About the team:
Situated with the Planning, Regulation and Services Gold Coast Directorate, the City Development branch is responsible for the management and assessment of development applications, including the provision of planning and building advice, development assessment and improvement, infrastructure change review, developer contributions, infrastructure compliance and planning appeals.
About the role:
The Certificates and Submissions Leader is a leadership role within the City Development Branch that provides professional support to Investigation and Submissions Officers to deliver the City’s development outcomes. The role is responsible for ensuring the accurate cataloguing of submissions and the issuing of Planning and Development Certificates in accordance with planning legislation, supported by specialised technical knowledge, strong research skills, and a sound understanding of Council systems, policies, and continuous business improvement.
In addition to overseeing day‑to‑day operations, the role manages the preparation and coordination of complex and/or sensitive Planning and Development Certificates and provides leadership on submissions and certificate matters. This includes managing high‑level and out‑of‑scope requests referred by the Directorate, Executive Leadership, or Council.
This position would suit a detail‑driven person with an understanding of key town planning processes, strong investigative instincts, and the ability to collect, analyse and interpret data using various software tools.
Key deliverables of the role:
* Provide clear leadership, direction and professional support to officers responsible for the preparation of the City’s Limited, Standard and Full Planning and Development Certificates and Standard and Full Town Planning Certificates issued in accordance with the statutory obligations outlined in the Planning Act 2016, Planning Regulation 2017 and the Local Government (Robina Central Planning Agreement) Act 1992 (RCPA).
* Lead and quality-assure the submissions function, ensuring officers undertake the cataloguing of all properly and not properly made submissions in accordance with the Planning Act 2016.
* Manage the Certificates and Submissions workload to ensure they are completed in accordance with statutory timeframes, with accuracy minimising the potential for compensation due to an error or omission.
* Maintain work processes and procedures to ensure officers have appropriate reference material to perform their role.
* Maintain a thorough and detailed knowledge and understanding of relevant State Government legislation, repealed legislation, the City Plan, Local Laws and City Policies.
* Be a subject matter expert on lapsing of development approvals and update as required the City’s lapsing template documents for the wider Branch.
* Provide professional support to the town planners within the Branch and provide mentoring and promote knowledge sharing to other officers within the business unit.
* Provide a high level of customer service and ensure prompt responses to written and verbal requests.
We’re looking for people who have:
* You hold a tertiary qualification in Town Planning or equivalent knowledge, enabling you to provide informed, strategic guidance across the team functions.
* You have a demonstrated ability to work autonomously while providing clear direction and leadership to others.
* You enjoy working collaboratively and productively within a multi-disciplinary team environment and will foster good relationships with employees and clients.
* You have exceptional time management and organisational skills that enable you to manage competing demands.
* You frequently exercise initiative and judgement and show innovation when dealing with non-routine matters.
* You have demonstrated experience (or the ability to quickly acquire the knowledge) in preparing and reviewing Planning and Development Certificates.
* You are an influential communicator who can translate complex planning and technical matters into clear, compelling messages for diverse audiences, including executives and elected representatives.
* You consistently utilise your range of analytical, problem solving and investigative skills/techniques, and have a proven ability to mentor and motivate others, foster professional development and transfer knowledge while managing and monitoring performance.
Be part of shaping the Gold Coast’s future
The Gold Coast is inspired by lifestyle and driven by opportunity. We are the second largest Council in Australia.
We care about being the most flexible government organisation in Australia. We have a range of benefits to help you create the right balance:
* Flexible work arrangements to suit your lifestyle, including hybrid/work from home options, flexible working hours and locations
* Personal and professional development courses
* Access to 350+ fitness facilities through Fitness Passport
* 4 free confidential counselling sessions a year for you or an immediate family member
* 1 free nutritionist and financial advice session per year
We pride ourselves on our shared mission of being a high-performing, customer-focused organisation which delivers value-for-money services to the community.
How to apply:
To submit your application, please click apply now and complete the application form. You will be required to upload your resume and a cover letter (no more than two pages) outlining how your skills, experience and personal attributes will enable you to be successful in this role. Please note that you may also be asked to provide relevant qualifications, where applicable.
Contact Person: Curtis Luck
Contact Email:
Closing Date: 11:59pm AEDT Wednesday 6th May 2026
Our selection process may include a one-way video interview via Criteria, a face-to-face or virtual interview via Microsoft Teams, reference checks via Xref and additional checks including police checks, employment history checks, qualification checks, pre-employment medical reviews and drug and alcohol testing.
We’re committed to creating a diverse workplace and inclusive culture. We take pride in people who align with our high-performance principles. We believe that the diverse makeup of our workforce reflects the community we serve. We consider all qualified candidates for employment, irrespective of race, age, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, or other protected characteristics by law.