Senior Planner

CivilPlan Consultants Ltd; Auckland; On-site; NZD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

CivilPlan Consultants Ltd is seeking an experienced Senior Planner in Manukau to lead complex planning projects and advise clients. You’ll guide project teams, manage scope, programme and budgets, and mentor junior planners while delivering practical planning solutions.

The role emphasizes strong relationships with clients, councils and stakeholders, and a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment within the planning team.

Qualifications

• Proven experience delivering planning work in NZ.
• Strong knowledge of planning legislation and consent processes.
• Ability to mentor junior planners and guide teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex planning assessments, consent applications, feasibility studies and submissions.
• Provide strategy and practical advice based on planning law and plans.
• Manage planning work to scope, programme, budget and quality.
• Review technical reports to ensure high-quality outcomes.
• Mentor junior planners.
• Lead or contribute to meetings, workshops, site visits and hearings.
• Contribute to proposals, fee estimates, client opportunities and business development.
• Build trusted relationships with clients, councils, specialists and stakeholders.
• Support ongoing improvement of planning processes, systems and standards.

Skills

NZ planning experience

Planning legislation knowledge

Resource consent processes

Project management

Mentoring junior planners

Client engagement

Strategic advisory

Job description

CivilPlan is looking for an experienced Senior Planner to join our Manukau based Planning team.

This is an opportunity to take the lead on complex and varied planning work, provide trusted advice to clients and project teams, and help develop the capability of our junior planners. You’ll have the autonomy to manage your work while being part of a supportive, multidisciplinary consultancy that values strong relationships and practical solutions.

What you’ll be doing

Reporting to the Planning Team Leader, you’ll deliver senior-level planning consultancy services and take the lead on a wide range of planning projects, providing expert advice and practical solutions for clients, while supporting project teams to deliver great outcomes.

Your work will include:

• Leading complex planning assessments, resource consent applications, feasibility studies, and submissions.
• Providing strategic and practical advice based on planning legislation, district and regional plans, and consent requirements
• Managing planning work to agreed scope, programme, budget and quality expectations
• Reviewing technical reports and deliverables to support consistent, high-quality outcomes
• Guiding and mentoring junior planners.
• Leading or contributing to project meetings, workshops, site visits and hearings
• Contributing to proposals, fee estimates, client opportunities and wider business development
• Building trusted relationships with clients, councils, technical specialists and other project stakeholders
• Supporting the ongoing improvement of our planning processes, systems and quality standards

What we’re looking for

You’ll be an experienced planning professional who combines strong technical capability with sound judgement, commercial awareness and a genuine interest in helping others grow.

You’ll bring:

• Proven New Zealand planning consultancy experience
• Advanced knowledge of planning legislation, district and regional plan requirements, and resource consent processes
• Experience delivering complex planning work and documentation through to completion
• The ability to provide clear, practical and solutions-focused advice
• Strong project and priority management skills
• Confidence engaging with clients, councils, technical specialists and other stakeholders
• A commitment to quality, professional development and continuous improvement
• The ability to guide, mentor and support less-experienced planners
• A collaborative working style and a willingness to contribute across the wider business

Just as importantly, you’ll be someone who values relationships and takes a relational, not transactional approach to working with clients and colleagues

At CivilPlan, we're committed to being Straight Up, Raising the Bar, and Stronger Together. You'll enjoy interesting projects, a supportive team environment, professional development opportunities, and the chance to work alongside talented planning, engineering, and surveying professionals.

If you're looking for a role where you can make an impact, develop others, and do work you're proud of, we'd love to hear from you.