Coordinator Engineering Assessment

Townsville City Council is Northern Australia's largest local government authority, serving a growing community and managing close to $9 billion in community assets. With major residential growth, evolving infrastructure needs and continued demand for housing, Council is focused on delivering safe, sustainable and practical development outcomes that support Townsville's future.

Council is seeking an experienced Coordinator Engineering Assessment to lead and mentor its Engineering Assessment team within the Planning and Development function. This is an opportunity to guide a capable, collaborative team and influence the quality, consistency and timeliness of engineering advice across a diverse development pipeline.

Reporting to the Team Manager Development Assessment, you will provide leadership, technical direction and balanced engineering judgement in the assessment of development applications. You will help ensure proposals appropriately address the Townsville City Plan, Queensland planning legislation, Council standards and community expectations, while supporting pragmatic solutions that enable responsible growth.

Your work will span subdivisions, earthworks, roads, pavement design, drainage, flood modelling, water and sewer infrastructure, pump stations, lighting and related municipal assets. You will review complex technical material, advise on development conditions, contribute to Infrastructure Agreements, monitor team performance, allocate workloads and drive continuous improvement in assessment processes and systems.

A key part of the role is bringing people together around sound, workable outcomes. You will translate complex engineering matters into clear advice for developers, consultants, community members and internal stakeholders, negotiate appropriate conditions and resolve competing views without compromising safety, statutory obligations or Council standards.

You will join a practical, knowledge-sharing environment where specialist expertise is exchanged freely and team members collaborate on challenging assessments. The role calls for a calm and respectful leader who can support staff under pressure, remain composed when technical decisions are challenged and foster a customer-focused culture built on accountability, consistency and sound judgement.

You will hold a recognised Bachelor of Civil Engineering or equivalent and be eligible for corporate membership of Engineers Australia. You will also have substantial engineering or technical experience in the design and construction of municipal infrastructure, along with senior-level leadership experience. Strong development assessment capability, knowledge of planning legislation, schemes, codes and standards, and proven negotiation and conflict-resolution skills are essential. RPEQ registration is highly desirable, while NER or CPEng status, or demonstrated eligibility to obtain registration, will also be viewed favourably.

This is a significant opportunity to shape engineering assessment services in a city experiencing sustained growth. You will build capability within an experienced team, influence infrastructure outcomes across Townsville and contribute directly to development that supports housing, connectivity and long-term community value.

How to Apply

Before applying, we strongly encourage you to download the comprehensive candidate information pack. This pack contains the detailed Position Description and further insights into the role, the organisation and the region. To access the pack, please visit mcarthur.com.au and enter reference J10124 into the job search function.

To be considered for this role, your application must include:

1. A current Resume; and
2. A tailored Cover Letter (maximum two pages) that specifically addresses the Key Selection Criteria as outlined in the candidate information pack.

For a confidential discussion regarding this opportunity, please contact Rebecca McPhail on (07) 3211 9700 3211 9700).

Applications close: Monday 9 November 2026