General Manager - Planning & Place

The Australian Government is planning a future high speed rail network to connect Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and regional communities across the east coast of Australia. The High Speed Rail Authority (the Authority) is an independent corporate Commonwealth entity governed by an independent board, established to lead the development and delivery of high speed rail.

The Newcastle to Sydney High Speed Rail project will connect the two cities in around one hour on a dedicated high speed railway. From the Central Coast it will take around 30 minutes to get to Newcastle or to Sydney. With the project now in the Development Phase, the Authority is building the leadership team to develop and deliver this generational program.

High speed rail will contribute to key Australian Government priorities, including increased economic productivity, new housing options, and regional economic and tourism development zero.

About the role

The Australian Government is planning a high speed rail network linking Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and regional communities along the east coast. The High Speed Rail Authority, an independent corporate Commonwealth entity, is leading its development and delivery. The first stage, a dedicated new railway between Newcastle and Sydney with trains travelling up to 320km/h, is now in the Development Phase.

We are looking for a General Manager, Planning & Place to lead how High Speed Rail integrates with transport, land use, housing and regional economic development, and to shape the station precincts and places that will define the passenger and community experience.

About the role

Reporting to the EGM Customer, Operations & Place, you will be the Authority's senior planning and place leader and its interface with governments on these matters. You will own the planning and place requirements for the network and make sure they are embedded and assured through the Development Phase, giving the future National High Speed Rail Network a strong foundation.

You will:

• Set the strategy. Lead whole-of-network planning, place and regional strategy, and give authoritative advice to the Executive, CEO and Board on corridor, station, precinct and regional outcomes.
• Create great station precincts. Lead precinct strategies, master plans and place frameworks that connect stations with surrounding transport, communities and development. Partner with the Property and Commercial teams to unlock activation and value-creation opportunities.
• Drive regional growth. Work across government to align High Speed Rail with housing, infrastructure and economic development programs, and to realise the opportunities that improved connectivity brings.
• Integrate corridors and transport. Lead corridor and integration planning for the Newcastle–Sydney project and the future national network, including corridor protection and jurisdictional arrangements that preserve long-term options.
• Assure outcomes. Act as functional owner of planning, precinct, place, transport-integration and corridor-safeguarding requirements, and make sure they carry through into project scope, design, procurement and delivery.
• Lead people and partnerships. Lead a high-performing, multidisciplinary team and build senior relationships across government, industry, councils, communities and First Nations groups.

About you:

You are a strategic, influential leader who can hold a long-term, whole-of-system view while working with the practical realities of delivery, affordability and public value. You will bring:

• Significant senior leadership experience in strategic planning, transport and land-use integration, precinct development, regional development or major infrastructure.
• Demonstrated success leading multidisciplinary teams and influencing outcomes across government and major project environments.
• Expertise in strategic land-use, transport, regional and precinct planning, with a strong understanding of planning controls, corridor safeguarding, development readiness and infrastructure sequencing.
• The ability to act as an informed client, translating planning and place outcomes into clear project requirements and constructively challenging engineering and commercial solutions.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills, including the ability to distil complex evidence into clear recommendations for senior decision-makers.
• The resilience and integrity to thrive in a high-risk, high-scrutiny environment, and a commitment to the APS Values.

Relevant tertiary qualifications in planning, transport planning, geography, economics, urban design, architecture, engineering or a related discipline are desirable, as is equivalent senior professional experience.

Eligibility

Employment with the Authority is subject to the conditions prescribed within the Public Service Act 1999. To be eligible, you must:

• Be an Australian citizen & hold a degree or equivalent working experience.
• Hold or be able to obtain a Baseline security clearance & satisfy a National Police check (mandatory pre-employment screening).

RecruitAbility

The High Speed Rail Authority (HSRA) is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce and supporting the employment of people with disability.

As a participating agency in the APS RecruitAbility Scheme, HSRA will progress applicants with disability to a further stage of the recruitment process where they choose to opt into RecruitAbility and demonstrate that they meet the minimum requirements of the role.

If you would like to participate in RecruitAbility, please indicate this when submitting your application.

HSRA is committed to providing reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process to ensure all candidates have an equitable opportunity to participate. Adjustments may include modifications to the recruitment process, accessible formats, specialist equipment, or other practical supports. If you require any adjustments, please include this information in your application or contact the nominated contact officer to discuss your needs.

For further information about the RecruitAbility Scheme, please visit the APS RecruitAbility Scheme Guide for Applicants.

Use of Artificial Intelligence

Before preparing your application for the High Speed Rail Authority (HSRA), please read APSC's Principles for candidate use of AI in recruitment.

These principles are designed to support the responsible use of AI throughout the recruitment process, while ensuring fairness, transparency and the integrity of merit-based selection. They provide clear guidance on how AI may be used to assist with your application, as well as outlining the types of AI use that are not appropriate in APS recruitment processes.

Candidates are expected to comply with these principles and maintain the authenticity and integrity of their application at all stages of the recruitment process.

Next Steps

Applications close on [insert closing date] 11.59pm AEDT.

To apply, please submit your CV together with a suitability statement via this advertisement.

A full position description is available to download on www.robertwalters.com.au/hsra.html or via request to the details below.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples are encouraged to apply.
To apply please click apply or call Jane Lowney on (07) 3032 2252 for a confidential discussion.