PRINCIPAL URBAN PLANNER

Brisbane City Council; Brisbane; Hybrid; AUD 133,000 - 145,000; Full time

Job summary

Brisbane City Council is seeking a Principal Urban Planner to provide planning leadership, guidance, and complex assessments within the City Planning and Economic Development Services. The role leads, coaches and mentors staff while delivering high-quality development advice and strategic planning support.

This temporary full-time position (up to 2 years) offers a hybrid work arrangement, a Band 7 salary, and comprehensive benefits, contributing to Brisbane's growth and liveability.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated evidence of providing leadership to deliver performance excellence.
• Proven success managing complex applications and applying best planning practice.
• High level written and oral communication with highly effective interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities

• provide high level pre-application advice and assess low to high risk development applications
• participate in matters and activities relating to appeals within various courts or tribunals
• prepare written correspondence providing advice and recommendations
• present to Council committees
• provide supervision, coaching, mentoring and advice to team members
• interpret, apply and advise on relevant legislation and Council policies and procedures

Skills

Leadership

Negotiation

Communication

Job description

Personnel Area: City Planning and Economic Development Services

Branch: Development Services

Position: Principal Urban Planner

Salary: Band 7 ($132,572 - $144,942 per annum) + Super, 17.5% leave loading, additional benefits in a 36.25 hr week. (Remuneration stated is for the full-time positions)

Work type: Temporary full-time

Duration: Up to 2 years (possible extension/s thereafter)

Number of positions: 2

Location: Brisbane Square, Brisbane CBD and flexible hybrid arrangements available

Our Business – City Planning and Economic Development Services

Brisbane City Council is one of Australia's largest local governments and one of the city's largest employers. With a commitment to delivering services that keep Brisbane moving, growing and thriving, Council offers meaningful work, career development opportunities and the ability to make a genuine impact on the community.

The City Planning and Economic Development Services Group manage development applications, provide planning and development advices, develops strategic planning policy and economic strategies. Our work supports sustainable growth, helps shape Brisbane's future and ensures the city continues to be a great place to live, work and visit.

Our Branch - Development Services

Development Services facilitates high-quality and sustainable development outcomes through professional development assessment and management processes. The branch plays a critical role in supporting housing, infrastructure and economic growth across Brisbane while balancing community expectations and environmental outcomes.

Working closely with residents, industry representatives, elected members and government agencies, Development Services provides expert planning advice and development assessment services that contribute to the ongoing growth and liveability of Brisbane.

The Role

The Principal Urban Planner provides planning leadership and legislative guidance to staff assessing development applications and acts as a delegated authority.

You will ensure compliance with relevant legislation and Council policy; manage complex, high risk assessments; and provide briefs to the Chair and senior management.

This position is responsible for leading, coaching, and mentoring team members to help build knowledge, experience, and capability ensuring the professional delivery of development services with a focus on customer service.

You will develop and build strong working partnerships with specialist teams and external stakeholders; provide strategic planning advice to service managers and keep up to date with legislative changes, issues, and developments in the planning industry.

We are looking for a highly experienced planning professional with superior knowledge in planning development who can engage and work collaboratively with the administration, management, and provide leadership in development outcomes. If you have the experience and a passion to build a better Brisbane, then please read on and apply.

In this role you will:

• provide high level pre-application advice and assess low to high risk development applications
• participate in matters and activities relating to appeals within various courts or tribunals
• prepare written correspondence providing advice and recommendations
• present to Council committees
• provide supervision, coaching, mentoring and advice to team members
• interpret, apply and advise on relevant legislation and Council policies and procedures

To be successful you will have:

• demonstrated evidence of providing leadership to deliver performance excellence
• proven success managing complex applications and applying best planning practice
• demonstrated high level application of relevant legislation
• proven success in high level negotiations
• high-level written and oral communication with highly effective interpersonal skills.

For more information:Please contact Gema Santos on 7 3178 1863

Application Closing Date:Sunday 08th November 2026 at 11:55pm AEST

People from diverse backgrounds, including those living with a disability and/or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, who may have questions about the recruitment process or working at Council, are encouraged to reach out to the contact above, who can connect you with a member of Council’s Diversity and Inclusion team.

Brisbane City Council is a multi-award winning accessible and inclusive workplace where our people represent the diverse communities we serve, are supported, and can feel safe. Council has been awarded Employer of the Year at the National Disability Awards and has been recognised multiple times with ‘Gold Employer’ status from the Australian Workplace Equality Index for LGBTI inclusion.

Council and its employees must follow the Public Sector Ethics Act 1994 (Qld) and the Code of Conduct. This means employees are expected to act with honesty, fairness, and always prioritise the public interest over personal or private gain. The Code of Conduct requires employees to openly disclose any other work they do outside of Council — includingpaid or unpaid employment,operatingtheir own business or volunteering in certain circumstances — and to manage any conflictsof interest or other risks (such as fatigue)in a way that puts the public interestfirst.Maintainingemployment outside Council does notprecludeyou from being considered for roles within Council.