Principal Planner

• Fixed term contract, Full time
• $107,811.66 per annum plus Superannuation
• Join the Planning & Development team

Hume City Council is one of Australia's fastest growing and culturally diverse councils. We put the customer and our community at the centre of all that we do, ensuring our services are efficient and accessible.

To lead the statutory planning officers in managing all types of planning applications, with a focus on Growth Area applications.

What you'll be doing:

• Team Assist the Coordinator Statutory Planning to provide leadership, supervision, and support to staff within the Growth Areas team, ensuring that work performance is monitored regularly, and that regular feedback on performance is provided.
• Identify training and development needs, recommend, and/or implement appropriate training and development.
• Act as Council's delegate in deciding upon recommendations on permit applications and other statutory planning applications including reviewing and signing off delegate reports for statutory planning applications and mentoring statutory planning officers.
• Assess and decide upon major and medium level planning applications in accordance with the requirements of the Planning and Environment Act 1987, the Hume Planning Scheme and the relevant Council policies by liaising with proponents, preparing reports (Delegate and Council) and negotiating outcomes with applicants and objectors all under minimal supervision from the Coordinator.
• Respond to written enquiries of a Town Planning nature, requiring varying degrees of research and interpretation.
• Act as a 'project manager' on applications that require co-ordination between a range of Council departments and external authorities.
• Prepare and present high-level submissions of a statutory nature before the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal displaying a detailed knowledge of the provisions of the Hume Planning Scheme and relevant Council policy.
• As required to assist Council's Strategic Planning department in formulating planning policies for the Local Planning Policy Framework of the Hume Planning Scheme.
• Maintain a high level of co-operation between residents, applicants, external agencies, and internal Council departments.
• Liaise and negotiate with developers, applicants, the public and interest groups on planning matters of a complex nature.

The skills and experience you'll bring to the role:

• Thorough working knowledge of urban growth in the local government context and the issues, trends, theories, and methodologies used in response.
• A demonstrated knowledge and practical application of Town Planning legislation, principles, processes, and policies as relates to the organisation and in a broader context. In addition, a breadth of understanding of diverse economic, social, and environmental factors which interplay and come to bear on planning processes, policies, and subsequent decisions.
• Demonstrated leadership capability with the ability to motivate people within a team environment as well as providing a mentor/support role to team members with less experience.
• Ability to interpret State planning legislation and State planning policy with a good understanding and knowledge of the Victorian Planning and Environment Act.
• Demonstrated leadership, motivational and development skills and good communication skills to have effective interpersonal relationships with officers that are supervised.
• Demonstrated high level verbal and written communication skills. These skills are essential to gain co-operation from and communicate effectively with the public and Council Officers from a range of diverse backgrounds, age groups and cultures.
• An understanding of the State Government's developer contributions system and related guidelines and their implementation.

Required Certifications & Qualifications: 

• Tertiary qualifications in urban and regional planning or a closely related discipline with substantial experience in urban and regional planning or extensive experience in urban and regional planning with lesser tertiary qualifications.
• Current driver's licence.

Why Hume City Council?

A leader in local government, we're committed to creating an inclusive and collaborative work environment that is guided by our values:

We're better, every day: We give things a go and value progress over perfection. We have permission to go for it and are expected to reflect and learn.

We're in it together: At Hume, everyone matters. We Welcome and include all. Respect and safety are expected.

We show up: We empower and trust others and own our work. We rise to the challenges and are expected to do what we say we will.

All for Hume: We strive to achieve our best for the Hume Community. We are proud and passionate about working towards better outcomes and expect they are at the centre of everything we do.

We offer a competitive salary package, professional development opportunities, and a supportive work environment.

A child safe organisation and an equal opportunity employer. Council encourages people of all ages, people with disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, LGBTIQA+ people and people from culturally diverse backgrounds to apply.

All candidates will be required to undertake background and probity checks including Reference Checks, Working with Children Check, and a Criminal Record Check.