Town Planner

This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced Town Planner or a recent Graduate looking to get some practical experience. You will be responsible for a broad range of tasks, including planning assessments, development applications and community engagement, all while contributing to the growth and sustainability of our municipality.

About Us

The municipality of George Town is situated in the North-Eastern region of the Tamar Valley and is a place of exquisite beauty and opportunity, steeped in history, dotted with towering lighthouses and spectacular coastline, and boasting crayfish, yachting, diving, world class mountain bike trails, wineries, and whiskey distilleries, and diverse and visible flora and fauna. The region offers enormous possibilities to explore a breath-taking natural, historic, and cultural environment set in a beautiful climate.

About the Role and You

As a Town Planner, you will undertake thorough assessments of development applications within prescribed timeframes and provide high-quality planning advice and excellent customer service.

You will be a team player who possesses excellent communication skills, displays a professional attitude under pressure, and has well-developed negotiation skills.

You have the desire to get the best outcome in any situation for the applicant, community and municipality while operating within the relevant legislative requirements and tight time frames.

Position Responsibilities

• Provide planning advice to the public and Council on planning and development matters, including the convening of meetings, answering telephone enquiries and tending to front-counter enquiries.
• Ensure all internal and external planning related enquiries are managed professionally, accurately and within required timeframes.
• Liaise and negotiate with individual landowners, developers, and their agents to ensure that structural planning, development and subdivision proposals are considered in accordance with the Planning Scheme and relevant legislation.
• Liaise and negotiate with other councils, government agencies and other service and regulatory authorities on town planning matters affecting the Municipality.
• Assess individual planning applications for use and development.
• Prepare well researched planning reports (including recommendations), and reports on Council planning matters, for Council meetings.
• Assist with strategic land use matters as required.
• Process and manage development applications in accordance with legislative timeframes.
• Assist in development and review of operational policy and procedures.
• Assist with reviewing and providing comments in relation to any proposed changes to legislation or regulatory authority conditions or guidelines that may impact Council’s development application assessment process.
• Utilise the Council GIS Systems and other relevant computer-based administrative programs developed for technical service functions.
• Investigate and manage enforcement of planning permit conditions and non-compliance matters as required.
• Provide administrative support in the planning area to manage high workload periods including management of the planning email account.
• Other duties that may be reasonably requested by your manager**.**

Selection Criteria

1. Demonstrated ability to interpret and apply relevant legislation, regulations, and policies with accuracy and sound judgment.
2. Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to produce clear, concise reports and correspondence.
3. Proven track record of delivering high-quality customer service in a professional and responsive manner.
4. Well-developed interpersonal skills and proficiency in using information technology to support communication and workflow.
5. Ability to work collaboratively and contribute positively within a team to achieve shared goals.
6. Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
7. Effective stakeholder engagement skills, with the capacity to build positive relationships and deliver successful outcomes across diverse groups.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, please submit the following by email to [email protected]:

• A statement addressing the selection criteria (maximum 1,000 words)
• A cover letter outlining your interest in the position and why you are a suitable candidate
• A current resume

Only applicants who provide all the requested documents will be considered for shortlisting. Applications close at 5pm on Monday, 12 October 2026.

For enquiries, please contact Tamara Burt, Coordinator – Development Services via the above email or by phoning [03 6382 8800](tel:03 6382 8800). Please visit the George Town Council website for further information and to download a copy of the Position Description.