November has brought two developments that deserve the attention of public sector hiring teams. Victoria's election caretaker period began on 3 November, with implications for significant appointments. The following day, the Australian Bureau of Statistics released new evidence on how artificial intelligence is affecting job vacancies. Sources: Victorian caretaker guidelines and ABS AI vacancy release.
Together, they put a practical question in front of organisations planning their next leadership appointment: what capability is needed, and which decisions can be made now?
For executive recruitment, our recommendation is to use November to clarify the role, test the available talent market and confirm the appointment pathway. National employment figures provide context, but the strongest search strategy starts with the organisation's own requirements and obligations.
This article reflects information available on 9 November 2026. Statistics are labelled by their reference period, which may differ from their publication date.
Victoria's state election will be held on 28 November. During the caretaker period, hiring teams need to check whether a proposed appointment is considered significant under the relevant guidelines. Source: Victorian Electoral Commission.
The Victorian Government's guidance says significant appointments should be deferred. Factors include the position's seniority and powers, the length of the appointment, whether legislation provides for it and whether Cabinet would consider it. Examples include public sector body heads and statutory authority chief executives. Source: Victorian guidance on significant appointments.
Appointments that are not considered significant can continue through regular processes as part of the ongoing business of government. Source: Victorian guidance on other appointments.
For an employer or candidate, the immediate priority is clarity. Confirm which framework applies, who has authority to decide and whether the proposed timing remains realistic. A recruitment team should seek advice from its caretaker lead or legal and HR advisers about a specific appointment, including any proposed interim arrangement. The Victorian guidance should not be generalised to every Australian council or agency.
That makes transparent candidate communication particularly valuable this month. Explain the approvals still required and distinguish a proposed timetable from an approved start date.
The ABS release on 4 November found that about 82% of businesses reported no AI-related impact on vacancy levels in August. Around 4% reported fewer vacancies because of AI, while less than 1% reported an increase.
The findings measure effects on vacancies, not existing jobs. They exclude businesses with fewer than five employees and surveyed businesses that did not answer the AI questions. They are also not a public sector executive-hiring measure. Source: ABS AI and job vacancies release.
For leadership appointments, the useful response is to test how candidates make decisions about technology and workforce change. A credible candidate should be able to work through questions such as:
Which service or process would you examine first, and why?
What evidence would justify changing the work or staffing model?
Which information needs protection, and where should human oversight remain?
How would you measure service quality, cost and unintended effects?
What training would employees need before a new process became routine?
These questions turn a broad claim of being comfortable with AI into an assessment of judgement. They can be adapted to finance, corporate services, customer operations and transformation roles without assuming that every position needs the same technical expertise.
Australia's seasonally adjusted employment fell by 39,300 in September, with unemployment at 4.7% and participation at 66.8%. The trend measure was steadier: employment increased by 15,700 and unemployment stood at 4.6%.
The ABS recommends caution with short-term movements. September remains the latest Labour Force reference month available for this update; October figures are due on 19 November. Source: ABS Labour Force, September 2026.
Public sector vacancy data presents a similarly mixed picture. August vacancies rose 7.8% over the quarter to 38,700 in seasonally adjusted terms, while private sector vacancies fell 2.0% to 286,300. However, public sector vacancies were unchanged from a year earlier, and the public sector trend series fell 0.5% over the quarter. Source: ABS Job Vacancies, August 2026.
These are sector-wide figures. They do not establish the availability of a chief executive, a director of infrastructure or a governance specialist in a particular location.
For those appointments, map the relevant talent pool early. Identify comparable organisations, clarify which experience can transfer and test the proposition with suitable candidates. W&Co Search's executive search combines market research and proactive candidate engagement with structured assessment.
Jobs and Skills Australia's September quarter Recruitment Experiences and Outlook Survey found that 50% of employers recruiting for professional occupations reported difficulty. The equivalent figure for clerical and administrative roles was 29%.
The survey also found higher recruitment difficulty in Outer Regional, Remote and Very Remote Australia combined, at 53%, compared with 42% in major cities. REOS excludes many government organisations, so these findings provide context about competing labour markets rather than a direct measure of council or agency recruitment. Source: JSA September quarter REOS, pages 3, 5 and 6.
For a regional leadership search, location should be part of the briefing from the outset. Be clear about on-site expectations, travel, the community served and any approved relocation support. A candidate needs to understand what the move would involve before deciding whether to progress.
For specialist roles, separate mandatory qualifications and statutory requirements from experience that could be developed. A narrow job-title match can overlook someone with relevant delivery experience in an adjacent sector. W&Co Search's specialist services recruitment is designed to explore those talent markets while keeping the role's essential requirements in focus.
This November, the most useful preparation may be a better brief. A long list of responsibilities gives candidates less insight than a clear account of the decisions they will make and the outcomes they will be accountable for.
Before commencing a senior search, agree:
The immediate mandate. What must the incoming leader stabilise, improve or deliver in the first year?
The operating constraints. Which budgets, delegations, policies or commitments shape what the leader can do?
The evidence required. What examples, assessment exercises and references will show whether a candidate can perform the role?
The employment proposition. What are the approved package, contract term, location and flexibility arrangements?
Remuneration deserves role-specific attention. Public sector wage growth was 3.4% over the year to the June quarter, compared with 3.2% across the economy. Those figures describe wage movements and are not salary benchmarks for an executive appointment. Updated September-quarter wage data is due on 18 November. Source: ABS Wage Price Index.
For APS appointments, the APSC's Guide on Merit provides the framework for evidence-based selection. Employers in other jurisdictions should apply their relevant recruitment requirements. Source: APSC Guide on Merit.
W&Co Search's senior leadership search and recruitment advisory services help organisations define these requirements and understand the market before making an appointment.
For employers, begin with appointments that affect service continuity or a critical delivery commitment. Check the approval pathway, document the required capability and agree a realistic selection timetable. Where an appointment needs to wait, confirm which preparation can proceed and keep candidates informed without promising an outcome.
For candidates, prepare examples that show how you made decisions under constraint. Explain the situation, your authority, the trade-offs and the result. For roles involving technology or organisational change, show how you assessed risk and brought employees and stakeholders through implementation.
Candidates considering a move can explore current opportunities and assess each role's mandate and conditions against their own experience.
The next weeks will bring further wage and employment evidence, as well as Victoria's election. Hiring teams should revisit assumptions when that information arrives, while keeping assessment anchored to the role they need to fill.
No. The guidance distinguishes significant appointments, which should be deferred, from other appointments that can continue through regular processes. Check the applicable rules and obtain advice about the particular role. Sources: significant appointments and other appointments.
No. The ABS release concerns the reported effect of AI on vacancy levels. It does not measure effects on existing jobs. Source: ABS AI vacancy release.
Ask about the role's mandate, decision-making authority, available resources, assessment process and approvals still required. For an appointment affected by caretaker arrangements, confirm how those arrangements may influence timing.
If your organisation is planning an executive, senior leadership or specialist appointment, speak with W&Co Search about the role, the relevant talent market and a recruitment process suited to your requirements.