Council defers decision on new CEO, Acting CEO to continue

Buller District Council has been unable to secure a permanent Chief Executive Officer appointment from the latest recruitment effort.

Council has resolved to pause the permanent recruitment and step back from the market for 8 to 12 months. The decision was made at a public excluded meeting held last night, 31 May 2023.

Council will seek expressions of interest from suitably qualified external people to be appointed as Interim CEO for approximately 8 to 12 months. Acting CEO Sean Judd will remain in place until an interim or permanent CEO is appointed. Mr Judd has been with Buller District Council since late 2018.

Mayor Jamie Cleine says: “It is disappointing that we have not been able to secure a suitable candidate from this recruitment round.  After two attempts to recruit without success, Council feels it is sensible to pause and restart a new recruitment later in 2023 or early 2024.

“Sean Judd is doing a fantastic job in leading a very capable but small team however our organisation is extremely busy with additional and extraordinary work programmes, largely related to flood recovery and infrastructure upgrades. Given our new anticipated timeframes we feel it will better support the organisation by seeking to appoint an external interim CEO, effectively adding resources to our leadership team, rather than continuing to stretch what we currently have.

“It is important to support our existing staff and management, who are already punching well above their weight, as we work together on taking Buller into the future,” says Mayor Jamie Cleine.

-ENDS-

For more information please contact:
Mayor Jamie Cleine
Buller District Council
[email protected]