Principal Advisor Transport Planning

Porirua City Council; Wellington; On-site; NZD 90,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Porirua City Council is seeking a Senior Transport Planner to lead the development of the transport strategy and related policies. You will represent the Council in regional forums and advocate for Porirua's interests in funding programs, while guiding transport planning with climate resilience and growth in mind.

You will collaborate across planning, strategy, and operations, building strong relationships with internal teams and external partners to improve transport outcomes for the city.

Qualifications

• Experience in policy development and transport planning is essential.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and communication skills are required.
• Knowledge of NZTA funding systems, RMA or transport modelling is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of Porirua's transport strategy and key policies.
• Represent the Council in regional forums and advocate for Porirua's interests.
• Provide strategic and technical advice on transport planning and projects.
• Collaborate with planning, strategy, climate resilience and operations teams.
• Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders and regional partners.

Skills

Policy development

Strategic planning

Stakeholder engagement

Analytical thinking

Communication

Education

Transport planning degree

Full NZ driver licence

Job description

Porirua City is a happening place. Porirua is a diverse, well-connected city and has a lot to offer, with awesome cultural and recreational opportunities. The future is bright - we need skilled people like you to join our team and help shape our growing and developing city.

About the role

You'll lead the development of Council's transport strategy, provide expert policy advice, and represent Porirua in key regional forums. Working across Council and with external partners, you'll help align transport planning with land use, growth, climate resilience, and community needs.

In this role you'll:

• lead development of Porirua's transport strategy and key policies
• represent Council in regional forums including TAG, REG, and sector groups
• advocate for Porirua's interests in the RLTP, NLTP, ONF, and funding bids
• provide strategic and technical advice on transport planning and projects
• work closely with teams across planning, strategy, climate resilience, parking, policy, and operations
• build strong relationships with internal stakeholders, regional partners, and decision-makers

About you

You'll be someone who enjoys working at the intersection of strategy, policy, advocacy, and delivery. You'll be confident engaging with senior stakeholders, comfortable navigating complexity, and motivated by improving outcomes for communities.

You'll need to show us that you bring

• a tertiary qualification in transport planning or a related field, or equivalent experience
• senior-level experience in transport planning, policy, or strategy
• strong background in policy development, regional advocacy, and strategic planning
• sound knowledge of transport funding, planning frameworks, and local government processes
• excellent communication, relationship management, and influencing skills
• strong analytical thinking, sound judgement, and a collaborative style
• full unrestricted New Zealand driver licence
• Ideally you'd also have local government or roading experience, and knowledge of NZTA funding systems, RMA, or transport modelling.

What you need to do now

This is a chance to take on a visible, high-impact role where you can help shape transport outcomes for Porirua and the wider region. You'll join a collaborative team and do meaningful work that supports the city's future.

Porirua City Council is committed to providing a working environment that embraces and values diversity and inclusion. We actively encourage applications from all backgrounds. If you have any support or access requirements during our recruitment process, please let us know when you apply, and we'll do our best to get you sorted.

Applications close on Sunday 11 October 2026.