Why this role matters
As Principal Planning Officer, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the Livingstone Shire. This is a senior statutory planning role that provides expert advice on complex development applications and planning matters, ensuring development outcomes align with Council’s planning scheme, strategic priorities and community expectations.
You will be a trusted technical leader within the Development Assessment Team, supervising a small group of planning professionals, supporting consistent, high‑quality decision‑making, and contributing to continuous improvement across planning services. Through collaboration, sound judgement and professional integrity, you will help balance growth, environmental values and community outcomes.
What you will be doing:
This is a senior professional role with strong technical, leadership and stakeholder engagement elements. You will:
- Assess, review and determine complex development applications and compliance matters, including preparing decision notices, conditions and correspondence in accordance with legislative requirements and Council’s planning scheme
- Provide expert technical planning advice to Council, senior management, internal stakeholders, developers, consultants and the community
- Supervise, mentor and support a small team of planning professionals, fostering collaboration, resilience and high performance
- Prepare high‑level reports and present advice to Councillors at Council meetings and workshops
- Represent Council in pre‑lodgement meetings, development control meetings and, where required, Planning and Environment Court processes
- Contribute to the development, review and improvement of planning policies, procedures and assessment processes
- Support planning scheme amendments and community consultation activities that reflect Council’s strategic priorities and long‑term vision
- Maintain accurate records and uphold governance, transparency and compliance standards
- Role model Council’s values, behaviours and commitment to workplace health and safety
What you will bring:
You are an experienced statutory planning professional with strong judgement and leadership capability. You will bring:
- Demonstrated experience assessing complex development applications within a local government environment
- Sound knowledge of Queensland planning legislation and planning scheme interpretation
- Proven ability to supervise, mentor and develop planning staff
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including report writing and presentations
- Strong stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to manage competing interests professionally and constructively
- High‑level organisational skills, resilience and the ability to manage competing priorities
- Confidence using planning systems, GIS platforms and Microsoft Office tools
Mandatory requirements
- Tertiary qualification in urban and regional planning, or a closely related discipline
- Demonstrated capability in statutory planning and development assessment
- Membership of the Planning Institute of Australia
- Current C‑class driver’s licence
Desirable
- Experience or exposure to Planning and Environment Court processes
- Experience contributing to planning scheme amendments or policy reviews
- Understanding of environmental and ecological planning principles
