Development Assessment Lead

City of Ryde; Ryde; Hybrid; AUD 136,000 - 177,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work arrangements

Rostered day off approximately every 3

18 weeks paid parental leave

Professional development & mentoring

Motor vehicle allowance

Job summary

City of Ryde is seeking an experienced town planning professional to join the Development Assessment team. You will assess complex development applications, represent Council in court and planning forums, and mentor staff while supporting changes in legislation and procedures.

You will work in a hybrid model with flexible hours and a rostered day off approximately every 3 weeks, contributing to positive planning outcomes for the community.

Qualifications

• Qualifications in Town Planning, Urban Planning, Urban Design or a related discipline.
• Experience assessing complex development applications, preferably in NSW local government.
• Knowledge of Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 and NSW planning legislation.
• Experience advising through pre-lodgement meetings, assessment panels and planning forums.
• Strong report writing, communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Ability to mentor and support less experienced planning professionals.

Responsibilities

• Assess and determine complex development applications.
• Represent Council in Land and Environment Court matters and planning forums.
• Support leadership by monitoring legislation changes and improving procedures.
• Mentor assessment officers and contribute to service improvements.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to achieve balanced and defensible outcomes.
• Work on high-profile developments and contribute to team performance.

Skills

Report writing

Stakeholder engagement

Analytical reasoning

Education

Town Planning / Urban Planning / Urban Design or related discipline

Tools

NSW Planning Portal

TechnologyOne

Content Manager

Objective Trapeze

Job description

Shape the Future of One of Sydney's Most Dynamic Cities

Play a key role in assessing and influencing major developments that will shape the future of the City of Ryde

Enjoy flexible hybrid working and a rostered day off approximately every 3 weeks

Attractive salary package from $136,166 to $177,015 plus superannuation + $13,500 MVA

Join a high-performing Development Assessment team that is exceeding State Government performance targets

About City of Ryde

Located just 12 kilometres from Sydney CBD, the City of Ryde is one of Australia's most innovative and vibrant local government areas. Home to a diverse community of more than 130,000 residents, Ryde combines a thriving economy, world-class education and healthcare precincts, extensive parklands and bushland, and an exciting pipeline of development.

At City of Ryde, we're committed to creating a city that is sustainable, connected and future focused. Our people are at the heart of everything we do, and we invest in their success through flexible work practices, professional development opportunities, wellbeing initiatives and a strong culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.

About the Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced and passionate planning professional to join our Development Assessment team.

This is a unique opportunity to work on significant and complex development applications that will influence how the City of Ryde grows and evolves. You will bring your expertise to assessing and determining a diverse range of development proposals while helping ensure positive planning outcomes for our community.

Reporting to the Manager Development Assessment, you will provide senior-level planning expertise across a wide range of development assessment matters, including:

Assessing and determining complex development applications

Representing Council in Land and Environment Court matters and other planning forums

Supporting senior leadership in monitoring and responding to changes in planning legislation, policies and practice, including identifying potential impacts on development assessment functions, contributing to the development of implementation strategies, and assisting with the review and improvement of procedures, processes and guidance material.

Mentoring and supporting assessment officers across the team

Contributing to service improvements and initiatives that enhance assessment processes and customer experience

Working collaboratively with internal stakeholders, applicants, consultants and the broader community to achieve balanced and defensible planning outcomes

This role offers exposure to high-profile developments, challenging planning matters and opportunities to contribute to the ongoing success and performance of a respected development assessment team.

About You

You are an experienced town planner who enjoys solving complex planning challenges and making decisions that have a lasting impact on communities.

You bring strong technical planning expertise, sound professional judgement and a collaborative approach to stakeholder engagement. You are confident managing competing priorities, navigating complex planning issues and providing clear, practical advice in a dynamic environment.

To be successful, you will have:

Qualifications in Town Planning, Urban Planning, Urban Design or a related discipline

Extensive experience assessing complex development applications, preferably within NSW local government

Strong knowledge of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, associated regulations and NSW planning legislation

Experience providing advice through pre-lodgement meetings, assessment panels, review processes and planning forums

Well-developed report writing, communication and stakeholder engagement skills

The ability to make informed and defensible decisions under delegated authority

Demonstrated experience mentoring and supporting less experienced planning professionals

Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage competing deadlines

A current NSW Class C Driver Licence

Experience with major or high-profile development applications and systems such as the NSW Planning Portal, TechnologyOne, Content Manager, Objective Trapeze or similar platforms will be highly regarded.

What's in It for You?

At City of Ryde, we believe great people deserve great support. In addition to a competitive salary, you'll enjoy:

Hybrid work arrangements and flexible working hours

Rostered day off approximately every 3 weeks

Exposure to a wide variety of development applications and complex planning matters

Professional development, mentoring and career growth opportunities

Opportunities to contribute to continuous improvement and innovation projects

A collaborative team environment that supports learning and knowledge sharing

18 weeks paid parental leave

Access to Long Service Leave after 5 years

3 additional leave days over the Christmas period

Health and wellbeing programs including Fitness Passport, flu vaccinations and skin checks

Annual performance reviews and Award salary increases

Motor vehicle allowance

Your commencing salary will range from $136,165.79 to $177,015.52 plus superannuation, depending on your skills, qualifications and experience and $13,500 annual motor vehicle allowance.

Want to Know More?

For a confidential discussion about the role, contact Sohail Faridy on 0481 477 ***. You can also view the Position Descriptionfor further information.

Applications close: Sunday 1stNovember 2026 at 11:30pm.