Senior RMA Planner
Looking for your next step in planning? Join The Planning Collective – a highly experienced team that values professionalism and strives for the best environmental and community outcomes across a wide range of exciting projects throughout Auckland & Northland.
We're looking for a Senior RMA Planner to join us in a permanent full-time position. This is a fantastic opportunity to progress your career through hands-on experience spanning a wide range of planning processes - policy, consents, alternative dispute resolution, and council and court hearings. Lead exciting projects, and work in a region with strong and growing opportunities in land development.
This is primarily an office-based role that values collaboration and team connection, with hybrid flexibility available.
Why join us
The Planning Collective is an experienced planning consultancy with a strong local reputation and long-standing client relationships in a growing community. This gives you the platform to do meaningful, varied work that's hard to find in a larger firm. As a subsidiary of Buckton, we have access to a broader team of surveyors and ecologists - strengthening our planning capability to provide practical, solutions-focused advice across every stage of development.
With us:
Gain hands-on experience in a wide variety of planning processes – policy, consents and community engagement.
Opportunities to gain experience in council and court hearing processes.
Develop practical project management skills across a varied workload.
Gain exposure to a broad range of urban, rural, and coastal planning projects.
Be based in the beautiful coastal communities of Silverdale and Warkworth.
What you’ll be doing
Lead and contribute to the delivery of resource consent and land development projects from initial scoping through to final determination.
Undertake initial client engagement; prepare feasibility reports, cost estimates, and project timelines.
Prepare and review Assessment of Environmental Effects (AEE) and private plan change requests.
Represent client submitters to District Plan reviews processes, Notices of Requirement and the upcoming spatial plan processes.
Build and maintain strong client relationships, managing expectations professionally and in the best interests of the organisation.
Liaise with local authorities, iwi, community groups and other key stakeholders.
What you’ll bring
A relevant NZ qualification in Resource Management Planning, Environmental Management or a related discipline, recognised by NZPI.
Extensive experience in RMA consenting (minimum 8 years), with proven ability to lead complex applications.
Experience attending Council and Environment Court hearings, providing expert evidence and mediation support.
Experience in project management.
Advanced problem-solving and decision-making capability with sound professional judgement.
High analytical and strategic thinking.
Proven ability to build and maintain strong stakeholder relationships and maintain a high level of professionalism.
Highly articulate with excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present complex information clearly.
Apply now
If you're a Senior Planner ready for your next opportunity, we'd love to hear from you. Send your CV and cover letter to HR@buckton.co.nz. A position description is available on request.