Development Assessment Lead

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

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work

Rostered day off every 3 weeks

Professional development

Career growth opportunities

18 weeks paid parental leave

Long Service Leave after 5 years

Motor vehicle allowance

Job summary

City of Ryde is seeking an experienced town planner to join the Development Assessment team. You will assess a diverse range of development proposals, represent the Council in planning forums, and mentor junior staff.

The role involves monitoring legislation, contributing to process improvements, and collaborating across stakeholders to deliver balanced, defensible outcomes. You will work on high-profile projects with a focus on community outcomes, under the Manager Development Assessment.

Qualifications

• 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 Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 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.
• 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.

Responsibilities

• 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 and practice.
• 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.

Skills

Report writing

Communication

Stakeholder engagement

Education

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

Job description

Council of the City of Ryde – Macquarie Park NSW

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

Why Join Us?

• 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 Description for further information.

Applications close: Sunday 1st November 2026 at 11:30pm.

City of Ryde is committed to Equal Employment and Child Safety