Legal & Compliance Officer

Sungrow; Sydney; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Sungrow is seeking a commercially minded Legal & Compliance Officer to support Australia operations, reporting to the Compliance Manager. The role covers commercial contracts, competition and consumer law, customer matters and internal compliance frameworks, with a focus on practical in-house solutions.

The ideal candidate has at least 2 years’ post-admission legal experience, strong drafting skills and a current Australian practising certificate, with interest in renewables industry exposure.

Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years of post-admission legal experience.
• Strong drafting and negotiation of commercial contracts.
• Current Australian practising certificate.
• Good understanding of Australian commercial law and Australian Consumer Law.
• Ability to provide practical, commercially focused legal advice.

Responsibilities

• Review, draft and negotiate a range of commercial agreements (NDAs, direct sales, supply, LTSAs, distribution, service, consultancy, customer and supplier agreements).
• Provide commercially focused legal advice across business functions and maintain templates and guidelines.
• Assist in engaging and managing external legal counsel and tracking spend.
• Advise on competition and consumer law issues, pricing, promotions and customer representations.
• Provide day-to-day legal support for office leases, employment matters, onboarding and HR policies.
• Develop and maintain an Australian compliance framework, policies, SOPs and controls.
• Deliver practical compliance training and staff guidance.
• Support contract management framework including records, approvals and renewal tracking.
• Monitor legal/regulatory developments and escalate risks.

Skills

Commercial contract review

Legal drafting

Australian consumer law

Legal research

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Independent work

Education

Bachelor of Laws / JD

Tools

Contract management systems

Job description

We are seeking a commercially minded Legal & Compliance Officer to support the company’s legal, compliance and operational activities in Australia. Working closely with the Compliance Manager and key business teams, the role will provide practical legal support across commercial contracts, competition and consumer law, customer matters, and internal compliance frameworks.

The ideal candidate will have at least 2 years’ post-admission legal experience, strong commercial drafting skills and a current Australian practising certificate, with an interest in developing broader in-house experience in the renewable energy sector.

Key Responsibilities

1. Commercial Contract Review and Legal Support

Review, draft and negotiate a range of commercial agreements, including:

• Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs);
• direct sales and supply contracts;
• Long-Term Service Agreements (LTSAs);
• distribution and reseller agreements;
• service and consultancy agreements;
• customer and supplier agreements; and
• other commercial arrangements arising from the company’s Australian operations.

Provide commercially focused legal advice across business functions, identify and mitigate legal and commercial risks, and maintain contract templates, standard clauses and internal contracting guidelines.

2. External Legal Counsel Management

Support the Compliance Manager in engaging and managing external legal counsel.

Responsibilities include:

• preparing instructions and background materials for external counsel;
• obtaining and reviewing legal fee proposals;
• coordinating legal advice and external legal workstreams;
• tracking external legal spend;
• reviewing external legal advice and translating it into practical internal actions; and
• maintaining appropriate records of legal advice and external counsel engagements.

3. Competition, Consumer Law and Customer Complaints

Provide legal and compliance support to the direct sales and distribution businesses on Australian competition and consumer law matters, including issues arising under:

• the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth);
• the Australian Consumer Law;
• ACCC requirements and guidance; and

Advise on legal and compliance issues relating to:

• distributor and reseller arrangements;
• pricing, discounts and rebate structures;
• sales promotions and marketing practices;
• customer representations;
• product and warranty matters;
• customer complaints and disputes; and
• escalation of potential regulatory or consumer law risks.

Assist with the management and resolution of customer complaints, including matters that may involve Fair Trading bodies, consumer tribunals or external legal advisers.

4. Operational Legal Support

Provide day-to-day legal support for the company’s Australian operations, including:

• office, warehouse and other commercial leases;
• employment-related legal matters;
• recruitment and onboarding issues;
• employment contracts and workplace policies;
• probation, performance management, redeployment and termination processes;
• supplier and contractor arrangements;
• operational disputes; and
• other general corporate and commercial matters.

Work closely with HR, Finance, Operations and management to provide practical legal guidance on business activities.

5. Compliance Framework and SOP Development

Assist with the development, implementation and maintenance of the company’s Australian compliance framework.

Responsibilities include:

• drafting and updating compliance policies and procedures;
• developing and maintaining SOPs for direct sales and distribution activities;
• supporting the implementation of compliance controls;
• identifying compliance risks and recommending mitigation measures;
• maintaining compliance registers and internal records;
• monitoring implementation of compliance requirements across business teams; and
• supporting periodic compliance reviews and internal audits.

6. Key Compliance Programs

Support the development and ongoing implementation of compliance programs relating to:

• competition and consumer law;
• anti-bribery and anti-corruption;
• modern slavery;
• conflicts of interest;
• gifts and hospitality;
• whistleblower requirements;
• privacy and data protection;
• sanctions and trade compliance, where applicable;
• marketing and customer communications; and
• other legal and regulatory requirements relevant to the Australian business.

Assist with reviewing global or headquarters policies and adapting them for Australian legal and regulatory requirements.

7. Compliance Training

Develop and deliver practical compliance training to business teams.

Training topics may include:

• competition law and ACCC compliance;
• Australian Consumer Law;
• anti-bribery and anti-corruption;
• modern slavery;
• contract management;
• conflicts of interest;
• sales and distribution compliance; and
• internal compliance policies and escalation requirements.

Prepare training materials, guidance notes, FAQs and practical compliance tools for employees.

8. Contract Management

Support the development and maintenance of the company’s contract management framework.

Responsibilities include:

• maintaining contract records and contract registers;
• supporting appropriate contract approval and execution processes;
• monitoring key contractual obligations, expiry dates and renewal dates;
• maintaining standard templates and approved clauses;
• supporting document filing and record retention;
• improving contract review and approval workflows; and
• supporting implementation and use of contract management systems.

9. Legal and Compliance Monitoring

• Monitor relevant Australian legal and regulatory developments that may affect the business.
• Provide concise updates to the Compliance Manager and relevant business stakeholders and assist with implementation of required changes.
• Escalate material legal, regulatory and compliance risks to the Compliance Manager in a timely manner.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Laws, Juris Doctor or equivalent recognised legal qualification.
• Admitted to practise as a lawyer in an Australian jurisdiction.
• Minimum 2 years of post-admission legal practice experience.
• Current Australian practising certificate.
• Experience in commercial contract review, drafting and negotiation.
• Good understanding of Australian commercial law, contract law and Australian Consumer Law.
• Strong legal research, drafting and analytical skills.
• Ability to provide practical, commercially focused legal advice rather than purely technical legal analysis.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• High level of attention to detail and ability to manage multiple matters simultaneously.
• Ability to work independently while appropriately escalating material legal and compliance risks.

Highly Desirable

• Previous in-house legal or compliance experience.
• Experience supporting sales, distribution, manufacturing, technology, energy or renewable energy businesses.
• Experience with competition law, ACCC compliance or distribution arrangements.
• Experience handling customer complaints or consumer law disputes.
• Experience in employment law and general corporate operational matters.
• Experience developing compliance policies, SOPs, compliance training or internal compliance programs.
• Experience managing external legal counsel.
• Experience with contract management systems or legal operations.