Northern Grampians shire appoint new chief executive

The new chief executive’s contract will see the 34-year-old in the position for the next five years.

Mr Bailey said he was looking forward to the challenge.

“It’s very exciting, there is so much going on at the moment in the area,” he said.

“It’s a real honour to get the role – it was pretty competitive.”

The two-month recruitment process included multiple interviews and presentations for the 68 applicants.

Mr Bailey said he had a clear vision for the future.

“To continue to see growth across the board,” he said.

“We’ve taken some massive steps so far but we need to continue to grow our business, community and social enterprise opportunities.”

Mayor Murray Emerson said Mr Bailey would offer plenty of skills in the new role.

“Mr Bailey has got outstanding enthusiasm,” he said.

“He has come through the system where he has been managing a lot of people before.

“He has got youth on his side and we believe he has the ability to run our organisation very well.

“We’re fairly confident that if he continues in the same vein that he showed while he was a director, he will certainly deliver to the Northern Grampians Shire Council what the council expects of him.”

Mr Bailey was appointed chief executive of the Bendigo YMCA in 2011.

He returned to Stawell with his wife Tess and daughters Mia and Lexie in 2015.

Mr Bailey has held the role of director of community and economic development at the Northern Grampians Shire Council since moving back to Stawell.

He was named a finalist in the Powercor Wimmera Business Awards in the young business leader category in 2010.

He was also named the YMCA Victoria Manager of the Year.

Sanjay Manivasagasivam and Vaughan Williams shared the acting chief executive role following the resignation of former chief executive Justine Linley in April.

Mr Bailey will start his new role on August 15.