Senior Transport Planner

Auckland Council; Auckland; Hybrid; NZD 111,000 - 136,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Employee benefits

Job summary

Auckland Council is seeking a Senior Transport Planner to help lead NZTA‑compliant transport investment cases and guide strategic projects from conception through to approval. You will manage investment case programmes, budgets, approvals and risks, working with NZTA, KiwiRail, the Auckland Urban Design Office and other partners to develop robust evidence and fundable pipelines.

This is a senior, strategically focused role offering flexible working options, with a remuneration range of $111,000

Qualifications

• Experience developing and managing NZTA‑compliant investment cases.
• Ownership of significant or complex business cases.
• Experience in strategic transport or infrastructure investment planning.
• Strong financial, commercial and analytical capability.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to collaborate across technical, commercial and operational disciplines.
• Experience managing programmes, consultants, budgets, approvals and risks.
• Understanding of NZ transport funding and co‑funding frameworks.
• A relevant tertiary qualification or equivalent professional experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead significant NZTA‑compliant transport investment cases from development through to approval.
• Manage investment case programmes, budgets, approvals, dependencies and risks.
• Develop robust evidence to secure funding and organisational support for transport initiatives.
• Assess strategic options, benefits, costs, affordability and deliverability.
• Coordinate input from technical specialists, consultants and delivery partners.
• Support the development of a fundable transport investment pipeline.
• Provide clear, evidence‑based advice to senior leaders and elected members.
• Build productive relationships with government agencies and industry partners.
• Use data, financial analysis and strategic insight to support sound investment decisions.

Skills

NZTA investment cases

Strategic transport planning

Financial acumen

Written and verbal communication

Stakeholder engagement

Cross‑functional collaboration

Education

Relevant tertiary qualification

Job description

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Senior Transport Planner

• Help develop investment cases for significant transport projects across Tamaki Makaurau
• Guide strategic and city-shaping transport projects from conception through to approval
• Help create a prioritised pipeline of transport projects that gives effect to Council strategy

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in securing the investment and mandate needed to deliver important transport infrastructure across Tamaki Makaurau.

As a Senior Transport Planner in our Transport Investment team, you will help lead the development and management of complex NZTA-compliant transport investment cases. You will play a key role in developing substantial investment cases, helping ensure proposals are evidence-based, strategically aligned, financially sound and ready to progress through funding and approval processes.

This is a predominantly strategic role where you will help manage NZTA-compliant investment case programmes, budgets, approvals, and risks. You will work closely with internal teams and external organisations, including NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, KiwiRail, the Auckland Urban Design Office, engineering consultancies and other delivery partners.

• Help lead significant NZTA-compliant transport investment cases from development through to approval
• Manage investment case programmes, budgets, approvals, dependencies and risks
• Develop robust evidence to secure funding and organisational support for transport initiatives
• Assess strategic options, benefits, costs, affordability and deliverability
• Coordinate input from technical specialists, consultants and delivery partners
• Support the development of a prioritised and fundable transport investment pipeline
• Provide clear, evidence-based advice to senior leaders, committees and elected members
• Build productive relationships with representatives from government agencies, funders, mana whenua and industry partners
• Use data, financial analysis and strategic insight to support sound investment decisions

You will be an experienced strategic transport planner who can confidently lead key parts of complex NZTA-compliant transport investment cases, having experience across multiple parts of the process.

You will bring strong problem-solving skills, sound financial acumen, and the ability to communicate complex information clearly. You will also be comfortable bringing together technical specialists and stakeholders to progress investment cases through challenging funding and approval environments.

We will be looking for specific experience with the key role requirements:

• Experience developing and managing NZTA-compliant investment cases
• Demonstrated ownership of significant or complex business cases
• Experience in strategic transport or infrastructure investment planning
• Strong financial, commercial and analytical capability
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• The ability to collaborate across technical, commercial and operational disciplines
• Experience managing programmes, consultants, budgets, approvals and risks
• An understanding of New Zealand transport funding and co-funding frameworks
• A relevant tertiary qualification or equivalent professional experience

Experience gained within a large multidisciplinary engineering/planning consultancy, NZ transport agency or NZ council would beneficial.

We still encourage you to apply if you have some but not all these requirements.

Auckland Council is the largest local government council across Oceania, serving over 1.7 million people and contributing towards making Tāmaki Makaurau a world-class city.
We offer a range of employee benefits and proudly support flexible working options where possible.
View a snapshot of some of our employee benefits HERE.

If you have any support or access requirements, please advise us when submitting your application so we can assist you.

This role has a remuneration range of $111,000 - $136,000

Our employer Kiwisaver contribution is additional to base salary offered.

Auckland Council is an equal opportunity employer (EOE) and we are committed to providing a working environment that embraces and values diversity and inclusion. If you have any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at the time of application to assist you through the recruitment process.

Auckland Council is committed to protecting your privacy in accordance with the Privacy Act 2020. We collect personal information directly from you and, where relevant for the purpose of assessing you for employment, and employing you as part of the transport reform process, from third parties such as referees, previous employers (including Auckland Transport) recruitment agencies, and background checking providers.

By applying for this role, you consent to Council obtaining a reference from your current employer, including information about any active conduct investigations and current performance management processes, if you are the preferred candidate. Reference checks will only be undertaken at the preferred candidate stage. Any non-active performance or conduct matters may also be discussed with referees as part of the reference checking process.

If you do not consent to this information being provided, Council may be unable to properly assess your application and your application will not progress further. If you wish to withhold your consent, or to access or correct your personal information, please contact the Privacy Officer at [e-mail] .

Auckland Council is an equal opportunity employer (EOE) and we are committed to providing a working environment that embraces and values diversity and inclusion. If you have any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at the time of application to assist you through the recruitment process.

Employees in receipt of salary protection and/or on the predecessor Council terms and conditions of employment, please note that the salary protection and/or predecessor Council terms and conditions, including relocation, apply to your current position. Should you change to a new position (other than any secondment) you will be issued with a new employment letter of offer with current Auckland Council terms and conditions.