In-House Construction Contracts Counsel

Sccsinternational; Melbourne; Hybrid; AUD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

BESIX Watpac seeks an in-house lawyer for its Victoria and South Australia construction business unit, based in Melbourne CBD. The role provides advice on contract interpretation, administration on live projects, and risk management to support project teams.

The successful candidate will draft amendments, prepare schedules, and participate in tender, contract and dispute resolution discussions, while reviewing confidentiality agreements and MOUs as required.

Qualifications

• Law degree and current practising certificate, or capacity to hold one.
• 3–7 years of post-qualification experience in construction law.
• Front-end experience in construction law preferred.
• Ability to communicate with and influence all levels of the business.

Responsibilities

• Advise on contract interpretation and administration on live projects.
• Prepare returnable schedules covering proposed departures from the head contract and, where required, the amendments.
• Attend tender, contract and dispute resolution discussions and negotiations.
• Review and amend confidentiality agreements and memoranda of understanding as needed.
• Coordinate external legal counsel in formal disputes.

Skills

Contract interpretation

Risk management

Dispute avoidance

Legal drafting

Construction law

Communication

Education

Law degree

Job description

An in-house legal appointment with the contractor's Victoria and South Australia construction business unit, based in the Melbourne central business district. The posting sets the work out as advice to the business on contract interpretation and administration on live projects, identification of contractual and legal risk, and advice on risk management and dispute avoidance.

The holder prepares returnable schedules covering proposed departures from the head contract and, where required, drafts the amendments. Attendance at tender, contract and dispute resolution discussions and negotiations is named. The role also carries the employer's own template suite of agreements: preparing special conditions so that the templates comply with head contract requirements, and reviewing and responding to departures proposed by subcontractors and consultants.

Confidentiality agreements and memoranda of understanding are reviewed and amended where necessary. On formal legal disputes the holder assists in their management and coordinates external legal counsel. The employer asks for a law degree and a current practising certificate, or the capacity to hold one, with three to seven years of post-qualification experience in construction law, front end experience preferred.

It also asks for the ability to communicate with and influence all levels of the business. BESIX Watpac is the Australian subsidiary of the BESIX group. No salary figure is published.

How to apply

Applications are made to the employer directly. The link below opens the employer's own posting, which is the only place this vacancy is published and the only place its terms are stated.

The details above are taken from the employer's own posting, read on 17-08-2026. Where the posting does not state something, this page says so rather than estimating it. SCCSI is not the employer, is not a recruitment agency and takes no part in the selection.