Benefits

Work with purpose

There are many advantages to working at a council in South Australia.

Working in a council, you'll be supported to be the best version of yourself both personally and professionally.

On this page:

• Meaningful work
• Excellent conditions
• Flexibility
• Health and wellbeing
• Training and development
• Multiple career pathways
• Disability access and inclusion
• Cultural and linguistic diversity

Meaningful work

Councils are community-minded, values-driven places. Council staff can see the impact of their work every day: how they have transformed the local area, how lively and vibrant the shared spaces are, how active the services are.

People join councils to give back, to help others connect with services and support, and to make a mark on the space around them.

If you’re seeking a workplace that puts people and community first, local government should be at the top of your list.

Excellent conditions

It’s a point of pride for many councils to offer excellent working conditions and positive, friendly workplaces.

Councils may offer:

• wages and salaries above the industry standard or award
• additional leave options, including long service leave prorate after 5 years or the ability to purchase leave
• extra super contributions above the guarantee
• free journey and income protection insurance
• free onsite parking
• paid emergency services, jury service or defence reserves leave
• paid parental leave
• paid study leave
• part or full payment of training course fees
• salary packaging
• salary sacrificing for superannuation contributions
• transfer of long service and sick leave between councils
• uniform allowance.

Flexibility

Councils understand that flexibility at work varies for everyone.

Many offer part-time, full-time, and casual employment opportunities, allowing you to find the work arrangement that suits you best.

Councils support work–life balance through:

• hybrid or remote working
• flexible working hours
• compressed working weeks
• rostered days off
• time off in lieu.

Health and wellbeing

Councils make sure their staff are healthy, happy and feel supported every time they come to work.

Every council offers a different program of voluntary health and wellbeing benefits. These might include:

• an annual medical assessment
• skin checks
• a free annual flu vaccination
• free counselling for staff and their families through an employee assistance program
• allowances for services including podiatry and remedial massage
• broader sick leave to cover appointments like blood donations
• discounted health insurance, swimming pool access or gym memberships
• a positive safety culture – you might be rewarded for identifying workplace hazards
• quiet spaces for breastfeeding, prayer or retreat
• quit smoking programs
• social clubs, networks and hobby groups.

Training and development

Opportunity and growth – councils offer both to staff in abundance. This means you can work in the same role, or you can move between areas and jobs as opportunities arise.

Councils will support you to:

• learn new skills on the job
• earn a qualification from scratch through an apprenticeship or traineeship
• grow from entry-level to professional standard through graduate programs and cadetships
• upskill through training, further study, certifications and accreditations
• take study leave so you can concentrate on your learning
• develop personally through leadership and recognition programs.

Aside from these benefits, a common theme in council work is daily variety. You’ll stretch your brain, meet new people and tackle questions or scenarios you’ve never thought of before.

When there’s always something new to discover and do, you’ll never have a dull day!

Multiple career pathways

Councils actively support staff to explore different career pathways and give you the chance to advance in your career or explore new areas.

Whether you're looking to grow in your current role or switch to a different department, there are many opportunities to develop and diversify your skills when working for council. This includes joining project teams, transferring areas or roles, or acting in leadership roles.

Learn more about our career pathways.

Disability access and inclusion

Councils serve communities and work hard to make sure every person feels included and can participate, including their staff.

Many councils have disability access and inclusion plans, with goals including:

• recruiting more staff with disability
• providing a safe, open and supportive work environment
• tailoring flexible working conditions to an employee’s needs
• modifying the physical work environment or equipment to be accessible to all
• promoting a culture of respect and social inclusion
• ensuring meetings, training and events are delivered accessibly
• training staff and community groups to better understand and accommodate different abilities
• funding inclusion initiatives and access infrastructure improvements
• making sure that emergency and evacuation procedures account for people with disability
• connecting with local disability employment service providers to share council employment opportunities
• consulting people with disability about their experiences and expectations.

Cultural and linguistic diversity

Councils are welcoming workplaces. That’s community at its core!

New people bring fresh perspectives, traditions and ideas. People from all cultural or linguistic backgrounds are encouraged to apply for work at councils.

People who speak, read or write in community languages are highly valuable to local government organisations. Councils represent their people best when they include and reflect the community at large.

Coming from overseas?

Check if your profession is included on the Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) occupations list.

This explains which jobs local employers can sponsor overseas workers for. More information about moving to South Australia is available on the Skilled and Business Migration website.