The Difficulty of Filling Management Posts in Municipal Planning and Public Works Departments – An Analysis of Advertised Vacancies

The present study therefore examines how local authorities recruit management for their planning and public works departments by analysing the corresponding job advertisements for the period 2019 to 2025. The findings show that both the number of positions advertised and how long they remain vacant have risen significantly over time. The authors identify the remuneration offered by local authorities under the public sector pay scheme as a likely obstacle to filling these posts, a difficulty heightened by the fact that in the national labour market demand for candidates with the skills sought by local authorities has for some time significantly exceeded supply. Demographic trends in Germany suggest that the shortage of suitable staff will only worsen and that it will become more and more difficult to fill these municipal management positions. Such scarce human resources will thus need to be exploited with increasing efficiency in future: by simplifying the regulations governing municipal construction, promoting cooperation between local authorities, and encouraging policymakers to be bolder in their decision-making.