Senior Development Contribution Officer

Merri-bek City Council; City of Melbourne; Hybrid; AUD 114,000 - 128,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Monthly RDO

Salary sacrifice options

Training & career development

Flexible work options

Wellness programs

Study assistance schemes

Parental leave

Job summary

Merri-bek City Council is seeking a Senior Development Contributions Officer to join the Finance team. You will oversee development contribution mechanisms, assess planning permits, and help prioritise infrastructure delivery while modelling finances and forecasting.

You will collaborate with managers across the business to integrate contributions into infrastructure planning, provide timely reporting and maintain high standards of customer service and accuracy in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Degree or diploma in development contribution mechanisms related field (accounting, engineering, project management, infrastructure or town planning).
• Experience with development contribution mechanisms and managing accounting/asset planning requirements or processes of similar complexity.
• Experience with planning and building permit processes and municipal capital works planning.
• Strong verbal and written communication with executives or management.
• Advanced financial modelling in Excel; developing complex reports and large data sets.
• Commitment to customer service and service quality.
• Ability to collaborate across internal teams to own contribution mechanisms.
• Attention to detail and high accuracy.

Responsibilities

• Oversee development contributions and assess planning permits and approvals.
• Integrate contributions mechanisms into infrastructure planning and reporting.
• Deliver accurate information to support infrastructure priority lists and compliance.
• Assist with financial management and internal/external reporting.
• Collaborate with managers and stakeholders to drive contribution initiatives.

Skills

Verbal communication

Written communication

Financial modelling

Collaboration

Customer service

Attention to detail

Education

Degree or diploma in related field

Tools

MS Excel

Job description

• Full-time permanent role (based on 38 hours per week)
• Monthly RDO
• Ability to transfer or take LSL (Long Service Leave) within Local Government

• Hybrid Working
• Full-time permanent role (based on 38 hours per week)
• Monthly RDO
• Salary: $114k - $128k + Super
• Ability to transfer or take LSL (Long Service Leave) within Local Government

About Merri-bek City Council

Merri-bek City Council is a progressive council of 195,125 residents: one community, proudly diverse. Our council area sits within the banks of the Merri Creek and the Moonee Ponds Creek, and includes Brunswick, Coburg, Fawkner, Glenroy, Gowanbrae, Hadfield, Oak Park and Pascoe Vale. Our city is vibrant and energetic, known for its active community, cultural diversity, creative industries and the arts. Our long-term vision has ambitious goals for environmental sustainability, social justice, community wellbeing, and creating great places. With the Civic Centre located in Coburg, 8 kilometres north of Melbourne’s CBD, there are excellent public transport options and great food and cafés right at the doorstep.

Merri-bek Council strives to be a contemporary, innovative and collaborative organisation with a deep commitment to engaging and supporting the Merri-bek community. Our organisational vision is to be one team, brave and diverse, making a difference.

We pride ourselves on being an inclusive and welcoming workplace. We offer flexible and hybrid work options and genuinely care about providing our staff work/life balance. With the Civic Centre located in Coburg, 8 kilometres north of Melbourne’s CBD, there are excellent public transport options and great food, cafés, parks and a cinema right at the doorstep. Merri-bek is a great place to live, work and play.

About the role

Merri-bek City Council has a fantastic opportunity for a Senior Development Contribution Officer to join our Finance team. We are looking for someone to take on a key role in the oversight of Council’s contribution mechanisms. The Senior Development Contributions Officer will involve exposure to all facets of development contributions including assessment of planning permits, prioritising the delivery of infrastructure projects, development of policies and procedures, financial modelling and forecasting, and monitoring infrastructure delivery.

A key priority of this role is to add value and collaborate with managers and relevant stakeholders across the business by integrating contributions mechanisms into infrastructure planning. You will deliver accurate and timely information to assist with developing infrastructure priority lists and ensure compliance with development contributions requirements. This position will play a key role in financial management as well as preparing internal and external reporting.

Previous experience in a high activity role with excellent interpersonal communication, email and written skills will be well regarded, alongside a strong commitment to customer service and attention to detail.

Skills and experience required to perform the role

• Degree or diploma in a field related to development contribution mechanisms. This may include accounting, engineering, project management, infrastructure or town planning.
• Prior experience working with development contribution mechanisms would be highly regarded. Including managing accounting and/or asset planning requirements or processes of similar complexity
• Prior experience with planning and building permit processes, municipal capital works planning and monitoring would be highly regarded.
• High level verbal and written communication skills with the ability to comfortably interact with management and executives
• Advanced financial modelling skills in MS Excel. Developing complex reports, models and managing large data sets.
• A strong commitment to customer service
• Ability to collaborate and work effectively across internal teams to achieve shared ownership for contribution mechanisms.
• Attention to detail and a high level of accuracy.

What the role can offer

• Monthly RDO
• Extensive opportunities for training & career development
• Salary sacrifice options
• A real sense of work-life balance & flexible work options
• Employer-supported study assistance schemes
• Wellness programs

Further support offered for our staff

• Up to 20 weeks primary & up to 5 weeks secondary parental leave
• Purchase leave
• Ceremonial leave
• Gender affirmation leave
• Family violence leave

For further information about this position please contact Riley Morton – Unit Manager Financial Strategy on 9240 2421 or *******@merri-bek.vic.gov.au

Applications close: 11:30pm, Monday, 5 October 2026.
*in the case that we receive a high volume of applications, we reserve the right to close this advertisement before the current closing date.

Merri-bek City Council is proudly diverse and an equal opportunity employer. We encourage applications from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, people with disability, and people from every culture, sexuality and gender identity, age and ethnic background. Merri-bek City Council is a Child Safe organisation.

Merri-bek is focused on diverse representation of the community we serve. With this we value lived experience that could contribute to the shaping of this role and in turn will continue to provide representation and growth of safe and inclusive work culture.

We encourage everyone to apply and discuss opportunities to develop your knowledge and experience. Council is committed to removing barriers and access to employment where possible at any point in the recruitment, onboarding and during your time at Council. For further information regarding access or modifications you may require for a recruitment process please contact Danni Jovanovic, Recruitment Business Partner on ***********@merri-bek.vic.gov.au

Our Commitment

In May 2021, Merri-bek Council adopted a revised Statement of Commitment to Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung People and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities of the municipality. The statement recognises the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people as the traditional owners of the lands and waterways of our municipality.

Merri-bek City Council is committed to being a Child Safe Organisation and has zero tolerance for child abuse. We believe children and young people have the right to be and feel safe and that their safety and wellbeing is the responsibility of everyone. You can read more about our Child Safety Commitment Statement on our website.

Be careful - Don’t provide your bank or credit card details when applying for jobs. Don't transfer any money or complete suspicious online surveys. If you see something suspicious, report this job ad .