Expression of Interest Planning Assessment Officer

Cessnock City Council; Cessnock City Council; On-site; AUD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in New South Wales is seeking a full-time Planning Assessment Officer to assess a variety of development applications. The ideal candidate will hold a degree in town planning and have demonstrated experience with development assessments and planning legislation. This is a key role requiring strong communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively on complex issues. The position offers a weekly salary of $1,680.28 to $1,932.32 plus superannuation.

Qualifications

• Minimum bachelor's degree in town planning or equivalent qualifications.
• Demonstrated sound knowledge of relevant legislation.
• Experience in development assessment and stakeholder communication.

Responsibilities

• Assess diverse development applications across various sectors.
• Work with complex constraints like biodiversity and flooding.
• Collaborate with team members for practical solutions.
• Engage with applicants and community stakeholders.

Skills

Knowledge of Environmental Planning & Assessment Act 1979

Strong written and verbal communication skills

Development assessment experience

Education

Degree in town planning (bachelor's minimum)

Job description

Expression of Interest Planning Assessment Officer

Expressions of Interest (EOI) are being called for employees interested in acting in the position of Planning Assessment Officer for a 12‑month period from December 2025 to December 2026. This is a full-time appointment.

What Youll Actually Be Doing

• Assessing a diverse range of development applications residential commercial industrial rural and tourism-focused projects.
• Working with complex and interesting constraints like biodiversity bushfire risk and flooding.
• Collaborating with a team that values practical solutions and knowledge-sharing.
• Engaging directly with applicants, consultants and community members.

Please address the following criteria in your submission

• Degree in town planning (bachelors degree minimum) or other relevant equivalent qualifications.
• Demonstrated sound knowledge of the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act 1979 and associated legislation.
• Demonstrated experience and understanding in development assessment.
• Demonstrated sound written and verbal communication skills including the ability to write reports and communicate with a range of stakeholders both internal and external.

This position is in Grade 8 of Council's Salary system $1,680.28 – $1,932.32 per week plus superannuation.

What's Next

If you are considering submitting an expression of interest please ensure you discuss it with your current supervisor/manager prior to submission.

If you have any questions specific to the role or this process please contact Sarah Hyatt on or email.

To apply please fill out your details below, select next and upload your expression of interest. The EOI should be no more than one page and be uploaded below by 11:30 pm Thursday 4 December 2025.

If there is more than one applicant interested in the position Council may undertake an informal interview process to assist in making its selection.

Should you have any issues submitting your expression of interest please email for assistance.

Employment Type: Full-Time

Vacancy: 1

Salary: $1,680 – $1,932 per week.