“NO risk, no reward” is a motto Jayne Miller has for her new job, and given her past it’s hard to argue with that.

Ms Miller is Glenelg Shire Council’s new community services director, being appointed to the role last week.

It’s a wide-ranging role which was previously filled by her new boss, council chief executive Paul Phelan, one which sees Ms Miller in charge of everything from libraries to kindergartens.

Though her first challenge will the pressing one of overseeing the council’s move out of community aged care services.

“That’s my first big project,” said Ms Miller, who has plenty of experience in managing projects.

Born in Devonport in north west Tasmania, she joined the Royal Australian Air Force after her gap year, deciding against going to university.

That took her around the nation for the next four-and-a-half years as she trained in aerial imagery and GIS mapping “which was amazing”.

After recruit training in Adelaide and specialised training at Canungra in Queensland, Ms Miller was posted to Point Cook and Laverton before the Defence Department decided to consolidate some operations in Canberra.

With the birth of her first daughter the lack of workplace flexibility in those days led her, despite loving the job, to look for something more suitable – both she and her husband (who was in the Navy) were flying in their parents from interstate to do the child minding.

So she moved to the-then University of Ballarat (now Federation University) to study for a business degree and then the family moved back to Tasmania, where Ms Miller worked for the state government in the education sector, in business units of secondary colleges.

But keen to get out of the fishbowl on the Apple Isle, the family moved to Tennant Creek where the couple worked at a school for about two years.

“It was good fun and an adventure  but it got to a point where I didn’t like the heat and it wasn’t somewhere to set up permanent roots,” Ms Miller said.

So when her husband got a job with the South Australian Education Department at Port Augusta, Ms Miller began her career in local government, working in community services in the city.

When her husband got a promotion to the Limestone Coast about 15 years ago, she worked for the Grant District Council for about five years, in community services and project management.

That included project managing the Mount Gambier airport redevelopment during the coronavirus pandemic lockdowns and other projects like the Port MacDonnell foreshore upgrade.

A promotion then followed to Naracoorte Lucindale Council as engagement and community manager, a role she filled for the past two-and-a-half years – as well as project managing the Naracoorte library redevelopment, bringing two facilities together – and another role she enjoyed.

So why Portland, and the new role?

“We’ve got a real affinity with Victoria and we knew we’d end up here eventually so here I am,” Ms Miller said.

“We love living in regional area, the opportunities and the lifestyle, the camping and the beaches, you just can’t beat it.

“I can’t ever imagine moving my kids to the city, they would really hate it.”

For now the mother of three daughters (and recent grandmother) is commuting from Mount Gambier for her role, but is committed to relocating eventually as her middle daughter finishes school.

And she is looking forward to her job.

“I’m looking to value add, bringing in a different approach from a different council and different experience,” she said.

“And I can value add to what we’re doing well.

“I’m looking forward to getting to know the community.

“I’ve spent time in Glenelg Shire as a tourist, on holidays and shopping but I’m really looking forward to getting to know the community groups.

“I’m hoping with my (community) engagement experience and personable approach I can really start to bring some of that forward a little bit.

“I guess with my project experience I’m bringing a really good eye and vale add to the projects we have here.

“I really want to bring the experience of working in three different councils and regional settings in South Australia here and a fresh eye on things.”

 There’s also her knowledge of just across the border, and she looked forward to working with South Australian Cross Border Commissioner Liz McKinnon, the former Glenelg Shire Council economic development manager who she has crossed paths with many times through that role and as head of the Green Triangle Forest Industries Hub.

“I’m used to working across that (border) line,” Ms Miller said.

She is also impressed with her new colleagues.

“Paul (Phelan) has been amazing,” Ms Miller said.

“He’s absolutely warm and welcoming and really down to earth, a real straight talker.

“It’s really exciting, we’re going to have a really stable leadership team and that will be really good for staff, the community and the elected members.”