General Manager, Legal — Construction & Rail Infrastructure

High Speed Rail Authority; Sydney; On-site; AUD 260,000 - 360,000; Full time

Job summary

High Speed Rail Authority seeks a senior construction and major projects lawyer to lead the legal, commercial and contractual strategy for the national rail program. This executive role requires governance, risk management and strategic oversight across multi-billion dollar projects.

You will provide authoritative advice to the CEO and board committees, shape procurement strategies and manage complex disputes, with a focus on safety, compliance and value-for-money delivery.

Qualifications

• A law degree and current Australian practising certificate, with a minimum of 10 years post-admission experience in construction, major projects or infrastructure.
• Extensive experience in major infrastructure and construction law, including EPC and D&C, PPP and alliance contracting.
• Strong capability negotiating high value, multi-party contracts, managing complex disputes and advising on delivery phase issues.
• Applied knowledge of rail construction interfaces across civil, systems, signalling and ETCS, stations, commissioning and safety accreditation.
• Expertise in project procurement, commercial risk allocation and contract management within large public sector programs.
• A strong understanding of governance, accountability frameworks and public value stewardship, with experience working with or within Commonwealth agencies.
• Proven leadership capability, with a minimum of three years managing teams, and the ability to communicate complex legal issues clearly to non-legal audiences.

Responsibilities

• Lead the legal strategy for all rail construction programs, establishing governance, assurance and decision making frameworks, and maintaining the legal policies, delegations and templates that ensure consistency and probity.
• Provide authoritative advice to the CEO, Executive Leadership Team and Audit & Risk Committee on construction risk, contract positions, dispute exposure and contractual compliance.
• Lead legal input into procurement strategies and project structuring, including PPP, D&C, alliance and systems integration contracting models, alternative financing, market engagement, risk transfer strategies and concession arrangements.
• Oversee the drafting, negotiation and approval of major construction, systems, station and enabling works contracts, ensuring robust risk allocation and scope clarity.
• Lead legal strategy for complex interface arrangements between civil, systems, rolling stock, operators, utility providers and government stakeholders, and advise project leads across ECI development phase activities.
• Provide timely, pragmatic advice to Project Directors on major contractual issues, and oversee claims management across extensions of time, delays, latent conditions, variations and defects.
• Lead dispute resolution strategy, including negotiation, adjudication, expert determination, mediation and litigation, and manage the external legal services panel for quality, cost control and value for money.
• Ensure program compliance with rail specific legislation covering rail safety, WHS, environment and planning, and oversee statutory land matters, probity, FOI and information governance frameworks.
• Lead and develop a high performing legal team and strengthen legal literacy and commercial capability across the Authority.

Skills

Negotiation

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Legal expertise

Stakeholder management

Communication

Education

Law degree

Australian practising certificate

Job description

High Speed Rail Authority seeks a senior construction and major projects lawyer to lead the legal, commercial and contractual strategy for the national rail program. This executive role requires governance, risk management and strategic oversight across multi-billion dollar projects.

You will provide authoritative advice to the CEO and board committees, shape procurement strategies and manage complex disputes, with a focus on safety, compliance and value-for-money delivery.