Town Planner Level 1

Job No: TSC1775
Location: Murwillumbah

Play a key role in shaping sustainable community outcomes by assessing development applications, ensuring compliance with planning approvals, and providing effective responses to planning and regulatory matters.

About the role:

  • Assess and coordinate development applications from lodgement through to recommendation for approval or refusal, ensuring compliance with relevant planning legislation, policies and environmental planning instruments.
  • Conduct site inspections, prepare reports and monitor compliance with development consent conditions to support responsible and sustainable development outcomes.
  • Provide professional advice and respond to planning enquiries from residents, developers, consultants, government agencies and other stakeholders.
  • Investigate and resolve planning and regulatory complaints, undertaking appropriate follow-up actions and enforcement activities where required.
  • Prepare high-quality reports, correspondence and briefings for management, Council, committees and external stakeholders, including representing Council in legal and regulatory matters when required.

What's on offer:

  • a permanent full time position
  • a base salary ranging from $87,689 per annum with competency-based increments up to $103,869 per annum, plus 12% super
  • 70 hour, 9 day fortnight
  • training and development opportunities
  • flexible work options for a healthy work/life balance
  • generous employment conditions (we have too many to list - click here for more).

We are seeking:

  • Degree-qualified in Town Planning (or nearing completion), with a genuine interest in shaping sustainable and well-planned communities.
  • Demonstrated experience or understanding of processing development applications within a local government or planning environment.
  • Sound knowledge of planning legislation, regulations and environmental planning instruments, with the ability to apply them effectively.
  • Well-developed written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to prepare reports and build positive relationships with a broad range of stakeholders.
  • Eligibility for membership with the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) and a commitment to professional development.

About us:

  • Located on the picturesque far North Coast of NSW, bordering the Gold Coast.
  • The Tweed is a vibrant, diverse location offering a lifestyle near the water, in a rainforest or on a farm.  
  • Tweed Shire Council is committed to employment equity and diversity and encourages applications from people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds in both traditional and non-traditional roles.  We provide workplace adjustments for people with disability, and access to flexible work options. 
  • Join an employer of choice. Professionals Australia (Local Government Engineers’ Association) has named Council the 2021 and 2025 Employer of Choice for our great employment practices within NSW local government. 

Where it's located:

This position is based in Murwillumbah and can be directed to work from any Council work site.

Position closes: 

Friday 25 September 2026 at 12 noon sharp (NSW time).  Late applications will not be permitted.

Click here to view the Position Description 

TIPS for Addressing the Selection Criteria

Click here for more information on the Recruitment Process

Click here to view our Values

Pre-Employment Screening:

Tweed Shire Council conducts pre-employment assessments as part of its recruitment process. 

Job offers are not made until screening has been completed. Tweed Shire Council uses third-party providers to undertake:

  • Pre-employment medical – some roles require a functional (physical) assessment, and all positions are subject to drug and alcohol screening (a positive test result means the recruitment process ends and your application will not be considered).
  • Background screening - verifies that the information you have provided throughout the recruitment process is true and correct.  Click here for more information.

Reference Checks are undertaken by the panel. Your 2 referees should ideally be your current and most recent supervisors.  Your referees are not contacted unless you’ve been interviewed and are a preferred candidate.

Thinking of relocating?
Eligible applicants can access the Welcome Experience, a free NSW Government service designed to support workers and their families as they move to regional NSW.

How To Apply:

You must use your own email address, and not one used previously by another person that has applied for a position with council.

Once you start your online application, you cannot save and return to it later. 

  • Have your Resume document ready to go.
  • Fill out all questions below. Click 'Next'. 
  • You'll then be prompted to attach your resume and other documents (if applicable). Click 'Next'.
  • Review your application to confirm everything is correct. Click 'Confirm' to submit your application.

If you'd like to COPY and PASTE question fields into a separate Word document to work on over time, please find them listed below:

Selection Criteria:

  • Why are you interested in working at Tweed Shire Council, and what excites you most about this particular opportunity?
  • Do you hold a Degree in Town Planning or are you currently nearing completion of your qualification? Please provide details.
  • Please describe your experience and understanding of processing development applications within a local government or planning environment.
  • Provide an example that demonstrates your written and verbal communication skills, including how you have communicated with a range of stakeholders.
  • Please outline your knowledge of relevant planning legislation, regulations and environmental planning instruments, and how you have applied this knowledge in practice.
  • Are you eligible for membership with the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA)? Please provide details of your membership status or eligibility.

 

SK97188A

OFFICE USE ONLY

Unit   Development Assessment and Compliance
Job Grade  JG6
Industry  Development Assessment and Compliance
Employment Type  Full Time

 

 

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