Consultant - Planning and Approvals

Job Summary
As part of the continued growth of our services in the energy and resources sectors, ERM has an exciting opportunity for an Environmental Approvals Specialist / Environmental Planning Consultant to join our team in Newcastle/ Sydney.

Why This Role Matters
We are looking for someone with a keen interest in supporting decarbonization efforts and helping drive forward the development of large-scale power (renewables, transmission and distribution) projects, as well as infrastructure, Government and defence, mining and manufacturing projects. This is an excellent opportunity for professional consultants looking to advance their career with a global leader.

What Your Impact Is

You will help deliver high-quality work that drives impactful programs for our clients, while building strong relationships and contributing fresh ideas to improve our services. Through collaboration and continuous learning, you will strengthen our culture and create opportunities that support long-term success for both clients and the firm.

Key Responsibilities

• Leading and/ or supporting a wide variety of environmental approvals for the power, infrastructure, Government and defence, mining and manufacturing sectors. Environmental approvals will cover Commonwealth, State and local jurisdictions as applicable.
• Collaborating with other ERM national and global practitioners to execute projects. Participate on teams composed of multi-disciplinary professionals from multiple offices around the global ERM organization.
• Developing skills including technical skills, project experience, and general consulting and decision-making skills.
• Contributing to proposal development, including development of technical scopes and cost estimates in accordance with ERM's policies and processes.
• When required, directing and monitoring project management activities related to projects, including task delegation and direction, subcontractor management, health & safety protocol management, monitoring of commercial performance, quality review of deliverables, and interaction with clients.
• Working with other global ERM resources to deepen relationships with ERM key clients to expand ERM's profile and market share in the global mining as well as future energies' markets (through a combination of excellence in technical delivery and business development support).

Requirements:

• Bachelor's in environmental planning or science, or related discipline.
• 2 + years of relevant experience (power, infrastructure, Government and defence, mining and manufacturing including environmental approvals/ permitting and/or management. Consulting industry experience highly desirable.
• Experience with and an understanding of the environmental / planning approvals process applicable to NSW projects. Experience with environmental approvals for State Significant Development (SSD) desirable
• Experience in managing approvals for power, infrastructure, Government and defence, mining or manufacturing sector is desirable.
• Strong knowledge of project management and experience working as part of an integrated team.
• Critical thinking skills - i.e. able to synthesize large amounts of data into meaningful outcomes.
• Excellent report writing, data collation and management/presentation skills.
• Motivated to proactively contribute to a team environment, share knowledge, skills and idea.

APAC Ready to Lead Way

At ERM, your work creates impact that matters, helping global organizations tackle the most pressing sustainability challenges while shaping a better future for communities and the environment. Our vision is to empower you to grow, lead, and innovate alongside world-class clients on transformative projects. We prioritize wellbeing, continuous learning, and an inclusive culture where collaboration, expertise, and purpose drive meaningful impact. At ERM, diverse perspectives are celebrated, and innovation thrives. If you are ready to make sustainability your mission and build a career that creates lasting change, your journey starts here.

You can apply for this role through Careers or through the internal careers portal if you are a current employee.

Discover Life at ERM
Curious about our culture and what makes ERM a great place to grow your career? Explore these resources to learn more about our people, values, and the impact we create:

Talent Brochure: TM - Candidate brochure

Life at ERM: Life at ERM