passion for economic development development and business support programs. Your extensive knowledge of industry best practices, local and global trends, strategic planning, and program delivery will help align our services to meet the evolving needs of the Boroondara community. You excel in fostering local engagement and driving innovative practices, and you are adept at working collaboratively with diverse stakeholders.
How to apply
For any further information please refer to the Position Description, or contact Kate McCaughey (Director Community Services) during business hours on (03) 9278 4600 for a confidential discussion.
Who are we?
The City of Boroondara is a metropolitan council, representing more than 170,000 people in the inner-eastern suburbs of Melbourne. A leader in the local government sector, with a reputation for innovation and excellence, we believe in providing an environment where our staff thrive, both in the work they do and in how they learn and develop as people and professionals.
We like to challenge the norm and we are investing significantly in innovation and technology improvements in order to provide our customers with an even greater experience and engagement. We are putting our customers at the forefront of what we do with our organisation wide initiative, Transforming Boroondara Program.
You will be instrumental in driving this change across the organisation using best practice approaches to successfully support us from the now to our desired future state.
With so much going on it’s a great time to join Boroondara
S-DNI