Senior Planner

GHD Group; Auckland; On-site; NZD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

GHD is seeking a Senior Planner to join our Wellington team, contributing to environmental assessments, planning approvals, and multi-disciplinary projects across transport, water, renewable energy and social infrastructure. You will lead and mentor junior staff, manage client expectations, and drive proposals while collaborating with a national team of planners and other technical disciplines.

With a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Planning and NZPI membership, you’ll demonstrate strong

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Planning and NZPI membership are required/preferred.
• Strong project management, budgeting and scheduling experience.
• Proven client management and business development capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead and contribute to environmental assessments and planning approvals for multi-disciplinary projects.
• Act as Project Manager for routine projects and coordinate with stakeholders.
• Mentor and develop junior planners and contribute to proposals and business development.
• Collaborate with national planners and other technical teams to deliver integrated solutions.

Skills

Project management

Client management

Communication skills

Analytical thinker

Team collaboration

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Planning

NZPI membership

Job description

Jora New Zealand will close on 9th September 2026. Thank you for being with us, we are cheering you on as you continue your career journey.

There’s no pledge more important than the one we make to look after our environment and communities, and we’re committed to helping you do exactly that.

Join us as we strive for a sustainable future for our communities and the world we live in.

Become part of our global network of skilled engineers, scientists, planners and environmental specialists, all working together to leave this world better than we found it.

GHD is actively seeking highly motivated and skilled Senior Planner to join our team in Wellington.

We contribute to a wide variety of projects, with a strategic focus on transport, water, renewable energy and social infrastructure.

Working with an energetic and high performing team, this position offers a variety of work and will see you:

• Leading and contributing to the preparation of comprehensive environmental assessments and planning approval applications for multi-disciplinary projects
• Acting as a Project Manager for routine projects, collaborating effectively with project stakeholders to ensure positive client experience in project delivery
• Working with a national team of planners, including learning from our highly experienced Technical Directors and supporting the growth and development of less experienced planners, coaching and motivating them to deliver quality outcomes for our clients
• Leading and contributing to the preparation of proposals and seeking out business development opportunities in a client-facing role
• Growing and developing professionally through mentoring, training, and active involvement in professional organisations and our GHD global technical communities
• Being part of our diverse, collaborative and supportive GHD culture, with the ability to work flexibly for work-life balance
• There is an opportunity to leverage existing expertise or experience in community and stakeholder engagement, or upskill in this area, to develop and implement consultation and engagement strategies

Working with an energetic and high performing team, this position offers a variety of work and will see you:

• Leading and contributing to the preparation of comprehensive environmental assessments and planning approval applications for multi-disciplinary projects
• Acting as a Project Manager for routine projects, collaborating effectively with project stakeholders to ensure positive client experience in project delivery
• Working with a national team of planners, including learning from our highly experienced Technical Directors and supporting the growth and development of less experienced planners, coaching and motivating them to deliver quality outcomes for our clients
• Leading and contributing to the preparation of proposals and seeking out business development opportunities in a client-facing role
• Growing and developing professionally through mentoring, training, and active involvement in professional organisations and our GHD global technical communities
• Being part of our diverse, collaborative and supportive GHD culture, with the ability to work flexibly for work-life balance
• There is an opportunity to leverage existing expertise or experience in community and stakeholder engagement, or upskill in this area, to develop and implement consultation and engagement strategies

About you

• Bachelor’s Degree with a minimum of 8 years’ experience in environmental planning
• Full Membership of the NZPI (or working towards this)
• Proven technical planning record in regional council, local council or private sector planning including the consenting of infrastructure projects
• Project management experience, including financials, budgets, programming
• Experience in client management and business development
• Experience in community and stakeholder engagement advantageous
• Well-developed communication skills - both verbal and written
• Proactive, decisive, and problem-solving skills
• Strong analytical thinker; self‑motivated and energetic
• Enthusiastic to work collaboratively with other technical disciplines and think laterally to deliver integrated solutions on multi-disciplinary projects

Ki GHD, ka ākina te kaimahi e mātou kia tutuki ōna ake moemoeā. Nā te mea, ko te kaha o te tangata te tuarā o te pakihi. Nā reira, he hiahia nō mātou ki te whiwhi kaimahi nō ngā ahurea tuakiri maha, nō whenua rerekē, tane mai, wahine mai.

At GHD we encourage individual achievement and recognize the strength of a diverse workforce. GHD is committed to providing Equal Employment Opportunities and invites applications from people of all nationalities, genders, and cultural backgrounds.

We respectfully ask that no agency resumes be presented at this stage.

Come together and make a meaningful impact.

We bring our people together to create something bigger and solve some of the world's most complex problems. Come and experience the power of commitment and see strategy and ideas come to life when you join GHD.

Let's drive real change.

Our Pledge to You

At GHD, we don’t just believe in the power of commitment, we live and breathe it every day.

That’s why we pledge to empower our people to make a positive impact. Combining our deep technical expertise with the capabilities of our clients and partners, we respond to some of the most complex challenges facing our planet today.

See where your commitment could take you.

That’s the #PowerOfCommitment

Who We Are

GHD is a global professional services company that leads through engineering, architecture, and construction expertise. We are an employee-owned company with over 11,000 diverse and skilled individuals, across more than 200 offices spanning five continents.

The Power of Commitment is our brand promise. It’s what makes us different. We are bound to our stated vision and determination to address humanity’s most urgent needs: to make water, energy and urbanisation sustainable for generations to come.