Coordinator Open Spaces Strategy

Clarence Valley Council is seeking an experienced and versatile leader to coordinate the strategic planning, asset management and capital delivery of its extensive open-space network.
  
Covering an area of more than 10,000 square kilometres and incorporating communities including Grafton, Maclean and Yamba, the Clarence Valley offers the opportunity to work across a varied portfolio of parks, reserves, sporting facilities, beaches, aquatic facilities and public recreation infrastructure.
  
The Role
Reporting to the Manager Open Spaces and Facilities, you will lead Council’s Open Spaces Strategy team and coordinate the long-term planning and improvement of the open-space network.
  
This is a broad, strategic position rather than an operational parks role. You will connect planning, asset management and project delivery to ensure Council makes informed, sustainable decisions about its public spaces and facilities.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Leading the development and review of open-space strategies, policies, masterplans and providing advice to inform the development of plans of management
• Improving asset management plans, service levels and lifecycle planning across the open-space portfolio
• Coordinating the planning, procurement and delivery of capital works projects
• Managing service contracts and licence agreements relating to aquatic, sporting and beach facilities
• Providing professional advice on development applications and projects affecting public open space, landscaping, vegetation and trees
• Responding to emerging asset issues and balancing reactive requests with longer-term priorities
• Preparing Council reports, funding applications, project documentation and evidence-based recommendations
• Leading a multidisciplinary team and working closely with operational staff, contractors, community groups and internal stakeholders

About You
You will be an established leader who can operate across several disciplines rather than working within one narrow area of expertise.

You may come from open-space planning, asset management, engineering, landscape architecture, recreation planning, urban and regional planning or capital project delivery. More important than a particular professional background is your ability to connect strategic planning with practical implementation.

You will bring:

• Experience developing strategies, policies, masterplans or asset management plans
• Practical experience delivering capital works or construction-related projects
• Sound project, contract and budget management capability
• Established leadership experience and the ability to provide clear direction to a multidisciplinary team
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills
• The judgement to manage competing priorities and politically or publicly sensitive matters
• The ability to interpret asset data, technical information, planning requirements and Council policies
• Relevant tertiary qualifications or an equivalent combination of qualifications and experience

Local government experience will be highly regarded, particularly where you have worked across community-facing services and managed changing operational and political priorities.

The Opportunity
This position offers a rare opportunity to influence the future of a diverse and highly visible community asset portfolio. You will have the scope to strengthen Council’s strategic and asset management approach while delivering projects that directly shape how residents and visitors experience the Clarence Valley.
  
Council offers:

• A permanent full-time position
• Salary of $108,853–$129,809 plus superannuation
• 70 hours per fortnight
• Flexible working hours and access to flex time
• Five days of MyLeave each year, which can be used flexibly for any purpose
• Professional development and career progression opportunities
• The lifestyle benefits of living and working in the NSW Northern Rivers

Applications close Tuesday 20th October 2026, 11:30 pm.
For a confidential discussion, contact:

Will Cooke
Senior Consultant – Public Sector People
[0412 950 548](tel:0412 950 548)
[email protected]