Haque queries timing of search for new CEO

A New Plymouth District Council candidate has questioned the timing of recruiting a new chief executive.

Bali Haque, who is standing in the Kaitake Ngāmotu ward, believes advertising for the job should not have started until after the local body elections, so a new council could have drawn up a job description that suited the direction in which it wanted the organisation to go.

Haque’s questioning of the process followed the release of a job advertisement for a chief executive officer to replace Craig Stevenson, who resigned in mysterious circumstances in July following a complaint that was laid against him.

The council’s head of communications, Jacqueline Baker, has taken on the role of acting chief executive.

Haque, who has been involved in education for decades, including a stint as deputy chief executive of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority, said the timing of the advertisement was concerning.

‘‘An essential part of any recruitment process is the developing of the job description which also signals the skills and attributes the council is seeking,’’ he said.

‘‘Those making the appointment need to be involved, not only in the selection of the candidates, but also in shaping the job description and consequential advertisement so that the right people express interest in and apply for the role.’’

New Plymouth mayor Neil Holdom defended the decision, however, saying the council had received the advice to advertise from leading recruitment agency Signium Executive Search International.

‘‘What we want to do is get a new chief executive officer in place as soon as possible while fully understanding the appointment will be the decision of the next council,’’ he said.

By advertising the job now, Holdom said it gave the agency a better opportunity to draw up a ‘‘long list’’ of candidates.

That list would then be reduced to a short-list by the next mayor and council before interviews took place and a new chief executive was appointed.

The council’s decision to go to the market now would hopefully allow a new chief executive to be appointed by Christmas with a probable start in March, he said.

Stevenson, who was appointed chief executive in 2017, was believed to be on a salary of $370,000.