Position Context
This role sits within a strategic infrastructure planning team and reports to a senior manager responsible for long-term service and infrastructure strategy. The position is responsible for overseeing a portfolio of planning projects aimed at meeting medium to long-term infrastructure needs, ensuring outcomes are culturally responsive, community-informed, and fit for purpose.
The Principal Planning Officer will coordinate and lead strategic planning activities in collaboration with communities, oversee implementation, manage stakeholder engagement, and maintain reporting frameworks and tools. A key focus will be working with stakeholders to identify opportunities for continuous improvement, refining practices, processes, and tools to achieve organisational objectives.
The role will also support the development and implementation of co-design strategies, including partnerships with disadvantaged communities and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders, to ensure successful planning and delivery of infrastructure projects across diverse regions.
Qualifications and Experience
Essential requirements include:

• Strong facilitation and engagement skills, with the ability to build trust and relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and achieve results within tight timeframes in a dynamic environment.
• Knowledge of project and program management methodologies, with experience supporting multidisciplinary teams to deliver strategic initiatives and successful project outcomes.
• Ability to balance long-term strategic planning with program constraints, policy frameworks, and delivery realities.
• Strong problem-solving skills, initiative, and responsibility in achieving effective solutions.
• Experience in preparing, monitoring, and reporting on program/project budgets, and effectively managing upwards to keep stakeholders informed and aware of potential issues and risks.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and OneNote. Experience with content management systems and enterprise resource planning software is desirable.

Formal qualifications in a relevant discipline such as project or program management are highly regarded but not mandatory.
Key Accountabilities
The Principal Planning Officer will be accountable for:

• Coordinating co-design strategic planning activities and associated stakeholder engagement.
• Leading analysis and reporting on planning programs, including development of new proposals.
• Applying culturally appropriate engagement strategies, particularly when working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, to ensure effective local participation in decision-making.
• Contributing to policies, processes, and tools that support quality frameworks and process improvements.
• Developing performance measures to evaluate and report on infrastructure planning programs.
• Collaborating with stakeholders to identify and implement continuous improvement initiatives.
• Researching and defining best practice approaches for consistent infrastructure and planning processes.
• Providing high-level advice and reporting to management and other senior stakeholders on infrastructure planning projects.
• Managing team correspondence and preparing reports, submissions, briefing notes, and policy documentation.
• Working collaboratively as part of a skilled infrastructure planning team.
• Travelling to remote communities as required, which may include remote driving and flights in light aircraft.

Other Requirements

• No financial or HR delegations apply to this role.
• A current working with children clearance (or ability to obtain) is required prior to appointment.

To apply
Email [email protected] with your resume citing REF # 245986

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Hudson
Hudson is committed to helping you find a workplace where you feel respected, supported, and free to thrive. We welcome applications from all backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences—because when different voices come together, amazing things happen.

Casual Loading
Please note for all Australian based contract and temporary roles only, the pay rate is inclusive of mandatory 25% casual loading. This excludes permanent and fixed term roles.