Chief Counsel

Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry; Canberra; On-site; AUD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A government department in Canberra is seeking a Chief Counsel to lead their legal function. This role involves providing strategic legal advice to senior executives, managing legal risks, and ensuring compliance with legal obligations. The ideal candidate will have significant experience influencing leadership, exceptional problem-solving skills, and the ability to navigate complex legal landscapes. This position is crucial for shaping the national legal strategy and supporting Australia's agricultural industries.

Qualifications

• Proven experience providing high-level strategic legal advice.
• Exceptional ability to navigate ambiguity and provide guidance.
• Ability to drive broad transformational change.

Responsibilities

• Lead the department’s legal function.
• Provide independent, strategic legal advice.
• Manage the department’s litigation.

Skills

Strategic legal advice

Stakeholder engagement

Leadership skills

Managing legal risks

Complex problem-solving

Education

Degree in Law

Admitted as a legal practitioner

Job description

Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry – Canberra ACT

Step into a key leadership role as Chief Counsel at DAFF, where you'll shape national legal strategy, advise senior leaders, and drive outcomes that protect and grow Australia’s agricultural industries. If you're a bold legal thinker ready to lead with integrity and influence, apply now to make a lasting impact.

The Key Duties of the Position

As the Chief Counsel, you will lead the department’s legal function, providing independent, strategic, and high‑quality legal advice to the Secretary, senior executives, and portfolio Ministers. Your leadership will ensure that legal risks are appropriately managed across the department, and that the department is supported in navigating complex legal landscapes. You will guide the development and delivery of legal strategies in an agile and evolving environment, considering both the immediate and long‑term needs of the department and the whole‑of‑government perspective.

Responsibilities

• Supporting portfolio Ministers, the Secretary, and the Senior Executive Service to manage legal risk
• Providing legal advice to the Secretary and Minister
• Leading a team that delivers independent, high quality, timely and practical legal advice that contributes to department outcomes and appropriately manages legal risk
• Managing the department’s litigation, including administrative law litigation, commercial disputes, work health and safety matters and claims of negligence in a range of Courts and Tribunals
• Managing the department’s Freedom of Information, CDDA and Privacy work in accordance with the law
• Leading and managing the Legal and Governance Division’s budget
• Being an informed purchaser of legal services on behalf of the department and managing external legal service providers
• Developing and maintaining co‑operative working relationships with senior internal and external stakeholders
• Complying with the General Counsel Charter and Statement of expectations of Australian Government lawyers
• Promoting organisational objectives, ethics, and values in the delivery of high quality, timely legal services

Qualifications

To be successful in the role you will need to meet the Senior Executive Service capability for the SES Band 2 level, and you will have the following:

• Proven experience providing high‑level strategic legal advice and support, influencing senior leadership, and aligning legal strategies with both departmental and whole‑of‑government objectives
• Exceptional ability to navigate ambiguity and provide clear guidance in complex and uncertain scenarios. A demonstrated capacity to work effectively when clear‑cut answers are not available
• Ability to drive broad transformational change, both internal and external to the department
• Outstanding leadership skills, a substantial record of achievement and a reputation for innovation, integrity and delivery of results
• Excellent stakeholder relationship skills and experience in engaging with internal and external stakeholders at all levels to explore opportunities and solve complex problems
• Demonstrating a strategic perspective and ability to manage competing demands and work to tight deadlines
• Highly developed management and stakeholder engagement skills and ability to represent the department at a range of forums
• Ability to communicate effectively with all audiences, be articulate and persuasive and capable of guiding negotiations to a point of resolution in a facilitative way
• Demonstrated public service professionalism and probity

Eligibility

Mandatory requirements

• The department requires the successful candidate to obtain and maintain a Negative Vetting Level 2 security clearance.
• You are required to hold a degree in Law, be admitted as a legal practitioner in an Australian court and be eligible to hold an unrestricted legal practising certificate.