Senior Town Planner - Wireless

Downer; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 130,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Professional development

Flexible working arrangements

Exposure to national telecom projects

Safety and wellbeing focus

Job summary

Downer is seeking an experienced Senior Town Planner to lead planning activities for wireless infrastructure projects across Australia. You will mentor Town Planners, oversee outsourced planning partners and ensure planning approvals are secured safely and efficiently.

Reporting to the SAED Manager, you will manage development applications, engage with stakeholders, and drive planning excellence across nationwide telecom deployments with a collaborative, outcome‑focussed approach.

Qualifications

• Tertiary qualification in Town Planning or a related discipline.
• Postgraduate qualifications highly regarded.
• Minimum five years' senior town planning leadership experience.
• Experience delivering telecommunications or infrastructure projects in Australia.
• Strong knowledge of planning legislation across multiple Australian jurisdictions.
• Extensive stakeholder engagement and community consultation experience.
• Excellent written and verbal communication with clients and partners.

Responsibilities

• Lead planning activities for wireless infrastructure projects.
• Oversee outsourced planning partners and internal teams.
• Manage development applications and planning approvals.
• Identify barriers to site acquisition and planning approvals.
• Engage with communities and stakeholders during projects.
• Coach and mentor Town Planners to build team capability.
• Ensure safety, quality and project delivery standards.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Communication

Problem solving

Team mentorship

Safety awareness

Education

Tertiary qualifications in Town Planning

Postgraduate qualifications

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Senior Town Planner to join our team and play a key role in delivering telecommunications infrastructure projects across Australia. Reporting to the SAED Manager, you will lead planning activities, oversee outsourced suppliers and support internal planning teams to ensure contractual commitments are achieved and project outcomes are delivered safely, efficiently and to a high standard. This position will also provide leadership and mentoring to Town Planners while driving planning excellence across wireless network deployment projects.

Key responsibilities

• Managing development applications and planning approval processes for wireless infrastructure projects.
• Providing guidance and oversight to outsourced planning partners and internal stakeholders.
• Identifying and removing barriers to site acquisition and planning approvals.
• Undertaking planning assessments, environmental impact considerations and stakeholder engagement activities.
• Supporting community consultation programs and information sessions.
• Building strong client relationships and contributing to successful project delivery outcomes.
• Coaching and mentoring Town Planners to build capability across the team.

What we're looking for

To be successful in this role, you will bring:

• Tertiary qualifications in Town Planning or a related discipline, with postgraduate qualifications highly regarded.
• Demonstrated town planning leadership experience within a telecommunications environment, including at least five years operating at a senior level.
• Experience delivering telecommunications or infrastructure projects within Australia.
• Strong understanding of planning legislation across multiple Australian jurisdictions.
• Extensive experience in stakeholder engagement, community consultation and dispute resolution.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to engage effectively with clients, suppliers, contractors and community stakeholders.
• Strong problem solving skills and the ability to manage complex planning and acquisition challenges.
• A collaborative approach, customer focus and commitment to safe work practices.

What we offer

At Downer, we provide a supportive and inclusive environment where our people can grow, succeed and make a meaningful impact. You can expect:

• A diverse and collaborative team environment.
• Opportunities for professional development and career progression.
• Exposure to nationally significant telecommunications infrastructure projects.
• Flexible and supportive working arrangements where operationally feasible.
• A strong commitment to safety, wellbeing and inclusion.

About Energy and Utilities

Downer's Energy and Utilities business delivers critical infrastructure services across Australia. We work with customers across telecommunications, power, gas, water and renewable energy industries to design, build and maintain essential networks that connect communities and support the nation's future.

We are committed to creating a workforce that reflects the communities in which we live and work. We value diversity and are dedicated to building an inclusive workplace where everyone feels respected, supported and able to contribute their best.