Deputy General Counsel

Department Of Justice And Community Safety; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 241,000 - 310,000; Full time

Job summary

Department of Justice and Community Safety in Victoria is recruiting a Deputy General Counsel to provide leadership within the Office of the General Counsel. This fixed, full-time role (up to 5 years) reports to the Executive Director and General Counsel and oversees a team of subject matter experts.

You will deliver sophisticated, independent legal advice across public law, commercial and regulatory matters, guide policy and litigation support, and work closely with Ministers and DJCS business

Qualifications

• Tertiary qualifications in law and admission as a legal practitioner with a current practising certificate.
• Experience leading legal teams and proven track record in people management within a complex organisation.
• Advocacy, regulatory prosecutions or criminal law experience is highly regarded.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage legal teams and oversee delivery of legal services to DJCS and Ministers.
• Provide sophisticated, authoritative, solutions-based independent counsel across the full spectrum of issues faced by DJCS.

Skills

Leadership

People management

Strategic thinking

Negotiation

Communication

Education

Law degree

Admission to practice

Job description

Play a key leadership role within the Office of the General Counsel. Fixed, Full-Time opportunity (Up to 5 years). SES Grade 1 : $240,938 - $310,385 Total Renumeration Package.

The Department of Justice and Community Safety is seeking a Deputy General Counsel to provide a critical role within the Office of the General Counsel.

About the Business Unit The Office of the General Counsel is responsible for providing in-house legal services across the Department of Justice and Community Safety (DJCS) and supports the Attorney-General as First Law Officer, each of DJCS's ministerial portfolios. The Office of the General Counsel provides legal advice across a range of public law, commercial and regulatory matters and support in relation to litigation and disputes involving DJCS, its Ministers or portfolio entities. The Office of the General Counsel delivers high quality and cost-effective legal services to DJCS business units and assists with the engagement of external legal service providers such as the Victorian Government Solicitor's Office, Legal Services Panel firms, and counsel.

About the Role Reporting to the Executive Director and General Counsel, there are four Deputy General Counsels who have management responsibility for teams of subject matter experts led by Managers. Deputy General Counsels each have responsibility for overseeing the delivery of the full span of legal services to a defined cohort of DJCS business units and Ministers. The Deputy General Counsels play a key leadership role within the Office of General Counsel, working closely with the General Counsel to ensure our clients are provided with timely and sophisticated legal advice and solutions, and providing people leadership and strategic guidance to the Office of the General Counsel.

Some of your duties will include :

• Play a key leadership role in the Office of the General Counsel and ensure the efficient and effective performance of its functions in accordance with strategic and operational plans
• Identify and resolve all issues referred to or emerging from the Office of the General Counsel's work that could affect DJCS's or its portfolio Ministers' interests.
• Provide sophisticated, authoritative, solutions-based independent counsel across the full spectrum of issues faced by DJCS and its portfolios.

To learn more about this role before applying, please read the attached position description.

About you To be successful in this role, you will have :

• Demonstrated ability to co-lead and manage legal teams, (including staff and project management and legal services procurement.
• Highly developed conceptual and analytical skills and a proven ability to provide sophisticated, authoritative, concise, solutions-based legal advice on legal and policy matters arising across the full span of DJCS and in the operations of government.
• Extensive leadership and management experience, demonstrated at a senior level.
• Highly-developed communication, relationship management and negotiation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to provide judicious, strategic, pragmatic and feasible solutions to issues relating to government.
• Sound strategic thinking skills combined with an expert understanding of how to work across Government.
• A proven ability to work in a sustained way and deliver results under pressure.

Qualifications / requirements

• Relevant tertiary qualifications in law and admission as a legal practitioner with a current practising certificate.
• Demonstrated experience in leading legal teams and proven track record in people management within a complex organisation.
• Candidates with demonstrated experience in advocacy, regulatory prosecutions or criminal law will be highly regarded.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION : CHILD SAFE STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT : The Department of Justice and Community Safety is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. We seek to prevent harm of any kind impacting children and young people and have zero tolerance for racism, child abuse and inequality. Children and young people's rights, relationships, identity, and culture must be recognised and respected, their voices heard, and their concerns acted upon. We aim to foster a culturally safe, child safe and child friendly environment for all children and young people we have contact with, deliver services to, or are impacted by our work.