Senior Planner (Renewables)

Brunel; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Brunel is seeking a Senior Planner to support planning, environmental assessment and regulatory approvals for utility-scale renewable energy projects in Australia.

You will coordinate planning across wind, solar and storage developments, engage with government authorities and external consultants, and help navigate statutory approvals to keep projects on track. This role offers ownership of planning workstreams within a dynamic energy sector.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of professional experience in statutory planning, environmental approvals or infrastructure development.
• Tertiary qualifications in Town Planning, Urban and Regional Planning, Environmental Science or a related discipline.
• Understanding of Australian planning legislation, regulatory frameworks and environmental assessment requirements.
• Experience preparing or coordinating development applications, planning assessments and supporting technical documentation.
• Previous exposure to renewable energy, utilities or major infrastructure would be highly regarded.
• Ability to engage with government authorities, external consultants and a broad range of stakeholders.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with ability to identify regulatory challenges and solutions.
• Excellent communication and organisational skills with capacity to manage multiple priorities across multidisciplinary teams.
• Proactive, commercially minded and able to take ownership of planning workstreams.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate planning and environmental assessment activities across renewable energy developments, from initial site evaluation through to securing statutory approvals.
• Assess land-use considerations, regulatory requirements and environmental constraints to determine appropriate development consent pathways.
• Prepare, coordinate and review planning documentation, technical assessments and supporting material for regulatory submissions.
• Engage with relevant government departments, planning authorities and regulatory agencies to facilitate project assessments and approvals.
• Oversee external planning, environmental and specialist consultants, ensuring technical deliverables align with project requirements and regulatory obligations.
• Identify potential approval risks and recommend practical mitigation strategies to support project progression. Work collaboratively with development, engineering and other project stakeholders to integrate planning considerations into broader development activities.
• Contribute to consultation initiatives involving landowners, local communities and other relevant stakeholders.
• Monitor approval schedules, regulatory obligations and critical development milestones to support timely project delivery.

Education

Town Planning

Urban and Regional Planning

Environmental Science

Job description

Sector: Renewable Energy | Wind, Solar & Battery Storage

The Opportunity

Brunel is partnering with an established participant in Australia's renewable energy sector to appoint a Senior Planner to support the development of utility-scale energy infrastructure projects.

This position offers the opportunity to contribute to the planning, environmental assessment and regulatory approval processes for a diverse range of renewable energy developments, including wind, solar and battery energy storage projects.

Working alongside experienced development professionals and external technical advisers, the successful candidate will play an important role in navigating planning requirements, identifying development constraints and progressing projects through the relevant statutory approval processes.

The role will suit a planning professional seeking greater ownership of complex infrastructure projects and broader exposure to Australia's evolving energy sector.

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate planning and environmental assessment activities across renewable energy developments, from initial site evaluation through to securing statutory approvals.
• Assess land-use considerations, regulatory requirements and environmental constraints to determine appropriate development consent pathways.
• Prepare, coordinate and review planning documentation, technical assessments and supporting material for regulatory submissions.
• Engage with relevant government departments, planning authorities and regulatory agencies to facilitate project assessments and approvals.
• Oversee external planning, environmental and specialist consultants, ensuring technical deliverables align with project requirements and regulatory obligations.
• Identify potential approval risks and recommend practical mitigation strategies to support project progression.Work collaboratively with development, engineering and other project stakeholders to integrate planning considerations into broader development activities.
• Contribute to consultation initiatives involving landowners, local communities and other relevant stakeholders.
• Monitor approval schedules, regulatory obligations and critical development milestones to support timely project delivery.

About You

• 4+ years professional experience in statutory planning, environmental approvals or infrastructure development.
• Tertiary qualifications in Town Planning, Urban and Regional Planning, Environmental Science or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated understanding of Australian planning legislation, regulatory frameworks and environmental assessment requirements.
• Experience preparing or coordinating development applications, planning assessments and supporting technical documentation.
• Previous exposure to renewable energy, utilities, major infrastructure or other complex land-use developments would be highly regarded.
• Established ability to engage with government authorities, external consultants and a broad range of project stakeholders.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify regulatory challenges and develop practical solutions.
• Excellent communication and organisational skills, with the capacity to manage multiple priorities and work effectively across multidisciplinary teams.
• A proactive and commercially minded approach, with the confidence to take ownership of planning workstreams and contribute to broader development outcomes.

This is an opportunity to build on your planning and approvals experience within a sector undergoing significant investment and transformation.