Strategic Planner / Senior Strategic Planner

Employment Status: Permanent full time (part time applicants welcome to apply and will be considered)
Days & Hours of Work: Monday to Friday, totalling 38 hours per week
Competitive Salary: Band 6 ($101,833 - $111,108) – Band 7 ($114,501 - $128,270) dependant on skills and experience + 12% superannuation
Location: Corporate Centre in Sandringham, with the flexibility to work from home up to 2 days a week

About Us:

We are a passionate organisation, connected in our shared goal to be ‘sector leading’ in all that we do for the community and each other. Home to over 100,000 residents, Bayside City Council's enduring purpose is building extraordinary places, thriving communities, and better futures.

Bayside Council is an equal-opportunity employer committed to providing an accessible and safe working environment that embraces and values child safety, diversity, and inclusion. Our organisational strategy is made up of three priorities and we consider these in everything we do: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Customer Experience and Results Matter.

We want everyone to be as proud of what we are achieving – and excited about our future – as we are, and we are committed to working together to achieve this.

About the Role:
An exciting opportunity has opened to join the Strategic Planning Team at Bayside City Council. We’re seeking a talented and forward‑thinking Strategic Planner to help shape the future of Bayside’s physical form - guiding how the municipality grows functions and feels for decades to come.

This role can be appointed at Band 6 or Band 7, depending on skills and experience.

Reporting to the Strategic Planning Coordinator, you will bring your creative urban thinking, strategic insight, and land‑use policy expertise to ensure that Bayside fulfills its strategic planning obligations and deliver high quality planning outcomes for the community.  

In this role you will make an impact by:

• Leading and contributing to high quality strategies, policies and structure plans
• Helping shape Council’s advocacy and strategic response to State Government Planning Reforms and initiatives
• Managing end to end strategic planning projects
• Preparing reports, and submissions for Council and external panels, supporting informed and transparent decision-making
• Collaborating with multidisciplinary teams – internal and external - to build alignment and drive integrated planning solutions
• Engaging with the community and stakeholders, helping to build collaborative and inclusive planning outcomes
• Mentoring and supporting junior staff, sharing knowledge and helping harness strengths and talent across the team. 

Key Selection Criteria:

To be successful in this role, you will bring the following skills and competencies:

• Comprehensive understanding of urban planning principles and processes
• Proven skills and experience in policy and strategy development
• Outstanding Project management skills
• Strong and effective communication skills are required as well as the ability to build influence
• Strong problem-solving skills
• The ability to conduct community engagement and translate community ideas into plans and strategies

Employment Requirements 

• Satisfactory Criminal History Check
• Working with Children Check
• Current Victorian Drivers Licence

What we’ll offer you

 You will be joining a diverse and inclusive culture, where you will have access to career development opportunities, as well as a range of employee benefits including, but not limited to:

• A work life/balance through flexible and hybrid working arrangements.
• Generous leave provisions, including accrued time off, parental leave, three days of wellbeing leave per year, cultural and ceremonial leave, gender affirmation leave, plus the ability to purchase up to four weeks additional leave per year.
• Dedicated Staff Wellbeing programs, events and gym membership discounts.
• Learning and development opportunities so our people can grow and thrive.
• A Parkland surrounded office that is only short 500m stroll to the beach.
• Free onsite staff parking plus hybrid vehicles that employees can book for work related travel.

If you are ready to be part of our incredible organisation, and you think this role is the right fit for you, then we look forward to finding out more about you and what you would bring to this role.

How to apply:

1. To discover more about the role and responsibilities review the Position Description.
2. Provide a cover letter responding to the Key Selection Criteria and what has motivated you to apply for this role.
3. Click Apply to submit your application.
4. If you require reasonable adjustment at any point throughout the recruitment process, then please do let us know by contacting the listed Hiring Manager.

Applications close: Sunday 8 February, 11:55pm

If you would like to learn more about this opportunity or have any question, please contact Fiona van der Hoeven, Acting Strategic Planning Coordinator on 03 9599 4612 or via e-mail fvanderhoeven@bayside.vic.gov.au

Bayside City Council prides itself on its values of Respect Each Other, Own It, Work Together and Find Better Ways.

Bayside City Council proudly acknowledges the Bunurong People of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of this land, and we pay our respects to their Elders, past, present and emerging as well as all Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander community members with us today.

We are an equal opportunity employer committed to an equitable, diverse and socially inclusive work environment. We actively encourage applicants with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage, people living with disability, LGBTIQA+ people and people from culturally diverse backgrounds to apply for this opportunity.