Job Description.

W&Co Search is proud to partner with Golden Plains Shire Council in the recruitment of the Director Community, Planning & Growth.

Golden Plains Shire Council is one of Victoria’s fastest growing regional municipalities strategically located between Geelong and Ballarat and within accessible reach of Melbourne. Spanning more than 2,700 square kilometres and servicing over 25,000 residents across 56 communities, Golden Plains balances rural character with significant growth pressures and expanding infrastructure demand.

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, the Director Community, Planning & Growth is a key member of the Executive Leadership Team and leads a diverse portfolio comprising Strategic and Statutory Planning, Regulatory Services, Community Wellbeing, Children’s Services and Emergency Management. The directorate includes approximately 50–60 staff with experienced and capable leaders..

This is a pivotal appointment with a strong emphasis on planning leadership and growth advocacy, ensuring infrastructure coordination, housing supply, liveability and environmental stewardship are strategically aligned. While the portfolio includes community wellbeing and regulatory functions, the executive focus is increasingly centred on strengthening planning capability, precinct growth strategy and long term service sustainability.

The incoming Director with Executive Leaders will play a critical role the directorate’s first whole of service planning framework, driving disciplined annual work planning, strengthening financial stewardship and supporting Council to navigate funding dependencies within a constrained fiscal environment

Experience delivering outcomes in growth corridors, managing competing stakeholder expectations and operating effectively within political environments will be highly regarded.

The ideal candidate will bring senior leadership experience within local government or a comparable complex public sector setting. You will demonstrate strong appreciation of strategic and statutory planning frameworks, growth management and regulatory environments. Formal planning qualifications are not essential, however exposure to planning advocacy and development strategy is important. Above all, you will be a proven people leader who fosters accountability, clarity and alignment across a multidisciplinary directorate.

Golden Plains offers a genuine opportunity to shape the long term trajectory of a growing regional municipality. This is an executive leadership role for a candidate seeking scope, influence and meaningful impact across planning, growth and community outcomes.

To view the Position Description for this opportunity, please copy and paste the following link into your browser: https://shorturl.at/3jk46

For a confidential discussion, please contact Ashley Wilkes, Director at W&Co Search, on 0448 007 653 or via info@wcosearch.com.

Applications should include a one page cover letter and a detailed resume outlining your relevant experience and alignment to the role.