Principal Planner, Business Facilitation

City of Greater Geelong; Geelong; On-site; AUD 98,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Greater Geelong invites an experienced town planning professional to join the team as a senior planning advisor. You will assess planning applications for small and medium businesses and provide strategic advisory support to help establish and expand business proposals.

You will also mentor junior planners and coordinate cross-departmental advice to ensure timely, compliant decisions. With a fixed-term full-time contract of 12 months, the role requires strong knowledge of Victorian

Qualifications

• Tertiary qualification in town planning or urban studies (or related field).
• Extensive planning experience; ability to interpret planning legislation and practices.
• Strong communication, analytical and investigative skills.
• Proven mentoring and leadership capability.

Responsibilities

• Facilitate, investigate and evaluate development applications for small/medium businesses to ensure compliance and timely decisions.
• Provide professional advisory service to establish/expand small businesses.
• Coordinate advice from internal and external government departments to the public to meet deadlines.
• Prepare correspondence related to Council decisions and inquiries.
• Represent the City in public forums, legal proceedings and appeal hearings.
• Maintain administrative and information recording systems within the team.

Skills

Communication

Mentoring

Negotiation

Analytical thinking

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Town planning or urban studies degree

Job description

About The Role

In this role, you will work with a dedicated team of planning professionals, providing an efficient and effective advisory service to public and other key stakeholders, particularly small to medium businesses. As a senior member of the team, you will provide advice and assess various planning application types, primarily for the establishment/expansion of business-related applications within the City of Greater Geelong. As part of the role, you will engage with various stakeholders to provide direction on their planning related proposals as well as assisting to coach and mentor other junior planners. Overall, you will draw on your extensive planning experience and knowledge for the purpose of providing high-quality planning advice and contribute to the team environment to make timely decisions. This role gives you the opportunity to provide new and innovative approaches which are encouraged in this space.

Work type: Fixed Term Full Time (12 months contract)

Classification: Band 7 at $109,342.91 pa plus super pro rata

Key responsibilities include:

• Facilitate, investigate and evaluate development applications, particularly for small and medium businesses within a team environment to determine compliance with relevant legislation and ensure balanced decisions are made within prescribed time frames.
• Provide a professional and up to date advisory service to assist in the establishment/expansion of small businesses
• Assist with the co-ordination of advice from various internal and other government departments to the general public to meet deadlines.
• Prepare correspondence in relation to Council decisions and enquiries from the public.
• Represent the City of Greater Geelong in public forums, legal proceedings and appeal hearings.
• Assist with and maintain appropriate administrative and information recording systems within the team.

About You

To be successful in this role, you will have a tertiary qualification in town planning or urban studies (or related field) alongside several years relevant experience in a town planning or related position.

Essential Experience:

• Several years relevant experience in a town planning or related position
• Theoretical and practical knowledge and ability to interpret town-planning legislation and practices
• Thorough understanding of the operation of local government, the Victorian planning system and the legal process generally within Victoria
• Highly developed communication, analytical and investigative skills
• Demonstrated excellence in customer service
• Proven experience in mentoring staff
• Ability to negotiate and resolve conflict

Preferred candidates will be required to undergo a National Police Check as part of the recruitment process (funded by the City).

Child Safety Responsibilities

We are committed to being a child-safe organisation and have zero-tolerance for child abuse. We have specific policies, procedures, and mandatory training in place to support employees, volunteers, and contractors to achieve and adhere to these commitments. Please read our Child Safe Standards Management Policy .

Diversity and Inclusion

At the City we want a workforce that reflects the community we live in. We welcome and embrace everyone, all people with their own unique experiences, and support and encourage all our employees to do their best work, have equal access to opportunities and a just working environment. For this reason, we particularly welcome and encourage applications from First Nations people, people with diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, from the LGBTQIA+ community, people with disability and people of all genders, ages and diverse experience.

We are the City

From parks to offices, childcare centres to works depots, leisure facilities to the Wool Museum and waterfront, our team plays a vital role in shaping our vibrant and growing community. Our community counts on us to get the essentials right while looking for ways to go beyond. By listening, collaborating, and focusing on sustainability, we strive to do the basics brilliantly and create a lasting impact. If you’re ready to be part of something bigger, join us in shaping the future of Geelong.

We support accessibility and encourage discussions about any adjustments or support you may need during the recruitment process.

Applications and Enquiries

Verity Bright | Statutory Planning Team Leader| [e-mail]

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