Principal Environmental Planner

Our client is growing its NSW planning and environmental practice, creating an opportunity for an experienced planner to lead across transport, Energy, Utilities, and major infrastructure projects.

You’ll join an established national consultancy with an existing NSW team, project pipeline and substantial planning, environmental and multidisciplinary capability.

The opportunity combines senior technical work with greater influence across client relationships, approvals strategy, major pursuits and the continued development of the NSW practice.

It could suit an established Principal or an experienced Senior Planner ready for broader responsibility.

What’s on offer

• Transport and Utilities infrastructure focus. Apply your expertise to complex NSW projects where approvals strategy, environmental constraints and stakeholder expectations influence delivery.
• Influence earlier. Help clients shape approval pathways, assess risk and make informed decisions from the outset.
• Established capability around you. Work alongside experienced planners, environmental specialists, ecologists, heritage professionals and multidisciplinary technical teams.
• Greater client ownership. Build relationships, lead senior conversations and help secure new and repeat work.
• Access to decision-makers. Work closely with senior leaders and contribute to the direction of the NSW planning practice.
• Leadership progression. Build towards broader responsibility while remaining closely involved in projects, technical advice and client work.

What you’ll be doing

You’ll take a lead role in environmental planning and approvals for transport, utilities and other significant NSW infrastructure projects.

This will include:

• Developing approvals strategies and advising clients on planning pathways, environmental requirements, programme risks and project constraints.
• Providing senior advice and technical oversight across Environmental Impact Statements (EIS), Reviews of Environmental Factors (REF) and State Significant Infrastructure (SSI), alongside other relevant NSW approval pathways.
• Identifying environmental risks and stakeholder sensitivities early, and developing practical approaches to address them.
• Guiding multidisciplinary environmental assessments and reviewing deliverables for quality, consistency and sound technical judgement.
• Building trusted relationships with transport agencies, infrastructure owners, government clients, engineering consultants and delivery partners.
• Contributing to proposals, tenders and major project pursuits.
• Developing existing accounts and identifying opportunities to win new work.
• Mentoring planners and strengthening the NSW team’s technical capability and delivery standards.
• Working with senior leadership to shape the practice’s growth and market presence.

About you

You’re an experienced environmental planner with a strong understanding of the NSW planning system and a track record across transport and major infrastructure approvals.

You’ll bring:

• Experience leading complex environmental assessments and approvals for NSW transport or comparable infrastructure projects.
• Strong technical capability across EIS, REF and relevant statutory approval pathways, including SSI.
• Confidence advising clients on approvals strategy, environmental risk and project delivery implications.
• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary technical inputs and providing senior review.
• Strong relationships with clients and stakeholders, including government agencies and infrastructure delivery organisations.
• Commercial awareness and experience contributing to bids, proposals and repeat business.
• The ability to mentor others and maintain high technical standards.
• Relevant qualifications in environmental planning, environmental science or a related discipline.

Why consider it?

You may already be delivering complex projects and providing trusted advice, but want greater influence over client relationships, the work your team pursues and how the practice develops.

This role offers that scope within an established business, with an existing team and national expertise to draw on.

You’ll remain technically involved while taking a more visible role in the growth of its NSW transport and infrastructure planning capability.

Apply directly or contact Scott Herrick at HRG for a confidential discussion.

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