Full-Time | Band 6 | Local Government | Western Suburbs
Are you passionate about creating safe, well-planned and compliant communities? Do you thrive in investigative, customer-facing roles where every day brings a new challenge? This is an exciting opportunity to join a progressive and community‑focused local government organisation as a Planning Enforcement Officer within their City Futures division.
About the Role
As a Planning Enforcement Officer, you will play a key role in ensuring responsible land use and development across a rapidly growing municipality. You will investigate planning complaints, assess compliance with relevant planning legislation, and contribute to maintaining a safe and well-regulated local environment.
Working within the City Growth and Development unit, you’ll triage and respond to planning concerns, conduct site inspections, prepare reports, and provide expert advice to residents, developers, legal representatives and internal stakeholders.
This is an opportunity to apply your technical knowledge, problem‑solving ability, and communication skills to support the effective administration of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and the relevant Planning Scheme.
Key Responsibilities
- Investigate planning complaints, undertake site inspections, and assess compliance with planning permits, planning scheme requirements and relevant legislation.
- Gather evidence through site visits, photography, interviews and detailed record‑keeping.
- Provide high‑quality specialist advice on planning investigation and enforcement matters.
- Prepare reports, correspondence and submissions for statutory processes including Magistrates Court and VCAT, in line with enforcement policies and procedures.
- Apply mediation and conflict‑resolution skills to manage complex or sensitive stakeholder interactions.
- Contribute to policy and procedure development relating to planning enforcement.
- Build strong relationships with internal departments, residents, developers, government agencies, Victoria Police and planning professionals.
You are a confident communicator with strong investigative skills and the ability to manage competing demands. Resilient, adaptable and community‑minded, you remain calm and professional when dealing with challenging situations.
You will also bring:
Essential Skills & Experience
- Tertiary qualification in Planning, Law Enforcement, Local Government Enforcement, or significant experience in local law enforcement.
- Demonstrated experience conducting investigations, compliance assessments, or planning enforcement activities.
- Strong understanding of the Planning and Environment Act 1987, planning schemes, and related legislative frameworks.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to deliver clear advice in person, on site, by phone and in writing.
- Strong time management skills and the ability to work independently.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office, GIS and corporate database systems.
- A current Victorian driver’s licence.
- High‑level customer service skills and the ability to manage stakeholder relations in politically sensitive environments.
- Advanced mediation, negotiation and conflict‑resolution skills.
- Sound judgement and the ability to analyse processes and recommend improvements.
- Work in a supportive, inclusive and values‑driven environment.
- Contribute to safe, sustainable and well‑planned community development.
- Engage in meaningful work with real impact across a growing municipality.
- Enjoy the benefits of local government employment, including flexibility, professional development, and job stability.
If you’re ready to contribute to a growing region and bring your enforcement expertise to a dynamic local government team, we’d love to hear from you.
Submit your resume and a cover letter addressing the Key Selection Criteria.
At Chandler Macleod, we are committed to fostering a diverse workforce where everyone is welcome. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, women, neurodiverse, people living with a disability and the LGBTIQA+ community.
You can read more about our commitment to diversity and inclusion at https://www.chandlermacleod.com/diversity-and-inclusion.
