Senior Planner - Strategic Portfolio Planning
Location – Parramatta Hybrid
Employment type – Temporary till 30 June 2028
Salary: Clerk Grade 9/10, $ 129,464 - $142,665pr annum + superannuation
Your role
Provide expert planning advice, tackle complex challenges, influence planning outcomes, and work with councils and key stakeholders to deliver social and affordable housing in NSW
The Senior Planner role within the Planning and Assessment Team in Homes NSW works to deliver more social and affordable housing, end the cycle of homelessness, and deliver quality public housing to our 262,000 tenants across NSW.
As a Senior Planner you will be preparing planning due diligence reports and providing planning advice, assessing the impact of Government planning policies and housing policy initiatives on the Homes NSW's property portfolio, and making submissions as required. The role provides expert planning advice in order to make decisions on the development of Homes NSW assets in order to provide housing to current and future tenants.
Homes NSW is a division of the Department of Communities and Justice. It brings together the housing and homelessness functions of the Department of Communities and Justice, the NSW Land and Housing Corporation, Aboriginal Housing Office and key worker housing functions from across government all under one roof. The NSW Government is making its largest-ever investment in social housing and homelessness with the $6.6 billion Building Homes for NSW package.
The role is required to work in a team to achieve milestones and team deliverables and work across Homes NSW and with external stakeholders (including other Government agencies) to achieve the outcomes of the Planning and Assessment team.
What You'll Do
Provide accurate and timely technical planning advice to internal and external stakeholders, providers, contractors, and consultants.
Prepare planning reports to identify planning controls, site constraints, risks, and development pathways to inform development decisions on our property portfolio.
Review planning proposals (rezonings), plans, strategies and policies to ascertain impacts and make submissions to influence outcomes for our portfolio assets.
Participate in council workshops and State Government working groups to better align local and state government plans and policies with Homes NSW portfolio objectives.
Review legislative changes and work with the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure and other stakeholders to promote optimal outcomes for the delivery of social and affordable housing.
Provide planning advice and work with other teams within Homes NSW to inform precinct planning, master plans and redevelopment prioritisation.
Build and maintain effective working relationships and provide accurate planning advice to ensure the effective and efficient delivery of projects to meet briefs, timelines, and expectations in line with Government planning policies.
What We're Looking For
Tertiary qualifications in urban/regional planning or related discipline or equivalent planning experience.
Strong written and verbal communication skills including stakeholder engagement and negotiation skills.
Demonstrated experience in strategic planning and rezonings.
Demonstrated experience in analysing property data sets and effectively communicating key issues and risks arising from the analysis.
Extensive experience in a comparable role and the ability to provide accurate technical planning advice to internal and external stakeholders.
Eligibility for membership of a relevant industry association.
The role may involve travel both locally and regionally, including overnight travel, as required by the business and/or directed.
Download the role description.
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To apply directly via the DCJ Careers site click here. Search for the job and click the 'Apply now' button.
We focus on hiring people who share our commitment and goals of inclusion, collaboration, adaptability, courage and integrity. If you meet the essential requirements and the role resonates with you, please apply – you do not need to meet every desired requirement for us to want to talk to you.
What We Offer
We offer a variety of benefits, including:
A challenging and rewarding career
Flexible, autonomous work environment
Competitive pay and conditions
Training and development opportunities to build and maintain capabilities
Health & Wellbeing and Employee Assistance Programs.
Want more information? Visit our website to see more information on Working for us.
We do work that really matters
Working for the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) provides lots of opportunities to make a real difference. We collaborate with other agencies and community partners, to improve lives and realise the potential of children, adults, families and communities. We're focused on breaking, rather than managing, disadvantage. It's work that really matters.
Apply now and join Australia's top public sector employer where we will support you and provide an exciting and flexible working environment
Are you ready to join us?
Click apply, attach a cover letter (maximum 2 pages) outlining how you meet the requirements of the role as well as an up-to-date résumé (maximum 5 pages).
Applications close Sunday 15 March at 11:59pm AEST.
Got a question?
For more information about the role or what it's like to work for DCJ, please contact the hiring manager Susanna Cheng on or at
If you've got a question about applying or would benefit from an adjustment in the recruitment process to help you perform at your best (including an alternate method submission of the application), please call Katie Hardy on or
Visit Recruitment adjustments on the DCJ website to learn more.
Inclusion and Diversity lies at the heart of how we recruit
We continue to hire great people with a wide variety of skills, experience and backgrounds. This includes people with disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, women, people identifying as LGBTIQ+, culturally and linguistically diverse people, carers and other diversity groups.
To find out what DCJ are doing to build an inclusive and diverse workforce, visit Inclusion and diversity on the DCJ website.
Other Information
A talent pool may be created for future ongoing and temporary roles and is valid for a period of up to 18 months.
For more information visit Applying for DCJ jobs on the DCJ website.
Thank you for your interest in this role. We look forward to receiving your application.
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