Planning & Development Project Specialist

Planning & Development Project Specialist

Live, work and play in Aotearoa New Zealand’s most spectacular setting.

No two days at Queenstown Lakes District Council are the same.  Every day we provide services, facilities and programmes essential to the health and wellbeing of our people and environment, while stepping up to the challenges and opportunities that come with being New Zealand’s fastest growing territorial authority.

We’re proud to be QLDC.  Our people are motivated by a shared purpose driven by care, connection and community.  All our roles are at the heart of a dynamic and diverse set of communities where you will be making a genuine difference every day. Join us.

We’re looking for a Planning & Development Project Specialist to join our Planning & Development directorate in a full-time, permanent role based in Queenstown.

What you’ll be doing / He aha te mahi

As the Planning & Development Project Specialist, you will lead and coordinate priority Planning & Development work programmes, including reform readiness, Fast Track Approvals Act (FTAA) delivery and other key directorate priorities. Working within the Technical Support team, you'll apply strong project management practices to ensure programmes are well planned, monitored, reported on and delivered to agreed timelines, quality expectations and measures of success.

You'll work closely with Planning & Development teams and key Council functions to coordinate workstreams, manage risks and dependencies, support governance processes, and drive business and technology improvement initiatives. This role plays an important part in ensuring priority projects and programmes are delivered in an efficient, effective, coordinated and integrated way.

The role will involve:

• Lead the coordination and delivery of priority Planning & Development work programmes, including reform readiness and FTAA-related initiatives.
• Develop and maintain project and programme plans, schedules, milestones and deliverables, ensuring progress is tracked and reported.
• Coordinate legislative, regulatory and organisational change initiatives, supporting organisational readiness and delivery planning.
• Monitor programme performance, identify risks, issues and dependencies, and support mitigation actions to achieve successful outcomes.
• Coordinate business improvement initiatives, including process reviews, workflow redesign and service delivery enhancements.
• Support technology-enabled improvements, including system enhancements, digital transformation initiatives and opportunities to improve data and automation.
• Prepare governance reporting, meeting agendas, minutes and action trackers while building effective working relationships across Planning & Development teams and key Council functions.

What you’ll bring to the role / Ko wai to Pukeka

We're looking for a highly organised project professional who thrives in complex environments and enjoys bringing structure, coordination and momentum to priority work programmes. You'll bring proven experience supporting projects or programmes from planning through to delivery, along with the ability to work across multiple teams and stakeholders to keep initiatives on track. Strong communication skills, attention to detail and a collaborative approach will be key to your success in this role.

To best succeed in this role, you’ll have:

• A tertiary qualification in business, project management, planning, public administration or a related discipline, with project management methodology certification (such as PRINCE2, PMP or Agile) preferred.
• At least five years' experience in project management, programme coordination or business planning within a complex operating environment, ideally local government, planning or regulatory services.
• Proven experience coordinating projects and programmes, including maintaining plans and schedules, tracking actions, risks and issues, and delivering clear reporting to managers and governance groups.
• Experience supporting governance, steering group or programme meetings, including agenda preparation, coordinating papers, minute-taking and action tracking.
• Strong organisational, communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to coordinate across teams, manage competing priorities and work collaboratively without direct authority.

What we offer / Ko a matou whakaratoka

We are proud to offer a comprehensive benefits package that supports your health, wellbeing, and professional growth, including:

• Southern Cross Wellbeing One Plan (Full time, permanent only)
• Discounted membership to our health and fitness facilities
• Hybrid working practices
• Genuine commitment to your training and career development

To apply, please follow the link. For any questions prior please contact Rachel Beer, Planning & Development Technical Support Manager, at [email protected].

Applications close: Friday 18th September 2026.

Please note we will review and process applications as they come through; we encourage your early application.