"It was the funniest job I've ever had," Mr Swift-McNair said.

Little did he know then, he would be engaging with a different community about council issues years down the track.

The Port Macquarie-Hastings Council general manager's work history includes 15-plus years in the office products industry.

A job as a strategic procurement manager at Port Macquarie-Hastings Council lured Mr Swift-McNair here from Sydney in 2003.

That marked his start in the local government sector.

Mr Swift-McNair went on to hold a number of management roles within the corporate and business services division before the highway commute to and from Taree kicked in when he became executive leader resource planning at Greater Taree City Council.

"I had a good grip on how as a director I needed to work with councillors, which has certainly helped me," Mr Swift-McNair said about the time at Taree.

He returned to Port Macquarie-Hastings Council in early 2012 as corporate and business services director and in February stepped up as acting general manager.

The general manager appointment came on Thursday.

Long hours at work can test the work-life balance equation but the avid Sydney Swans fan squeezes in time to read and relax by the pool when possible.

Mr Swift-McNair is married to Kerrie and they have two adult children.

FULL Q AND A: In today's Port News