Executive Manager (Planning)

Executive Manager (Planning)

• Lead and manage multidisciplinary teams responsible for strategic planning, development assessment, development engineering and business support functions.
• Provide strategic direction to support sustainable growth, investment attraction and economic development outcomes.
• Oversee the development, implementation and review of planning schemes, strategic plans and related planning policies.
• Ensure consistent, balanced and timely decision-making across development assessment processes.
• Provide expert planning advice to executive leadership, Councillors, industry professionals, developers and the community.
• Evaluate complex planning and development issues and deliver practical, evidence-based recommendations.

• Maintain a high level of expertise in planning legislation, planning instruments and local government policy.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives, innovation and technology adoption across Planning & Growth functions.
• Oversee legal matters relating to planning and development, including liaising with legal counsel and acting as an expert witness when required.
• Review and endorse strategic reports, briefing notes and recommendations prepared by management staff.

• Prepare and present specialist reports and recommendations to Executive Leadership and Council.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with government agencies, industry representatives, developers and community stakeholders.
• Promote and maintain a customer-focused culture that delivers high-quality service outcomes.

• Lead budget development, monitoring and reporting for the Planning & Growth portfolio.
• Manage resources effectively to deliver value-for-money services and outcomes.
• Oversee the development and review of fees, charges and operational expenditure.

• Foster a high-performance culture through coaching, mentoring and professional development.
• Lead workforce planning, recruitment, performance management and employee engagement initiatives.
• Promote a positive, inclusive and safe workplace culture aligned with organizational values.
• Ensure compliance with employment legislation, enterprise agreements and human resource policies.

• Ensure compliance with planning legislation, Council policies and statutory obligations.
• Champion Work Health and Safety, risk management, records management and ethical conduct.
• Promote sustainability principles and incorporate them into decision-making and policy development.

• Degree qualification (AQF Level 7 or higher) in Urban and Regional Planning or a related discipline.

• Significant experience in planning and development services, preferably within a local government environment.
• Extensive knowledge of planning legislation, planning schemes and development assessment processes.
• Demonstrated leadership experience managing multidisciplinary professional teams.
• Proven ability to develop and implement strategic planning initiatives and drive organizational performance.
• Strong stakeholder engagement, negotiation and communication skills.
• Demonstrated experience preparing complex reports, recommendations and business cases.
• Sound financial management, project management and resource planning capabilities.
• Strong understanding of governance, risk management and compliance requirements.
• Knowledge of Work Health and Safety, Equal Employment Opportunity and ethical workplace practices.

• Current Class C Driver License.

• Postgraduate qualifications in Planning, Public Administration, Business Management or a related field.
• Eligibility for membership of the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA).
• Experience operating within a politically sensitive environment and working closely with elected representatives.
• Experience leading organizational change and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Experience representing organizations in legal proceedings, tribunals or expert witness capacities.
• Advanced understanding of sustainable development principles and regional growth management.

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