Manager Design & Placemaking Services

Why work with us?

At Council, we’re proud of our region. We collaborate with community to achieve truly sustainable outcomes, enhance our enviable lifestyle, and create award-winning places and spaces that are uniquely Sunshine Coast. So, if you love it here as much as we do, and you want to shape our region for the future – you’ll want to join our team!

With the vision to be Australia’s most sustainable region -Connected. Liveable. Thriving, our region is a model of sustainability, where caring for our environment, creating vibrant communities and growing our local economy is a way of life.

About the Role

The Design & Placemaking Branch plays a key role in embedding Sunshine Coast Design principles into council projects, ensuring sustainable, high-quality infrastructure aligned with community needs. You’ll guide long-term planning, support major projects, and contribute to the region’s liveability and growth.

As Manager Design and Placemaking Services, you’ll lead a multidisciplinary branch delivering strategic design outcomes across placemaking, landscape architecture, and engineering design. Your work will shape the Sunshine Coast’s public spaces, transport infrastructure, and precinct master plans.

• Strategic Leadership: Drive the long-term vision and annual planning for the Design and Placemaking Services Branch, aligning with Council’s Corporate and Operational Plans to deliver region-shaping infrastructure and public spaces.
• Multidisciplinary Oversight: Lead three specialist teams, Placemaking, Landscape Architecture, and Engineering Design & Surveying, to deliver high-quality, sustainable design outcomes across streetscapes, parks, transport, and precinct master plans.
• Executive-Level Project Management: Provide expert design and project leadership for major capital works and special initiatives, ensuring integration of Sunshine Coast Design principles and alignment with community and stakeholder expectations.
• Governance and Operational Excellence: Oversee compliance, financial management, risk, safety, and human resources across the branch, fostering a high-performance culture that reflects Council’s values and commitment to excellence.

About you

You’re a strategic leader with a clear vision for urban design and placemaking, capable of guiding multidisciplinary teams to deliver high-impact infrastructure and public space outcomes.

Your experience spans urban design, landscape architecture, and placemaking, with a proven ability to deliver complex projects in large, diverse organisations across public and private sectors.

You bring expertise in project and financial management, stakeholder engagement, and change leadership, with a track record of driving innovation and aligning outcomes with organisational goals and community needs.

You hold a recognised degree in Civil Engineering or a related field, ideally supported by postgraduate qualifications in business or commerce, giving you a strong foundation in both technical and commercial leadership.

Our Culture & Employee Benefits

Council is committed to creating an inclusive, culturally diverse, healthy, skilled and dedicated workplace culture. As an employee you will enjoy a range of benefits and working styles to suit you:

• Wellbeing: Your wellbeing is important to us therefore we offer a number of different initiatives such as discounted health related memberships, fitness passport, employee assistance program and development opportunities. 
• Flexibility: We know it is important to balance life and work, therefore we offer flexible working arrangements and a hybrid WFH model that help you be your best.
• Extras: Those extras make a difference therefore we offer salary packaging options on novated leases, superannuation, smartphones and devices.

How to apply

Your written application should include:

• A 1-2 page cover letter demonstrating your ability to fulfil the mandatory and desirable requirements on the Position Profile. Keep the key responsibilities in mind when addressing this criteria; and
• A current resume or curriculum vitae.

Once you have these two documents ready, click ‘Apply Now’ and follow the prompts to complete your application.

Please note: We are unable to accept applications via email, so please kindly follow instructions above.

Further Information

Helpful information to assist you in completing your application is available on the Sunshine Coast Council website.

To learn more about Council’s vision and projects, you can view the Corporate Plan 2025-2030.

For specific enquiries contact Scott Whitaker during business hours on 0419 110 375.

We're working hard to create an inclusive workplace that reflects the diverse community we serve. If you require adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process, please reach out to the Recruitment Team [email protected].

At Sunshine Coast Council, we embrace differences in gender, age, ethnicity, race, cultural background including First Nations, disability, religion and sexual orientation. To deliver the best service to our region we want a workforce that reflects the diverse community that we serve. Sunshine Coast Council strongly encourages all suitable applicants to apply for this role.