Planning & Design Manager

Be part of the growth of a South Australian success story
- Full time, permanent position, based in Adelaide CBD
- An excellent career development opportunity

**About Us**

The G’day Group comprises three leading Australian tourism brands in Discovery Parks, G’day Parks and loyalty program G’day Rewards. Employing more than 2,200 people Australia-wide, G’day Group has a truly national footprint of over 300 holiday parks, including 85 fully owned and operated parks and Resorts. The largest park network in the country, we’re about authentic Australian holiday experiences and inviting all Aussies to say g’day to more of Australia.

We’re on a journey of growth and evolution to reshape the industry, offering the best customer experience underpinned by the best technology. Each year, we showcase the true Australia to millions of guests and we are the co-custodians of some of the country’s most treasured places; a privilege we don’t take lightly. With eyes on domestic and regional tourism like never before, we are building a passionate, adaptable, high-performance team to create holiday memories that put a smile in every g’day.

**The Role**

Reporting to the General Manager, Development, the Planning & Design Manager will lead the Design function within the G’day Group will ensure capital expenditure park projects are successfully identified, assessed, planned and developed to achieve growth in line with business plans, key targets and return expectations.

Key Responsibilities
- Provide direct leadership and management of the Planning & Design function to ensure projects are well planned and developed in line with the Groups commercial outcomes, customer satisfaction and expectations.
- Manage the design and planning of development projects from conception to Development Approval.
- Work closely with Operations through Masterplanning and Value Creation Plan (VCP) stages to ensure development requirements are well co-ordinated, understood and communicated through to final development proposals.
- Assist in the commercial rationale for the identification, strategy and preparation of pipeline projects ready for approval, including co-ordination of Design Scope Documents with Project Managers and stakeholders.
- Drive the Discovery standards of park design in collaboration with Development Project Managers, Marketing, Operations, IT, Digital and revenue teams, particularly aligning style guides with Marketing feedback and customer experience requirements.
- Review and analyse project plans and specifications, ensuring that they are accurate and complete and that they comply with relevant regulations and standards.
- Drive and co-ordinate Development Applications with internal and external resources, including maintenance of DA database.
- Coordinate and communicate with architects, engineers, suppliers, and project managers to ensure that design and planning efforts are aligned with company standards, goals and objectives
- Develop and maintain project development schedules.
- Introduce pre-planning and project execution initiatives that identify and manage Development risks and opportunities effectively and openly.
- Coordinate with other departments within the organisation, such as procurement and legal, to ensure that all necessary resources and requirements are aligned to support project goals.
- Stay current with industry trends and best practices, sharing knowledge and insights with the design and planning team and other stakeholders as appropriate.
- Implement effective and efficient work culture to enhance pre-planning, knowledge sharing, accountability, support, training and mentoring to the delivery team in shaping best practice Project Management at Discovery.
- Work with the Chief Investment Officer and Development General Manager in the future strategic roadmap through the identification of development opportunities and building the planning phase for future years.
- Build internal design and drafting capability as we develop standardisation of designs, typology and guidelines.
- Incorporate key customer insights into designs to attract target markets and meet Discovery’s brand standards
- Ensure compliance with OH&S legislative requirements and all company policies, practices and procedures.
- Incorporate environmentally sensitive considerations into design and execution decisions in line with the business’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Strategy.

**Qualifications and Experience**
- Degree / Tertiary Qualifications in architecture, engineering, construction management or related field.
- At least 5 years of experience in architecture, design management, programming or similar experience for development projects.
- Strong ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and work effectively under tight deadlines.
- Strong people management skills.
- Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to effectively communicate with a rang