About City of Gold Coast
What is City of Gold Coast?
City of Gold Coast is the local government for Queensland's Gold Coast and, in its own job ads, "the second largest Council in Australia". It runs planning and development assessment, waste and water, transport, parks and open space, lifeguards, libraries, galleries and a large in-house technology function. The Council sets out its scale plainly — "Our population is over 647,000 and the city is projected to be home to approximately one million people by 2050." Work is organised across "the Office of the CEO and seven departments".
Where will I work?
Across Council offices and facilities on the Gold Coast. The careers site describes "flexible work options* that enhance their work life balance" — with the asterisk spelled out as "*where operational requirements permit". Job ads add the detail: "Flexible work arrangements to suit your lifestyle, including hybrid/work from home options, flexible working hours and locations."
What is the City of Gold Coast team like?
A broad public-sector workforce. Roles currently open range from strategic and statutory planners, cyber threat analysts, network engineers and integration developers to project managers, arts officers and contact-centre staff, alongside the field crews maintaining the city's parks, fleet and civil assets. Positions are classified under the Queensland Local Government Industry Stream A award (professional and administrative) or the Stream B and C awards (operational).
Work-Life Balance
The nine-day fortnight here is the default, not a pilot. The Council's own Certified Agreement 2024 states: "The Parties acknowledge that the standard working arrangement for an Employee is a 9DFN" — defined as "72 ordinary hours in a 10-day cycle, with eight (8) ordinary hours worked across nine (9) days", with 48 minutes accrued each day to fund a rostered day off on the tenth. That is a 36-hour week.
It covers both award streams: the agreement sets standard hours separately for "an Employee who is classified under the Stream A Award" and for "an Employee who is classified under the Stream B Award and Stream C Award". Of the 23 roles live on the Council's board, 18 carry the line "9-day fortnight | 36 hours".
The exceptions matter. Shift workers are excluded from the clause. Certain Stream A positions "assessed as requiring them to be present each working day" instead sit on a ten-day, 80-hour fortnight with a 14 per cent loading — one live full-time role reads "10-day fortnight | 40 hours". Executive contracts, casual and part-time roles are advertised without it, and the rostered day off is "determined by mutual agreement" with your manager rather than fixed to a Friday.
Perks and Benefits
- Standard 4 weeks annual leave each year plus 17.5% leave loading
- Superannuation at 11.5%, or 12% in your first year if you contribute
- Paid maternity leave up to 12 weeks and paid paternity leave of 1 week
- 24-hour Employee Assistance Program counselling for you and your family
- Corporate Health Plan with Bupa and Medibank
- Fitness Passport access to over 350 fitness facilities
- Study allowance, training courses and mentoring programs
- Provision to apply for a mid-career break after 7 years of service