BUILT ENVIRONMENT OFFICER

Personnel Area: Customer Services  

Branch: Compliance and Regulatory Services  

Salary Range: Band 4 $89,207 - $95,764 + Superannuation Band 5$98,778 - $111,969 + Superannuation (Remuneration stated is for the full-time positions) 

Work type: Temporary Full-time 

Duration: Up to 12 months (Extension/s thereafter but not guaranteed) 

Location: Green Square 

Our Business  

As Australia’s largest local government, Brisbane City Council is building a better Brisbane, creating a friendly, liveable and sustainable city for our residents, businesses and visitors. Council is committed to community value, customer focus and supporting a growing, thriving city. Our people work together to deliver high‑quality outcomes, embrace innovation and create a safer, more accessible and more resilient Brisbane for everyone. 

Our Branch  

Compliance and Regulatory Services (CARS) supplies services which help make Brisbane a fairer and safer place 24/7. Our focus is our Community value, and we engage with people across the city in a consistent and responsive way, making strong decisions to resolve problems and deliver solutions. 

Within CARS, the Advertising and Development program includes two work units: the Development Team and the Advertising Team. The Development Team investigates alleged breaches of Council’s City Plan 2014, including unlawful land use, non‑compliance with development approvals, home business code breaches, demolition of pre‑1946 character houses and commencement of development without approval. The Advertising Team assesses applications for outdoor advertising devices, applies local laws and planning controls, and undertakes a small number of complaint investigations, with a strong office‑based and detail‑oriented focus. 

The Role  

We’re creating a recruitment pool to fill multiple Built Environment Officer positions across Band 4 and Band 5. These roles are primarily focused on the Development Team, with potential opportunities or back-fill within the Advertising Team depending on business needs. Across both teams, you will play an important role in applying planning and building legislation, investigating complaints, assessing applications and requests for service, and helping bring matters into compliance in a fair, consistent and evidence‑based way. 

In this work, you’ll collaborate with customers, industry representatives, internal technical specialists and the Enforcement Team to resolve complex and sometimes sensitive issues. You’ll draw on your judgment, problem‑solving skills and resilience to find practical and reasonable solutions that support community value and uphold Council’s legislative responsibilities. 

Day‑to‑day within the Development Team, you will investigate alleged unlawful development or non‑compliance with approvals under the Planning Act 2016 and City Plan 2014. This includes gathering evidence, interviewing relevant parties and preparing high‑quality technical reports and briefs to support potential enforcement action.  

In addition, you may issue statutory notices as a delegated officer to ensure public safety, and you will regularly negotiate practical compliance outcomes with landowners, applicants, consultants and internal stakeholders. These discussions often involve navigating competing interests and require strong communication, professionalism and customer focus. 

Difference Between a Band 4 and Band 5:  

Band 4  

• works semi‑autonomously on allocated matters, seeking guidance for complex or sensitive issues 
• provides technical input to development assessment and detailed design, assesses requests for service within agreed time frames and service standards 

Band 5  

• works autonomously across complex matters, mentors Band 4 officers and can take on any case allocated 
• leads difficult negotiations, prepares and presents evidence for use in legal proceedings, and provides accurate, consistent advice to Councillors and senior stakeholders 
• contributes to policy/procedure development and continuous improvement, and provides support to the Enforcement Team as needed 

To be successful you will have: 

• ability to interpret and apply planning and building legislation, local laws, City Plan and development approvals 
• sound technical capability to assess development/detailed design matters and deliver quality advice and reports 
• strong communication and customer service skills, including resilience and skill in difficult conversations 
• proven research, analytical, investigative and problem‑solving skills to resolve complex issues 
• ability to work collaboratively in a team environment, manage time effectively and meet service standards 

Band 5 additionally demonstrates: 

• experience operating autonomously in a regulatory environment and mentoring others 
• advanced negotiation, discretion and judgement in resolving complex or sensitive issues involving competing interests 
• high‑level written, oral and presentation skills, including the ability to present to committees, Councillors and courts 
• contribution to procedure and policy development and program improvement 
• competency using desktop applications and maintaining accurate records in case management systems 

Backgrounds that often succeed include, but are not limited to, graduate town planners, compliance officers from other local authorities, regulatory services professionals and candidates with relevant legal or regulatory experience. 

Benefits of working for Council include:  

• flexible working hours, and flexible arrangements  
• free gym and wellness centre  
• award winning superannuation fund  
• generous leave provisions  
• competitive salary.   

Benefits of working for Council: CLICK HERE 

How to apply: Click on the 'I’m interested' button to complete your online application. Please upload your tailored resume and covering letter (of no more than one page) demonstrating your suitability to the position. 

This role may require a Criminal History Check, or you may be required to undertake a pre-employment medical assessment to assess your ability to perform the genuine occupational requirements of the role. 

For more information: Please call Emily Pickford on 07 3178 2794 

People from diverse backgrounds, including those living with a disability and/or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, who may have questions about the recruitment process or working at Council, are encouraged to reach out to the contact above, who can connect you with a member of Council’s Diversity and Inclusion team. 

Application Closing Date: Monday 2 February 2026 at 11:55pm AEST. 

Brisbane City Council is a multi-award winning accessible and inclusive workplace where our people represent the diverse communities we serve, are supported, and can feel safe. Council has been awarded Employer of the Year at the National Disability Awards and has been recognised multiple times with ‘Gold Employer’ status from the Australian Workplace Equality Index for LGBTI inclusion.