General Counsel

Australian Fisheries Management Authority; Canberra; On-site; AUD 150,000 - 175,000; Full time

Job summary

Australian Fisheries Management Authority in Canberra is seeking a Senior Legal professional to lead the Legal team and advise the Executive on complex regulatory and contractual matters. You will manage risk, ensure compliance with key fisheries and public service acts, and provide high-level advice on policy, contracts, and employment law.

The role reports to the Chief Operating Officer, Corporate Services Branch, and requires a strategic thinker with proven leadership, independence, and

Qualifications

• Experience providing legal advice across administrative law, litigation, and legislative drafting.
• Ability to lead strategic legislative reform and anticipates legal challenges.
• Experience leading a high-performing legal team and managing stakeholder relationships.

Responsibilities

• Overseeing legal risk and delivering expert and pragmatic legal advice to the Executive and staff.
• Ensuring AFMA compliance with Fisheries and public service legislation and reporting.
• Leading and managing the Legal team to deliver quality outcomes.
• Providing high level advice on contracts, procurement, and employment law.
• Building stakeholder relationships and delivering legal training and guidance.
• Contributing to policy development and reviewing guidelines and legislation.

Skills

Legal advice

Administrative law

Litigation management

Regulatory compliance

Policy development

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Bachelor of Law

Admitted to practice

Job description

• Executive Level 2 ($150,259 - $175,178)
• Legal Section | Corporate Services Branch
• Canberra | Ongoing

Executive Level 2 (10022)

Corporate Services Branch

Canberra

About AFMA

The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) aims to provide ecologically sustainable and economically efficient Commonwealth fisheries, through understanding and monitoring Australia’s marine living resources and regulating and monitoring commercial fishing, including domestic licensing and deterrence of illegal foreign fishing.

About the branch

The Corporate Services Branch is responsible for enabling AFMA to deliver its regulatory and operational objectives through contemporary, sustainable and high-performing corporate services. Working in partnership with business areas across the agency, the branch provides leadership, advice and support across governance, finance, people, technology, legal, communications, property and security functions.

The branch plays a key role in strengthening organisational capability, improving planning and performance, supporting informed decision-making and driving continuous improvement across AFMA. Its focus is on delivering services that are practical, responsive and aligned to the agency's strategic priorities and workforce needs.

About the section

The General Counsel leads the Legal team, which has responsibility for providing legal services and advice to the agency, including the Executive team and CEO. In providing these services, members of the team deal extensively with other teams throughout the agency as well as across the APS. The legal team is responsible for the Privacy function at AFMA.

You will report to the Chief Operating Officer, Corporate Services Branch.

What you will do

The General Counsel role leads the Legal team and assists the Chief Operating Officer, Corporate Services Branch, Branch managers and the AFMA CEO, through the delivery of specialist services by the team, which is responsible for:

• Overseeing legal risk and delivering expert and pragmatic legal advice to the Executive, AFMA Commission, and AFMA staff in support of AFMA’s delivery of its statutory obligations.
• Ensuring AFMA’s compliance with legislation guiding or affecting the day-to-day business of AFMA, primarily the Fisheries Management Act 1991, Torres Strait Fisheries Act 1984, and Fisheries Administration Act 1991.
• Ensuring AFMA’s compliance, effective implementation, and reporting with public service and other enabling legislation, such as the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013, Freedom of Information Act 1982, Privacy Act 1988 and Public Interest Disclosure Act 2013.
• Overseeing civil litigation including ART and Federal Court matters in accordance with the Legal Services Directions.
• Providing leadership and high-quality management of the Legal team.
• Providing high-level legal advice on complex issues across administrative law, regulatory compliance, contracts, and employment law to support AFMA decision-making
• Leading and managing a team of legal professionals, fostering collaboration and aligning team goals with AFMA priorities.
• Overseeing legal risk management and compliance, ensuring AFMA activities adhere to relevant laws and government standards.
• Contributing to policy development by providing legal insights on strategic objectives, and draft/review AFMA guidelines and legislation.
• Reviewing, advising on, and/or providing probity advice on contracts and agreements to protect AFMA interests and facilitate dispute resolution.
• Building and maintaining strong relationships with stakeholders and provide training to enhance legal awareness across AFMA.
• Working with the broader Corporate Branch to ensure streamlined and effective enabling services within AFMA.

Capabilities & Experience

We are looking for someone who:

• has demonstrated extensive legal experience providing legal advice and other services including in the areas of administrative law, litigation, statutory interpretation, legislative drafting, and procurement.
• is capable of leading strategic legislative reform and anticipating legal challenges, assessing risks, and developing practical solutions aligned with AFMA’s objectives.
• has extensive demonstrated experience in developing and effectively leading a high-performing team to provide quality and timely legal and operational outcomes across business areas.
• is skilled in managing priorities, fostering collaboration, and managing stakeholder relationships effectively across AFMA, the government and external partners.
• has demonstrated a strong capability to work with a high level of independence to ensure timely resolution of issues and quality outcomes.
• will have highly effective communication and negotiation skills including those developed through maintaining excellent working relationships with colleagues, other federal and government agencies, industry stakeholders and the public.

Desirable Capabilities & Experience

• Relevant experience in the public sector would be highly regarded, including leading strategic legislative reforms.
• An understanding the legislation mentioned.
• An understanding of AFMA’s purpose, and a commitment to both diversity and work, health, and safety principles.

Eligibility requirements

• be an Australian Citizen;
• hold or be eligible to hold an unrestricted legal practising certificate;
• have the ability to obtain and maintain a Negative Vetting 1 security clearance;
• satisfy the requirements of an Australian Federal Police Check.

Notes

The current opportunity is ongoing. This process may be used to fill similar ongoing and non-ongoing roles in the future.

This position is located in Canberra, ACT. Successful applicants that are currently not based in Canberra must be willing to relocate to Canberra at their own expense.

The selection panel may intend to use Co-pilot to assist in creating the interview assessment commentary for the selection report. Selection panel members will take notes during the interview, with these combined and summarised by Co-pilot. The selection panel will review the proposed assessment commentary and amend if required, to reflect their assessment.

Applications for this role close at 11:59pm (AEST), Monday 5 October 2026.

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