City of Canada Bay
The City of Canada Bay sits at the centre of one of Sydney's most sought-after inner-western locations — a harbour-side community of approximately 95,000 residents, defined by its waterfront, its liveability, and its established character. It is also a council navigating one of the more significant planning and environmental agendas in metropolitan Sydney: absorbing substantial housing growth under reformed State planning policy, protecting a complex natural and built environment, and responding to a community that holds genuine expectations of how that balance is managed.
Council is seeking a Director Environment and Planning
to lead the function, join the Executive Leadership Team, and help shape the strategic direction of the organisation.
The Role
Reporting to the General Manager, the Director Environment and Planning leads a broad and consequential portfolio spanning strategic and statutory planning, sustainability and waste, and health, building and compliance. The Division comprises five direct reports, approximately 77 staff, and an operating and capital budget of $32 million.
The remit is unusually integrated. It brings together Council's forward planning agenda, statutory assessment, environmental and sustainability responsibilities, and regulatory and compliance services under single leadership. For the right Director, this breadth is the opportunity: the ability to align planning policy, environmental outcomes, and regulatory practice in service of a coherent long-term direction for the LGA.
As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, the role contributes to the strategic leadership of the organisation as a whole and requires a Director who can operate credibly with elected members, senior agency counterparts, and an informed community.
About You
You are a senior executive with substantive leadership experience in planning, environmental, or regulatory services, ideally gained across local government or a comparably complex public-sector environment. You have led multidisciplinary teams at scale and delivered strategic outcomes in a politically and technically nuanced setting.
You bring deep working knowledge of the NSW planning system and the current reform environment, and you understand the difference between regulatory compliance and regulatory leadership. You lead with judgement and are practised in giving clear, evidence-based advice, composed in navigating competing stakeholder interests, and trusted by executive colleagues and the teams you lead.
Tertiary qualifications in urban and regional planning, environmental science, environmental engineering, public policy, or a related discipline are required.
Why This Role
Canada Bay offers an integrated portfolio of real breadth, a stable and capable organisation, and a community that values good planning and environmental stewardship. For an ambitious senior leader, it is a role with the scope to shape outcomes that matter.
Applications and Confidential Enquiries
To access a copy of the comprehensive candidate brochure, please visit our website, locate the advertisement under the job search function, and then directly request the brochure.
For any questions or queries, please contact Gareth Broadrick at gareth@capstonerecruitment.com.
Applications close:
Midnight 19 th
May 2026
Director Environment and Planning
Director Environment and Planning
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Corrimal
Corrimal
Permanent
Permanent
Government & NFP
Government & NFP
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Gareth Broadrick
gareth@capstonerecruitment.com.au
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