Orkney council has now turned away 58 applicants for the role of chief executive.
In the latest search for a candidate to fill the shoes of the interim chief, John Mundell, there were 12 applicants, none of whom made it to the interview stage.
This third attempt ended in mid-June. The isles council is now in the middle of its fourth attempt to replace Mr Mundell.
He first took on the role in a temporary capacity all the way back in June 2019.
He took over the role from the long-serving Alistair Buchan.
It was initially thought he would only be in the role for four to six months.
However, the pandemic and the unsuccessful recruitment rounds have resulted in his short stint running for over three years.
Figures obtained by the local democracy reporting service through a freedom of information request also show that none of the applicants from the third round were from within Orkney.
The information provided shows that running the four rounds of recruitment has now run up a bill of £20,037.
This includes costs for advertising, expenses of candidates, and executive search facilities from recruitment agencies, according to the council.
‘The right person is out there’
Council Leader James Stockan said: “This council works tirelessly to safeguard our cherished islands and achieve the best possible outcomes for the people of Orkney.
“We understand the public disappointment and frustrations around the lack of a permanent appointment – frustrations and disappointments we share as an organisation.
“The employment market for senior-level public sector executives is a small one – and competition to secure those employees is fierce.
“We have very clear aspirations and standards for the type of person we want. We believe that the right person for our organisation and for Orkney is out there.
He added: “In carrying out the recruitment exercise its important that we reflect on previous attempts – both for this job and for other senior roles – and see where the majority of enquiries are being generated.
“In this case, the conversation and the interest in this role, is predominantly online. Our recruitment tactics will reflect that.”
Orkney council’s fourth attempt to find a new chief executive is due to close on October 4th.
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