Wodonga Council chief executive Mark Dixon explains why he has decided to resign from the top job

Mark Dixon flagged his resignation publicly on Thursday after telling city staff and councillors on Wednesday.

He is becoming chief executive of an organisation outside Australia in the Asia-Pacific but says he is not at liberty to reveal more.

Mr Dixon said a head hunter approached him about the commercial role which would utilise his military skills as well as administrative nous honed with the council and Wodonga TAFE.

"At my sort of age you don't get this opportunity very often," he said.

"It's an exciting opportunity and if I didn't take it I would always regret that I didn't have a go."

Mr Dixon joined the council in April 2019 on a four-year contract and he will become the shortest-serving CEO of the city in its modern guise following local government amalgamations in Victoria in the 1990s.

He expects his final day at Hovell Street will be before the Christmas break.

Mr Dixon and wife Karen will keep their Wodonga home and anticipate returning after his overseas posting.

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Wodonga mayor Kev Poulton was accepting of Mr Dixon's decision.

"If you value your people you don't hold them back," Cr Poulton said.

"He's got a scratch that needs to be itched and he's excited about that."

Cr Poulton said qualities he expected the next council chief to have included a diverse skill set, life experience and worldliness.

Cr Poulton said he had no preference as to whether Mr Dixon's successor had local government experience.

Mr Dixon is the only Wodonga chief executive to have had not had a council background.

Councillor and former mayor John Watson said the departure of Mr Dixon would be a "very big loss to our region and our city".

"I have loved to have seen him complete his term," Cr Watson said.

Business Wodonga chief executive Graeme Jenkin commended Mr Dixon on his work "done under challenging circumstances working for a council".

"I think he's done a good job and brought a new approach and I'm disappointed he's not going to continue for the next four years to bring more change to the organisation," Mr Jenkin said.

Former Wodonga Ratepayers' Association chief Ian Deegan was also complimentary, saying Mr Dixon had "done a great job" and had been very approachable and would not "hide behind anything".

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