Strategic Planner

• Salary $93,336 to $100,998 per annum + 12% Superannuation
• Permanent Full Time
• Deliver urban planning initiatives and shape the future of a vibrant community.
  

At Whitehorse City Council, community is at the heart of everything we do. To stay ahead of and best respond to the evolving changes and needs of the community, the organisation is undertaking an exciting journey that will transform ways of working and will empower employees to be innovative and constantly striving towards providing excellent customer experience at all times. The five pillars of our transformation focus on:

• Excellent Customer Experience and Service Delivery
• Great Organisational Culture
• Innovation and Continuous Improvement
• Good Governance and Integrity
Long Term Financial Sustainability

The Role:

Reporting to the Coordinator Strategic Planning , the Strategic Planner will contribute to shaping the future of Whitehorse by delivering a range of planning and project management services. This permanent, full-time position will give you the opportunity to make a lasting impact on the city’s urban development, supporting the achievement of both local and state government objectives.

Key Responsibilities:

• Deliver a full range of quality town planning services, with an emphasis on strategic planning and customer focus.
• Provide advice to Managers and staff across the organisation on strategic planning issues.
• Coordinate Council compliance with amendment processes, including public exhibition, reports to Council and panel hearings.
• Oversee and coordinate consultants in undertaking strategic projects. This will involve developing tender briefs, coordinating tender evaluation, and being project manager for strategic projects.
• Develop and implement strategies, to review processes, monitor outcomes and ensure a positive user-experience of the team across the organisation and the community.
• Monitor Planning Scheme amendments to ensure future potential for Council land is not compromised.
Liaison with the Department of Transport and Planning, other Municipal Councils, other government departments and authorities, and non-government groups on a range of planning related matters.

About You:

To be considered for this position, you will bring extensive experience in strategic town planning, ideally within a local government context. You will be a proactive and results-driven professional, with a strong ability to lead complex projects and collaborate across various teams. Your expertise in planning legislation, policy development, and community engagement will be essential to delivering successful outcomes. The ideal candidate will possess:

• Successful experience in town planning with an emphasis on strategic planning, ideally in a Local Government environment.
• A deep understanding of Victoria Planning Provisions , relevant legislation, and state government policies .
• Strong project management skills , including experience with consultant supervision, contract management, and budget monitoring.
• Demonstrated experience in community consultation , with the ability to engage effectively with diverse stakeholders, manage public consultations, and represent the organisation in public forums.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills , with the ability to provide clear advice to senior stakeholders and lead strategic planning initiatives.
• A commitment to delivering high-quality outcomes and providing excellent customer service.
• Strong interpersonal skills , including the ability to negotiate and influence others, as well as collaborate across cross-functional teams.

Key to this position is the ability to manage complex planning projects and ensure the long-term development and sustainability of the city’s urban landscape. You will thrive in an environment that values collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.

In return, we will offer:

The ability to make a difference - Working at Whitehorse City Council you contribute to making a real difference in the lives of the community and those that live, learn, work or visit Whitehorse. Every day you really will see how the work you're involved in benefits the diverse community.

Great working conditions – a professional environment, friendly and supportive teams and a flexibility program that promotes employee work life balance.

An extensive Health and Wellbeing offering – Employee assistance program, private health insurance benefits, health checks (skin, hearing and vaccinations), discounted gym membership and facilities (e.g. Theatre, Arts, Leisure) and an active health and wellness program (e.g. stretching, healthy eating demonstrations and health challenges.

Career opportunities – engaging work and the opportunity to apply your skills and experience.

Transformation - We are in a time of transformation to stay ahead of the evolving changes and needs of our community. Together, we are on an exciting journey to empower all of our employees to be innovative, and constantly strive towards continuous improvement.

Reward & Recognition - extensive reward and recognition program, corporate learning offerings, study assistance and comprehensive leadership development programs.

Further Information:

Further information is available from Allison Egan (Coordinator Strategic Planning) at [email protected]. To apply, please submit a copy of your resume (max 5 pages) and one page statement addressing the selection criteria and what you would bring to the role by17 August 2025.

Come and join the transformation!

Download the Position Description:

Strategic Planner

City of Whitehorse is a culturally and linguistically diverse community. We are proud of the diversity of our workforce and recognise the strength this provides in meeting the needs of our community. We are committed to upholding a safe, inclusive and respectful workplace that values the contribution of all.

Whitehorse City Council is committed to being a child safe organisation. We recognise our responsibilities to keep children and young people safe from harm and have established policies, procedures and training to achieve these commitments.

ABOUT US

The City of Whitehorse, located 15 kilometres east of the Melbourne CBD, is a culturally diverse community of almost 177,000 people. Whitehorse includes the suburbs of Box Hill, Burwood, Nunawading, Blackburn, Mitcham, Forest Hill and Vermont and is characterised by quiet tree-lined residential streets, an abundance of parks, gardens and natural bushland reserves, bustling shopping centres and a diverse range of arts, cultural, sports and leisure facilities.

Whitehorse City Council provides more than 100 services and facilities across a range of areas within our community services, city development, infrastructure, corporate services and transformation directorates. Whitehorse is one of Melbourne’s largest metropolitan councils with a workforce of approximately 1300 employees and aspires to foster an inclusive, vibrant, prosperous and sustainable community. Our employees help us achieve these goals!

At Whitehorse, employee health, wellbeing and development are paramount, and we aim for everyone to become the best they can be in the workplace. Benefits of working with us include:

• A welcoming and supportive working environment
• Great opportunities for training and to build a long-term career within Whitehorse or the local government sector.
• Extensive employee health and wellbeing programs including flexible working arrangements
• Salary sacrifice options for gym / swim memberships, childcare and superannuation; and access to novated vehicle leases.
• Competitive terms and conditions of employment
• Ample onsite parking at most facilities with ready access to public transport
• Active Social Club with a calendar of events through the year