Development Contributions Officer

As our Development Contributions Officer, you'll play a key role in ensuring growth contributes fairly towards the infrastructure our communities need.

This is an exciting opportunity to become Council's specialist in development contributions, providing advice, carrying out assessments, and helping ensure development-related infrastructure costs are recovered in a fair, transparent and consistent way. You'll work alongside Planning, Building, Resource Consents, Development Engineering, Finance and Infrastructure teams while building strong relationships with developers, consultants and applicants across the district.

This role also provides a unique opportunity to help strengthen and continuously improve an important Council function as we respond to growth, infrastructure demand and changing service delivery arrangements across the district.

Te Wero – The Challenge

Act as Council’s specialist advisor on development contributions, providing expert interpretation of policy, legislation and assessment requirements.

• Lead development contribution assessments, ensuring outcomes are accurate, consistent and defensible.
• Provide trusted advice to developers, consultants, applicants and Council staff on development contribution obligations and funding implications.
• Manage complex assessment matters, including objections, reconsiderations, credits and remissions.
• Support the sustainable funding of growth-related infrastructure through effective development contribution assessment and recovery.
• Build strong relationships across Planning, Building, Resource Consents, Finance, Development Engineering, Infrastructure Planning and Northland Waters to support integrated growth outcomes.
• Analyse development contribution activity and provide insights to support financial planning, policy reviews and continuous improvement.
• Contribute to the ongoing development and improvement of Council’s development contributions framework, processes and systems.

I ā koe - About You

You'll enjoy combining technical analysis with customer interaction and be confident explaining complex information in a practical and understandable way.

Ideally, you'll bring:

• Experience in planning, local government, finance, regulatory administration, infrastructure, development, property or a related environment.
• Experience interpreting and applying legislation, policy or regulatory requirements.
• A qualification in planning, local government, finance, property, infrastructure, policy, regulatory administration or a related discipline would be advantageous, however we welcome applications from candidates with equivalent knowledge, skills and experience gained through their career.
• Strong analytical and numerical skills, with excellent attention to detail.
• The ability to balance customer service with sound and defensible decision-making.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• A collaborative, solution-focused approach and the ability to build effective working relationships across teams.
• Experience working with complex information, competing priorities and tight timeframes.

Tā mātou āroha – What We Offer

Far North District Council are proud of our diverse workforce and are committed to maintaining an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and respected. We are a progressive and growing council filled with like-minded people who love what they do and are committed to providing superior services to residents and their community.

• You will be given all the tools of the trade to hit the ground running.
• Learning & Development plan to ensure your ongoing growth and success within the organisation.
• The salary for this position is Grade 17 within Council's salary structure (Band: $94,208 to $110,833 pro rata per annum) dependent on qualifications and experience, plus Kiwi Saver.
• We operate a “Business First” approach with flexible/hybrid options.
• Free $100,000 life insurance scheme (conditions apply).
• Free Will package, so that if the unexpected happens your family is supported.

We are committed to an inclusive recruitment process that supports access needs to ensure every applicant can participate fully and confidently. This is in line with our Accessibility Policy, supports the Te Tai Tokerau Regional Accessibility Strategy, and upholds the values of mana tangata, manaakitanga, mahi tahi, whanaungatanga and āhurutanga. Please let us know if you have any accessibility needs when making your application.

Creating Great Places, Supporting our People