Job Description

Merri-bek City Council is a progressive council of 180,000 residents: one community, proudly diverse. Our council area sits within the banks of the Merri Creek and the Moonee Ponds Creek, and includes Brunswick, Coburg, Fawkner, Glenroy, Gowanbrae, Hadfield, Oak Park and Pascoe Vale. Our city is vibrant and energetic, known for its active community, cultural diversity, strong design focus, creative industries and the arts. Our long-term vision has ambitious goals for environmental sustainability, social justice, community wellbeing, and creating great places. With the Civic Centre located in Coburg, 8 kilometres north of Melbourne’s CBD, there are excellent public transport options and great food and cafés right at the doorstep.

Merri-bek Council strives to be a contemporary, innovative and collaborative organisation with a deep commitment to engaging and supporting the Merri-bek community.  Our organisational vision is to be one team, brave and diverse, making a difference.

Reporting to the Manager City Design and Economy and as a key member of the leadership team, this position is tasked with delivery of the Urban Design Unit work program of high quality, sustainable design and revitalisation of better places in Merri-bek. The Unit Manager leads a small team of Urban Designers, including Seniors and Principals, who develop and deliver streetscape, public realm and civic spaces in the municipality. The Urban Design Unit leads on design and community engagement and is generally the internal client working with council’s capital works area on infrastructure delivery.

The Unit Manager also oversees the team’s delivery of innovative solutions to the achievement of better development outcomes across Merri-bek through design advice on planning applications, strategic planning projects, and Council’s virtual reality community engagement on urban design and infrastructure projects.

Key responsibilities include: 

• Working across Council to ensure cross-disciplinary delivery of integrated projects – and a collaborative approach to infrastructure design and delivery programs run by Urban Design, Transport, Sustainability, Open Space and Capital Works areas.
• Liaising with external stakeholders, including State Government, peak bodies, the community and other relevant agencies to ensure appropriate involvement and input to the Urban Design Unit’s work program and delivery.
• Planning Merri-bek’s short, medium and long-term needs for urban design – including through Council’s upcoming Places for People strategy. This includes working closely with the community and Council to understand their priorities and aspirations for Merri-bek’s public realm.
• Leading staff within the Urban Design Unit to deliver the work program and project managing a program of complex urban design projects.
• Leading the co-ordination, implementation and continuing effectiveness of the Unit’s processes and systems to provide efficient completion of projects that are cost effective, innovative, practical and facilitate excellent customer service standards.

Applications are sought from experienced urban design professionals who bring excellent communication and leadership skills, with the ability to set strategic direction for a range of high-profile projects. The role requires a comprehensive understanding of current urban design and landscape architectural principles and practices, with substantial experience in project managing major urban design projects including public realm improvements within agreed quality standards, timelines and budgets.

Tertiary qualifications in urban design, architecture, landscape architecture or a related discipline will be expected, with substantial knowledge and experience in working at a senior level in urban design, focussing on delivery of high quality, sustainable urban design and revitalisation of places. Excellent CAD, graphic design and modelling skills as relevant to urban design are also required. Generalist skills in collaboration, engagement, and stakeholder management are also important for this role.

Download a copy of the position description by copying https://tinyurl.com/uz54y75u into your browser or contact Charlie Cole on Charlie@camdensearch.com.au with any specific questions. Applications close on Tuesday 18th November and should include a CV and cover letter that broadly addresses your suitability. All enquiries will be treated with absolute confidentiality.