Our Client

Our client is an established Queensland Local Council serving a growing coastal and regional community in Central Queensland. Operating across local government, urban and regional planning, infrastructure, environmental management and community services, the organisation plays an important role in supporting sustainable development and regional economic growth.

With a diverse workforce spanning technical, skilled, operational and community-facing functions, the organisation manages a broad portfolio of development, infrastructure and regulatory services.

The Council is focused on balancing residential and commercial growth with environmental protection, responsible land use and community expectations. Its collaborative working environment offers experienced planning professionals the opportunity to influence development outcomes, strengthen regulatory practices and contribute to the future of a rapidly evolving regional community.

Why Contract With Us

At Charter Diligence, we go beyond just placement — we support our contractors with practical benefits that reflect real-life needs. All contractors engaged through us have access to early cash advances on approved timesheets, offering flexibility in cases of unforeseen expenses or cash flow challenges. Unlike traditional labour hire providers, we understand that life doesn’t always align with a pay cycle — and we're here to help when it matters most. Well, ask around if they’re already a Charter Diligence Contractor — chances are, they’re already benefiting from the support we provide.

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Coordinator Development Assessment to undertake a short-term leadership assignment within a Queensland Local Government planning function.

This position offers an opportunity to guide an established statutory planning team, manage complex development matters and strengthen assessment practices in a regional environment experiencing ongoing development activity.
You will combine hands-on technical expertise with people leadership, ensuring planning decisions are legally sound, commercially practical and aligned with relevant legislation and community expectations.

The role will suit an accomplished Senior Town Planner, Principal Planner or Development Assessment Team Leader who is confident managing statutory planning functions, advising senior stakeholders and supporting continuous operational improvement.

Contract Details

Position: Coordinator Development Assessment
Hourly Rate: $65–$80 per hour + superannuation
Location: Yeppoon, Central Queensland
Working Arrangement: 5 days onsite, 36.25 hours per week
Accommodation: Provided
Commencement: ASAP
Contract Duration: Initial 3 months, possible extension

Key Responsibilities

- Direct daily development assessment operations, allocating resources and balancing team workloads to achieve statutory and service delivery targets.
- Provide technical oversight of complex development applications, planning proposals and development approval processes.
- Interpret and apply the Queensland Planning Act 2016, Planning Regulation 2017, relevant planning schemes and associated statutory requirements.
- Guide assessment officers through technical planning matters, legislative interpretation and defensible decision-making.




- Review planning reports, development conditions, recommendations and correspondence to maintain quality and consistency.
- Advise senior management, elected representatives, applicants, consultants and community stakeholders on sensitive or complex development matters.
- Coordinate referrals, requests for information, application milestones and statutory assessment timeframes.
- Support planning compliance investigations, enforcement actions, appeals and legal proceedings, including preparing evidence and liaising with legal advisers.
- Identify improvements to assessment workflows, digital systems, internal controls and customer service processes.
- Establish performance measures, monitor assessment backlogs and provide operational reporting on service delivery outcomes.
- Coach and develop planning professionals through technical guidance, performance feedback and knowledge sharing.
- Collaborate with engineering, environmental health, infrastructure and strategic planning teams to resolve multidisciplinary development issues.
- Contribute to planning policy reviews, operational procedures and implementation of legislative amendments.
- Manage relevant operational budgets, resource planning and expenditure monitoring within delegated responsibilities.
- Maintain accurate planning records, correspondence and decision documentation in accordance with public sector governance requirements.
- Facilitate effective engagement with developers, referral agencies, community representatives and other government authorities.
- Promote ethical decision-making, workplace safety, accountability and a responsive public service culture.

About You

We are looking for an experienced planning qualified with strong statutory assessment knowledge, sound judgement and demonstrated capability leading technical teams in a regulatory environment.
Essential Requirements

- Tertiary qualifications in Urban and Regional Planning, Town Planning, Environmental Planning or a closely related discipline, and/or extensive equivalent professional experience.
- Demonstrated experience in senior statutory planning, development assessment or regulatory leadership positions.
- Comprehensive understanding of Queensland planning legislation, development assessment frameworks and local government planning schemes.
- Proven ability to assess complex development applications and provide authoritative technical planning recommendations.
- Experience supervising planning officers, allocating workloads, mentoring staff and managing operational performance.
- Sound understanding of planning compliance, enforcement procedures, appeals and legal documentation.
- Strong stakeholder management skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with developers, consultants, senior executives and elected representatives.
- Advanced written communication skills, particularly in preparing planning reports,



statutory correspondence and technical recommendations.
- Ability to manage competing deadlines, politically sensitive matters and complex regulatory decisions.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office, electronic document management systems and development assessment software.
- Sound financial awareness, operational reporting skills and experience contributing to budgets or resource management.
- Current Australian Class C driver's licence or equivalent recognised licence.
- Valid working rights in Australia for the full contract period. Employer sponsorship is not available.
- Ability to work onsite in Yeppoon for the full 36.25-hour working week throughout the engagement.

Highly Regarded

- Previous experience within Queensland Local Government development assessment or planning management.
- Membership or professional accreditation with the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA).
- Postgraduate qualifications in planning, environmental management or a related discipline.
- Familiarity with Queensland's Development Assessment Rules, State Planning Policy and State Development Assessment Provisions.
- Experience with planning and property systems such as TechnologyOne, Pathway, GIS platforms or comparable council applications.
- Knowledge of Planning and Environment Court proceedings, development appeals and enforcement matters.
- Experience implementing assessment process improvements, service performance frameworks or digital planning initiatives.
- Formal training in leadership, people management, coaching or project management.
- Ability to complete required pre-employment checks, including a National Police Check or functional assessment where applicable.

Application Process

Due to the high volume of applications and the limited submission timeframe, we may not be able to contact all applicants. This is not a reflection of interest, but a result of operational constraints. As part of mandatory government contract requirements, priority will be given to candidates who have completed all necessary compliance checks. For applicants with privacy concerns regarding work rights verification submission, documents may be presented in person at our local offices for sighting.

We encourage candidates who are passionate about making a difference and possess the necessary experience and skills to apply. Please apply to this job post or submit your CV along with a cover letter detailing your qualifications and interest in the role to [email protected]. For confidential inquiries, contact our recruitment team at (02) 7208 7776 (Sydney), (03) 9001 7776 (Melbourne), (07) 3866 7776 (Brisbane), or (08) 6118 7776 (Perth).

Charter Diligence is an accredited recruitment agency for the Australian Federal Government and State Governments. We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we operate and pay respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders past and present. Charter Diligence is a 100% Australian-owned equal opportunity and LGBTQIA+ equity consulting firm and recruitment agency that provides the same benefits and opportunities for hiring and advancement to everyone without discriminating due to protected characteristics such as age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, nationality, religion, disability, and medical history.

📌 Senior Town Planner (Brisbane)
🏢 Charter Diligence
📍 Brisbane