Former Wimmera Uniting Care chief executive Peter Brown has accepted the position and will return to the region from Warrnambool to commence work on November 1.

Mayor Michael Ryan said councillors made a unanimous decision to offer the role to Mr Brown because he met all criteria requirements.

"He ticks all the boxes with extensive local and regional knowledge and experience in strategic planning, human resource management and he is a team player," he said.

"He has requested a four-year term which is a good timeframe for him to assess council and council to assess him.

''It means he is prepared to be judged on his performance and that is a very sensible way to do it."

Cr Ryan said a recruitment company hired to manage the appointment of a new chief executive received 27 applications for the position.

He said five candidates were short-listed and Mr Brown's combination of skills and experience in local government and management made him ideal for the role.

"We are all very excited by Peter's appointment and what he has to offer the council at this point in the municipality's development," he said.

"He has significant local government experience, first class management skills, a great work ethic and importantly, a passion for this region."

Mr Brown grew up in the Wimmera and worked as finance manager for the former City of Horsham before amalgamation in 1995.

He served with Horsham Rural City Council from 1995 to 2002 as corporate services manager and later acquired the economic development portfolio.

In 2002 he was appointed chief executive of Wimmera Uniting Care until February 2008 when he left the region to become corporate strategies director at Warrnambool City Council.

Mr Brown said he had had an interest in the role for many years and was honoured to be returning to the Wimmera to fill the position.

He said he was aware of the many issues the council was facing including the controversial town hall redevelopment but was confident he could lead the city during its time of change.

"At any given time a vibrant, growing, regional city has big issues and they have big issues because they are forward-looking councils that want to plan for the future and make long-term decisions," he said.

"All regional cities have similar issues of one sort or another and this council will work through those issues."

Mr Brown said he and his wife Wendy would return to Horsham shortly before he commenced work in November.

He said he still had family in the Wimmera and was looking forward to getting back to the region.

"I grew up in the Wimmera and we brought our family up in the Wimmera so it wasn't a very difficult decision at all," he said.

"I would like to make a significant contribution to Horsham and the Wimmera and that will take some time, but the days of 15-year chief executives are gone."