Director, Planning & Permitting

A Snapshot 

As the Director, Planning & Permitting, you will report to the Senior Director, Planning, Permitting & Due Diligence and work closely with Site Advisory, Site Concept Design, Site Acquisition, Energy & Utility, Product, Design, Development and Construction teams. You will make your mark in several ways: 

• Manage planning and permitting workstreams for new sites and expansions across AirTrunk's APJ and growth markets, including Australia, Malaysia/Singapore, Japan, India and the Middle East. 
• Develop and provide practical advice on statutory planning, approvals pathways, permitting requirements and planning execution for assigned projects and markets. 
• Coordinate planning applications and permitting activities, working with internal stakeholders, consultants and authorities to support timely and positive planning outcomes. 
• Provide governance, reporting and escalation support on planning and permitting matters, ensuring risks, dependencies and approval timelines are clearly understood. 

Your Day to Day 

• Manage planning and permitting workstreams for new sites and expansions, ensuring clear ownership, timing, quality and governance of planning deliverables. 
• Support the development of market-specific planning and permitting strategies to help AirTrunk achieve reliable, timely and commercially practical approvals outcomes. 
• Onboard, manage and coordinate third party planning consultants, permitting specialists and technical advisers to support planning, permitting and approval outcomes. 
• Review planning legislation, policy instruments, approval pathways and authority requirements across relevant jurisdictions and translate them into clear project advice. 
• Manage the preparation, review and lodgement of planning applications and supporting documentation in accordance with applicable legislation, policies and guidelines. 
• Build and maintain constructive working relationships with government agencies, regulatory authorities, local councils, consultants and internal stakeholders. 
• Track planning and permitting progress, identify risks and opportunities, and work with project stakeholders to mitigate delays or unresolved authority issues. 
• Collaborate with Site Advisory and Site Acquisition teams on planning due diligence and pre-acquisition advice to support informed site decisions. 
• Engage with authorities and regulatory bodies as a planning lead for assigned projects, escalating material risks or strategic issues where required. 
• Prepare regular reporting, updates and presentation materials for senior management and internal stakeholders, including planning strategy, progress reporting, risk assessments, investment committee inputs and business case support. 
• Provide guidance and mentoring to Planning Managers and project stakeholders, helping build consistent planning practices across markets. 

Minimum Requirements 

• 8+ years' experience in planning, statutory approvals, permitting or a related discipline, supported by a recognised tertiary qualification in planning or a relevant field. 
• 3+ years' experience managing people, consultants or multidisciplinary planning and approvals workstreams. 
• Strong knowledge of planning legislation, policies, instruments and guidelines in relevant markets, with ability to operate across multiple jurisdictions. 
• Demonstrated experience supporting or obtaining complex planning approvals and permits for large-scale infrastructure, data centre, industrial, energy or campus-style developments. 
• Strong understanding and interpretation of planning instruments, statutory requirements, authority processes and approval documentation. 
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to manage, collaborate, consult, advise, influence and negotiate with internal and external stakeholders, local councils and statutory authorities. 
• Ability to manage multiple simultaneous projects requiring clear communication, problem solving, risk management and time management. 
• Strong analytical, commercial and problem-solving skills to apply planning legislation and planning strategy to live project decisions. 
• Professional attitude with persuasive skills in making things happen and influencing positive planning outcomes. 
• Proficiency with Microsoft Outlook, Project, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, AutoCAD and ArcGIS, or equivalent tools. 
• Willingness to travel across Australia, Malaysia/Singapore, Japan, India and the Middle East as required. 

Preferred Requirements 

• 10+ years' experience in statutory planning, approvals or permitting, including exposure to regional or multi-market environments. 
• Experience managing or mentoring planners and coordinating external planning consultants across multiple markets. 
• Previous experience working across Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, India and/or the Middle East. 
• Experience in hyperscale data centres, large-scale infrastructure, energy, industrial, logistics or technology-led property environments.