Senior/Principal Planner – Team Lead at WSP

Tauranga, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

12 Aug, 26

Salary

0.0

Posted On

14 May, 26

Experience

10 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

People Leadership, Client Management, Resource Management Planning, Project Management, Stakeholder Engagement, Strategic Planning, Business Development, Environmental Effects Assessment, Regulatory Compliance, Financial Performance Management, Technical Reporting, Community Engagement

Industry

Professional Services

Description

What if you could do the kind of work the world needs? At WSP, you can access our global scale, contribute to landmark projects and connect with the brightest minds in your field. You can embrace your curiosity in a culture that celebrates new ideas and diverse perspectives enabling you to do the best work of your life. You can experience a world of opportunities to shape a career as unique as you. WSP is one of the world’s top professional services firms, bringing together some of the brightest engineers, advisors and scientists from across the globe. We exist to shape communities to advance humanity. We see the world through a Future Ready® lens, fuelled by a shared commitment to making a positive impact—one project and community at a time. Senior/Principal Planner – Team Lead We’re looking for an experienced Senior/Principal Planner to guide and grow our Tauranga-based planning team. This is a leadership role where you’ll combine strong technical planning expertise with people leadership, client management, and strategic input to help shape sustainable communities across Aotearoa. You’ll lead projects end-to-end, support the development of our planners, and play a key role in business development and market engagement. You will: * Lead, mentor, and inspire a team of planners, fostering a high‑performance, supportive, and inclusive team culture * Drive technical excellence and consistently strong project performance across a diverse planning portfolio * Lead multidisciplinary project teams to deliver high‑quality outcomes on time and within budget * Manage project pipelines to support sustainable, long‑term business growth * Provide trusted, pragmatic planning advice to clients across the public and private sectors * Promote collaboration, innovation, and a strong client‑focused approach across all projects * Provide expert advice on resource management planning matters * Prepare and review district and regional plan changes, submissions, and high‑quality technical reports * Lead resource consent applications, assessments of environmental effects, and community engagement processes * Ensure best‑practice planning outcomes aligned with relevant legislation, policy, and regulatory frameworks * Build and maintain strong client relationships and strategic partnerships * Support commercially successful project delivery, including pricing, financial performance, and risk management * Actively contribute to business development, strategic planning, and market growth opportunities * Act as a visible and credible representative within professional, industry, and community networks You will bring: * A tertiary qualification in planning, resource management, or a related discipline * Membership of NZPI, EIANZ or a similar professional body * 8-10+ years’ professional experience in resource management or planning * Proven experience leading people and projects in a consulting or similar environment * Strong knowledge of the Resource Management Act, Local Government Act, and planning frameworks * Excellent communication, stakeholder engagement, and client management skills * Commercial awareness and a solutions‑focused mindset * High emotional intelligence, integrity, and a collaborative leadership style Imagine a better future for you and a better future for us all. We are proud to have the blueprint of Aotearoa New Zealand in our DNA and our 2,000+ expert professionals in 24 offices are united by the common purpose of creating positive, long-lasting impacts on the communities we serve. Join our close-knit community of talented individuals who share your passion for making a positive impact. Our global team includes more than 75,000 employees, working together to make a difference in communities both close to home and around the world. With us, you can. Apply today. We will review applications as they come in, so if this opportunity sounds like you, don’t wait to apply! #NZRegionalBusiness #NZTaurangaJobs #NZEarth&Environment

Responsibilities

Lead and mentor a team of planners while driving technical excellence across a diverse planning portfolio in Tauranga. Manage end-to-end projects, provide expert planning advice to public and private clients, and contribute to business growth and market engagement.