Development Enquiry Officer

Cumberland City Council is located within the fast-growing Central City District and is on the doorstep of two of Greater Sydney’s new cities, between the Greater Parramatta and Olympic Park (GPOP) area and the new Western Parkland City. The Central City District is benefiting from unprecedented city-scale infrastructure investments, making this an exciting time to join Cumberland. Located 20km west of Sydney on Dharug country, with a population of 240,000 residents, Cumberland is the fourth most populous LGA in Greater Sydney. Cumberland boasts one of the most diverse communities in Australia, with people from many different backgrounds and cultures living alongside one another. Our people are focused on driving community outcomes, programs and services to innovate, inspire and deliver change for the community we represent. Cumberland City Council adheres to the principles of a child safe organisation and is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people. Council has worked hard to fulfil its community’s vision for Cumberland as a place where anyone can feel welcome, belong and succeed. ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY The City Planning and Development team sits within Council’s Environment and Planning Directorate and focuses on services and advice to support city planning and development activities in the Cumberland LGA, including development assessment, city planning, advisory services and planning panels management. The Development Enquiry Officer provides verbal and written responses to planning and building enquiries, over the counter review and lodgement of development and building applications. You will also have the opportunity to review fee quotes for complex development and building applications, development and building assessment support tasks and assessment of minor development applications. This role will see you liaise with staff across the immediate department and utilising your communication and negotiation skills to provide advice to stakeholders. Reporting to the Coordinator Fast Track Development Assessment this role will also provide advice to potential applicants and assessing planning, building and related applications at lodgement to ensure they meet Council’s lodgement requirements. The successful applicant will require: Enrolled or completed a Degree in Town Planning, building studies or equivalent Working level of knowledge and skills in areas of regulatory planning and building matters Class C Drivers Licence Familiarity and awareness of the Development and Building Assessment process Working knowledge of the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act 1979, Local Government Act 1993 and related Legislation Ability to meet deadlines on a daily basis with possession of excellent time management skills Demonstrated understanding of the business of Local Government and the roles of other Government Departments Excellent written and oral communication skills for effective communication and conflict resolution/mediation and negotiation Demonstrated ability to maintain a safe work environment and apply EEO/Anti-discrimination principles across all activities within Development Assessment SectionComputer literacy skills and ability to operate computer based systems. Download the position description here for more information. Position information: This is a permanent, full-time position, working a 70 hour fortnight, with access to Council's 9 day fortnight Accrued Day Off (ADO) arrangement. This role is predominantly located at Council's Auburn and Merrylands Offices, with frequent travel required across Council worksites, and may be required to work across any of Council’s work locations. Salary information: The salary and conditions of employment are in accordance with the NSW Local Government (State) Award. Grade 10 of the Cumberland Salary Structure with a salary range of $79,573 to $91,509.08 per annum, plus 11% superannuation The commencing salary will be negotiated, taking into consideration the successful applicant's qualifications, skills and experience related to the role WHAT WE CAN OFFER We promote work-life balance and offer an additional three (3) days' leave for front-facing roles that are unable to access working from home arrangements Training and professional development opportunities available to develop skills and grow your career Leave entitlements including annual leave, 15 days personal leave per year, parental leave and access to Long Service Leave after five (5) years (where applicable) Three (3) additional grant days of paid leave over Christmas (where applicable) Corporate Health Insurance discounts Health and Wellbeing Programs to support our staff by providing access to online professional learning, paid leave to undertake annual skin checks, COVID-19 vaccinations and to donate blood Subsidies to assist with the cost of wellness and fitness activities Free access to Council owned swimming pools Access to Council's Fitness Passport Program and Employee Assistance Program (EAP). ABOUT US Council is committed to providing an accessible, safe and inclusive workplace for all. If you require additional support or any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know during the application process. Successful applicants must be eligible to work in Australia and agree to provide information for pre-employment checks required for the position. This may include criminal record checks, qualification and licence checks, and proof of the right to work in Australia (please refer to the position description for the specific qualifications and requirements for this role). Copies of sighted documents will be kept by Council for its records as proof of verification. As part of your employment with Council, you will be required to participate in health monitoring as outlined in the risk assessment for this position and Council’s Health Monitoring Procedure. Council's COVID-19 Vaccination Procedure has been designed and adopted to protect the health and safety of our people, our customers and the community. It is a condition of employment that all applicants produce evidence of their vaccination status as part of the employment screening process. Enquiries: Telephone Bhavisha Sheth, Coordinator Fast Track Development Assessment on 8757 9578 for further information. Closing date: 11:59pm, Monday 4 March 2024 HOW TO APPLY To submit your application for this position, please complete the questionnaire. You'll be asked to attach your resume and any relevant qualifications (if required) to complete your application. Make sure you have these attachments ready before you apply as your application cannot be submitted until completed. You must have the right to live and work in Australia to apply for this job.