Dean Griggs is Managing Director of Derwent Valley Council, in southern Tasmania. He started on May 25, spending his first two weeks working from quarantine after moving from Victoria.

After 20 years in local government in Melbourne and several months consulting privately, this Derwent Valley job came up and ticked all the boxes in terms of career development, my interest in working regionally, and starting a new adventure in a different state.

Coronavirus restrictions and Tasmania’s border closure meant my entire recruitment process was done online. My first panel interview was conducted remotely and my second, with the full council, was via Zoom, with them social distancing. Regardless of the technique, I felt a real rapport with the group and was thrilled to be offered the position.

Travelling from Victoria to begin the job required special measures. I needed an essential worker exemption to enter Tasmania, and residency status to allow me to quarantine in Granton, near council’s New Norfolk office, rather than in Devonport three hours away. I disembarked the boat and drove straight to Granton to start 14 days quarantine, arriving on the Friday and starting work from my Air BnB on Monday. I met my Executive Leadership Team online, but with the world already in lockdown using remote communication for months, things ran smoother than they might have at any other time. I’d talked to my team and built connections with councillors before arriving.

I didn’t meet the mayor face-to-face until my first day out of lockdown. He arrived at 8am and took me on an eight-hour tour of the Derwent Valley, meeting council staff and visiting key stakeholders including a berry farm, rum distillery, the Agrarian Kitchen Eatery, rowing club and caravan park, which was a great orientation. I’d researched the area using Google Maps and Street View but it was good to finally see it in person. It’s a beautiful place and things are gradually opening up again.

This whole move, sight-unseen, was a bit of a leap of faith for me, but it’s been a good one!

Dean Griggs
Managing Director
Derwent Valley Council