Principal Consents Planner

Environment Canterbury; Christchurch; On-site; NZD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading government organization is seeking a Principal Consents Planner to provide technical leadership in resource management. This pivotal role involves mentoring team members, making significant decisions on resource consents, and ensuring compliance with local Māori Rights. The ideal candidate will have extensive planning experience and a strong background in relevant legislation, fostering innovations that support environmental protection.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 10 years experience in planning/resource management.
• Working understanding of Māori Rights in Resource Management.
• Evidence of policy-making or decision-making with Rūnanga, Iwi, and hapū.

Responsibilities

• Make legally defensible decisions on resource consent applications.
• Train consent planners on best consenting outcomes.
• Support development of resource management plans.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Analytical skills

Ability to collaborate

Education

Tertiary qualification in Planning, Natural Resources, Environmental Management

Job description

Job Category: Environmental Services, Government, Defence & Emergency

• Technical leadership role influencing resource management
• Role based in Consents Planning
• Permanent | Full Time | Based in central city

As a regional council, we are responsible for managing natural resources including air, soil, water, and land. We work in partnership with mana whenua Ngāi Tahu to protect the health of our environment to ensure a sustainable and prosperous future for our region.

The region’s evolving environmental and political context means we will continue to be agile and adaptive, as we respond to regulatory and environmental changes.

Our mahi (work) is organised around the delivery of our three core services:

• Environmental Regulation and Protection
• Community Preparedness and Response to Hazards
• Public Transport

The Principal Consents Planner plays a critical role, providing technical and planning expertise and leadership within the Consents Section. You’ll support the development of team members by mentoring and coaching to build the capability of technical expertise across the section, whilst remaining in a hands-on capacity.

You’ll have a working understanding of Māori Rights in the Resource Management Framework and a sound understanding/previous training in Te Tiritī o Waitangi and the obligations and requirements of local government to Te Tiriti.

More about the role:

• Make legally defensible decisions on applications for resource consent
• Train consent planners/team members on the delivery of best consenting outcomes
• Support the development of resource management plans
• Processing of complex consents
• Assessing applications against s88 of the Resource Management Act 1991

For more information on this role, please refer to the job description at the bottom of the advert.

You’ll be a strong communicator, someone that connects easily with the community, customers, members of your team, and key stakeholders. You’ll be a natural collaborator drawing people together and building trust as you guide and mentor.

More about you:

Ideally, you’ll be tertiary qualified in Planning, Natural Resources, Environmental Management, or another relevant discipline, and enjoy leading and developing others.

• Minimum of 10 years experience in a planning/resource management field
• Working understanding of Māori Rights in the Resource Management Framework
• Evidence of policy-making or decision-making with Rūnanga, Iwi, hapū, whānau
• An understanding of Māori from a pre- and post-settlement context
• Extensive knowledge and experience working in relevant legislation relating to Local Government and the Resource Management Act or its replacement
• Environment Court experience is highly desirable
• Navigate and pivot to enable positive environmental outcomes
• Experience linking people, work, and processes
• Coaching, developing, and growing the capability of others
• Strong decision-making and analytical ability

Our mahi is underpinned by our values:

We understand and embrace a diverse workforce; this diversity will enable us to better serve our people, our community, and our greatest taonga, the environment. We value everyone’s contribution, diverse thinking, and skills.

We're on a journey to become a treaty partner of excellence, including incorporating te ao Māori into our work. We offer supportive opportunities to develop capability in this area and encourage our people to use kaupapa Māori, mātauranga Māori, and te reo Māori in our daily work. We welcome you with an open heart & mind, wherever you are on your personal te ao Māori journey.

Applications close on Sunday, 20 July. Applications will be reviewed as we receive them, and interviews may take place before the close date. We reserve the right to close advertising early.

Short-listed candidates will be required to complete an interview process, reference checks, and a criminal check. Further background checks will be required when relevant to the role.

We are committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace. If you're excited about this role but don't meet every qualification in the job description, we still encourage you to apply.