Planning Specialist

Christchurch Airport is seeking an experienced Planning Specialist or a high-performing professional with planning, legal, or regulatory expertise to join our Strategy and Stakeholder team.

Operating within a complex and evolving planning environment, this role is about shaping the future of one of New Zealand’s most critical pieces of connective infrastructure. You’ll enable development while protecting the airport’s long-term function and resilience, contributing to work with an intergenerational horizon that balances immediate needs with the responsibility of safeguarding infrastructure for decades to come.

We are open to candidates across a range of experience levels, with the scope of the role shaped to reflect the skills and experience of the successful applicant.

What You’ll Do

• Lead and support planning processes for airport development projects, including resource consents and strategic planning initiatives.
• Provide expert advice to enable development outcomes while managing constraints, risks, and competing priorities.
• Navigate the current and evolving New Zealand planning and regulatory framework, ensuring compliance while identifying opportunities.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with regulators, consultants, and community stakeholders.
• Work across the organisation to integrate planning and regulatory considerations into broader strategic and operational decision-making.
• Contribute to long-term planning that protects the airport’s ability to operate and grow into the future.

Who You Are

• Comfortable operating in complexity, ambiguity, and competing demands.
• An effective relationship manager, confident working with a wide range of stakeholders and perspectives.
• Adaptable and resilient, able to respond to evolving regulatory settings and shifting priorities.
• A pragmatic thinker who can balance technical rigour with enabling outcomes.
• Motivated by the opportunity to contribute to infrastructure that underpins regional and national connectivity

What You Bring

• A relevant tertiary qualification in planning or a related discipline or equivalent experience in a complementary field such as law, regulatory practice, or infrastructure policy.
• Proven experience navigating planning, legal, or regulatory processes, ideally within infrastructure or other complex environments.
• Strong working knowledge of New Zealand’s planning and regulatory framework.
• Demonstrated experience managing consenting or regulatory processes and engaging with stakeholders.
• The ability to synthesise complex information and provide clear, well-reasoned advice.
• Demonstrated ability to provide sound advice and influence outcomes in complex, multi-stakeholder environments.

Why Join Us?

At Christchurch Airport, you’ll be part of a team working at the intersection of infrastructure, regulation, and long-term planning. This is an opportunity to contribute to work that is both challenging and deeply meaningful. We offer a supportive, inclusive culture where innovation and collaboration thrive. You’ll enjoy:

• A unique and fast-paced environment with real impact.
• Opportunities for professional growth and leadership development.
• Benefits including free medical insurance, wellbeing programmes, and staff discounts.

If you’re ready to make a difference and grow your career in a role that combines technical expertise with strategic influence, we’d love to hear from you. Apply today and help us create a better future for Christchurch Airport and our community.

Applications close 27 May