First Nations Australians Planning Program

Hey you Mob Interested in a Regional WA Opportunity for secure employment with amazing benefits and work life balance? If so, then we want to hear from you

The Government of Western Australia through the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage (DPLH) has established the First Nations Australians Planning Program to embed caring for Country within the State's land use planning system.

The Department is seeking a Principal Policy Officer to join its Land Use Planning Division in the Regional North Directorate.

The successful candidate will work directly with First Nations communities, Prescribed Body Corporates and local services. They will help shape community infrastructure, development plans and governance strategies that reflect long-term goals for sustainability and cultural integrity. They will also collaborate with local governments to improve planning processes and policies.

Building effective partnerships, collaborating and consulting with Government, agencies, community service providers and citizens in regional and remote WA will be essential to success.

Applications are open to First Nations Australian candidates with strong cultural knowledge, who are able to embed knowledge of Country into the land use planning system.

The position will be based in the Department's Karratha office serving the Pilbara's First Nations stakeholders.

This is a pool recruitment process for permanent and fixed term opportunities, in regional locations throughout WA. Suitable applicants will be placed in a Pool from which appointments may be made for similar vacancies for a period of 24 months from the initial date of appointment.

To be successful for this position, you need to demonstrate the following key requirements:

• Aboriginality is a genuine requirement for this position (section 50(d) of the
  Equal Opportunity Act 1984.
• A willingness to obtain a degree in Urban and Regional Studies, Urban and Regional Planning or an approved equivalent degree relevant to planning.
• Experience in leading and contributing to the development and implementation of policy, strategy and frameworks, desirably in a regional context.
• Significant knowledge of country and understanding of current and emerging trends in First Nations culture.
• Demonstrate the behaviours within the leadership context of Leading Others as outlined below.

Core leadership behaviours outlined in Leadership Expectations are applicable to this role and should be demonstrated in the context of Knowledge and Leading Others. Knowledge leaders are focused on leading and managing specialized knowledge and technical expertise. The expected behaviours may be assessed during the recruitment and selection process.

About us

For more information on what we do, our recruitment process, and why working at the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage is an attractive proposition, please visit the Department page on the DPLH website.

We have a comprehensive Applicant Information Pack to provide information about us, the values of the department and practical guidance on the process for you.

Benefits of Working at DPLH

DPLH offers a broad range of benefits including but not limited to:

• Access to flexible working arrangements including working from home or alternate work locations for enhanced work life balance.
• 12% superannuation, full employer contribution and salary packaging options
• Comprehensive learning and professional development opportunities.
• 4 weeks annual leave with 17.5% loading paid as additional pay every December
• 3 days additional public sector holidays each year
• Cultural leave for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff
• Leave for study, bereavement, foster caring and parenting
• Free access to a confidential employee assistance program (EAP) for you and your family, which includes psychology and counselling services.

Regional Entitlements

Employees working in regional locations could be entitled to additional allowances and entitlements, including:

• housing and power subsidies
• district allowances
• additional week of annual leave
• additional days of leave for public holidays
• one travel concession per year
• additional travel time for personal leave
• allowances for household furniture and effects
• paid travelling time for up to two and a half days.

How to apply:
All applications are submitted online. Select 'Apply for Job', located at either top or bottom of the screen, and follow the instructions; you will need to provide a:

• Comprehensive CV that clearly shows your skills, experience, and key achievements, including the details of two referees.
• A cover letter of no more than two (2) pages addressing the key requirements as stated above.
• If you hold a relevant qualification, kindly provide a copy for verification.

Further Information:

If you would like to know more, please give
Shannon Lockyer,
Principal Planner, a call on

or email

to discuss the role in further detail. Please do not send your application to Shannon Lockyer or to seek assistance with lodging your application.

For a confidential discussion about the recruitment process, please reach out to Barb Culbong from our Aboriginal Employment and Engagement team. You can contact Barb at or email us at

The Department is an equal opportunity employer and as a measure to achieve equality under sections 51, 66R and 66ZP of the Equal Opportunity Act 1984, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, young people (24 years of age and under) and people with disability who meet the requirements of the position, may be prioritised for appointment.

Accessibility:
If you have any communication or access needs that require adjustment to allow you to participate in this recruitment process, please contact our HR Services team on or email

We can also be contacted via the National Relay Service on the below numbers:

TTY/voice calls –

Speak and Listen – and SMS relay –

Special Requirements for this position:

The Department will conduct a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check for applicants successful to this recruitment process.

To be eligible for a permanent appointment to the Western Australian public sector it is essential that you are an Australian citizen or have permanent residency status in Australia. To be eligible for a fixed term appointment you must have documentary evidence of your entitlement to live and work in Australia for the period of the contract.

Please ensure you have saved your documents in MS Word (.docx files only) or PDF format and have allowed plenty of time to submit your application, as
late, emailed and proforma applications will not be accepted.

If you experience technical issues when submitting your application, contact , or please call for any other queries.

Closing Date – Monday 10 November @ 4:00pm

If you are interested in this program, please click the link to Jobs WA to apply.