Legal Policy Officer

Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia; Sydney; Sur place; AUD 100 000 - 140 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia seeks a Legal Policy Officer to support the Director and National Operations Team in family violence, access, equity and inclusion. The role focuses on high‑level legal and policy research, preparing briefs, and informing reform and education initiatives across courts nationwide.

You will liaise with internal and external stakeholders, contribute to policy development, and help deliver accessible resources and training.

Qualifications

• Completion of a legal degree or near completion in legal studies.
• Experience undertaking legal or policy research and drafting evidence-informed advice.
• Knowledge of family law and federal law, and familiarity with inclusive policy frameworks.
• Ability to handle confidential information and work under limited direction.

Responsabilités

• Undertake in-depth legal and policy research and analysis.
• Prepare briefings, correspondence, and presentations.
• Analyse data and stakeholder perspectives to identify barriers.
• Develop policies, guidance, forms and accessible resources.
• Coordinate policy and reform projects with work plans.
• Support education content for judiciary and staff.
• Handle sensitive information with confidentiality.
• Support committees with research and advice.
• Communicate with diverse stakeholders to inform recommendations.
• Perform other duties as required.

Connaissances

Legal research

Policy analysis

Policy development

Communication

Formation

Law degree

Outils

Microsoft Copilot

Description du poste

Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia – Sydney NSW

The Legal Policy Officer works within the Family Violence, Access, Equity and Inclusion team in the FCFCOA National Operations Team, reporting to the Director Family Violence | Director Access, Equity and Inclusion (‘Director’). They will also work closely with the staff assisting the Chief Justice and Chief Executive Officer and Principal Registrar (‘CEO/PR’) of the FCFCOA, as required.

The Director provides strategic and specialist advice and support to the Chief Justice and CEO/PR on family safety, access, equity and inclusion. The Director’s work connects evidence, stakeholder expertise and operational experience to identify systemic issues and support coordinated enhancements to Court policy, practice, services and pathways. The role forms part of a National Operations Team working across both Courts in family law, migration, and general federal law.

The Director works closely with the Chief Justice, CEO/PR, Senior Executives (including the Deputy Principal Registrar, Executive Director – National Registrar Operations and Practice, and Executive Director – Court Children’s Service) and the broader National Operations Team, Court and Tribunal Services, Corporate Services and other specialist areas to progress approved improvements across Court functions, services, facilities, digital systems and communications. This includes in-house training and education of Judges, Registrars, Court Child Experts and staff in trauma-informed practice, family and sexual violence, child safety, and access, equity and inclusion. The Director also provides input to key initiatives aimed at enhancing the ability of the Courts to respond to family and sexual violence, child abuse and other safety risks to parties and children and to improve the Courts’ accessibility and inclusion of diverse communities and people facing barriers to participation.

The Legal Policy Officer provides high level legal and policy research, advice and project support to the Director and the Family Violence, Access, Equity and Inclusion team, working with other National Operations staff as required. This includes preparing briefings, correspondence, presentations, reports and submissions and supporting various committees and working groups to inform internal court reform, policy development, case management processes and training and resource development. The role contributes legal and policy expertise to approved national initiatives and continuous improvement in court safety, accessibility and navigation, drawing on research relevant data, operational feedback and stakeholder perspectives. They will liaise with a range of key staff and internal and external stakeholders.

The team’s work supports safer and more accessible participation for children and young people, First Nations people and other marginalised court users, including migrant and refugee communities, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people with disability or neurodivergence, LGBTIQA+ people, and people facing regional, rural, remote or socio-economic barriers to accessing justice.

The role works under limited direction within agreed priorities and is accountable for the quality and timely completion of allocated work to support the Director in their senior role.

The Legal Policy Officer works collaboratively with the Executive Assistant and Project Support Officer, contributing substantive legal and policy expertise to the team’s projects, consultations and education activities. The person appointed to this position will be someone who can demonstrate an understanding of current policy, practice and legal frameworks aimed at addressing family and sexual violence, child safety and intersecting forms of discrimination, and who possesses high-level analytical and communication abilities, is excellent at prioritising work, anticipates what needs to be done and shows great initiative. The successful candidate will also have a commitment to excellence, and will be self-motivated, well organised, efficient, and able to work under pressure.

Some limited travel may be required.

Key Duties

The Legal Policy Officer is responsible for assisting the Director by undertaking a range of duties, including:

• Undertaking in-depth legal and policy research and analysis on topical and emerging issues of family and sexual violence, child abuse, access, equity and inclusion relevant to family, migration, and general federal law, including preparing draft advice, briefings and practical recommendations for the Director to support internal court reform, policy development, case management processes and training and resource development.
• Responding to requests and researching and drafting correspondence, briefings, speaking points, presentations and reports for the Director’s review, including contributions of government reviews, inquiries and law reform processes and material for Judges, Registrars, Government and Parliament.
• Analysing research, relevant data, operational feedback, stakeholder expertise and lived experience perspectives to identify systemic barriers and risks, assess policy options, and support the design and evaluation of approved enhancements.
• Contributing to the development and review of policies, practice guidance, forms, templates and accessible resources for court users, including self-represented litigants, with attention to safety, accessibility and participation.
• Coordinating defined policy and reform projects or components of larger projects under the Director’s guidance, including developing work plans, liaising with relevant operational and specialist areas, analysing implementation risks and dependencies, and preparing evaluation findings and recommendations.
• Supporting the development and evaluation of content for judicial and staff education, including researching and drafting materials, reviewing legal and policy accuracy, liaising with subject matter experts, and analysing participant feedback.
• Handling sensitive material and information confidentially on behalf of the Director and the team, in accordance with privacy, information security and records management requirements;
• Supporting various committees and working groups through legal and policy research, preparation of issues papers and advice, and analysis of matters referred for consideration.
• Communicating effectively with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders to clarify legal and policy issues, contribute to consultation with specialist services, researchers and communities, and analyse evidence and feedback to inform recommendations to the Director; and
• Other duties as required, consistent with the APS6 classification and priorities agreed with the Director.

Eligibility

Mandatory Qualifications

Completion of a legal degree or in final year of legal studies.

Competencies and Experience

• Experience undertaking legal or policy research, preparing evidence-informed advice or written materials, or contributing to policy and reform projects in a professional environment, such as a court, law firm, research or social service agency, or Government.
• Knowledge of family law, and familiarity with general federal law and the Federal courts system.
• Knowledge of policy, practice and legal frameworks aimed at addressing family and sexual violence, child safety, accessibility and inclusion, and intersecting forms of discrimination.
• Familiarity with the principles of public sector governance and accountability and the distinction between Court administration and judicial decision-making.
• Experience analysing consultation findings, preparing policy advice for committees, or developing education and resources is desirable.

Selection Criteria

• Demonstrated high-level organisational and follow-through skills, including attention to detail, excellent time-management skills, the ability to work in a fast‑paced environment, to deliver allocated policy and project work under limited direction, set and manage priorities, work effectively under pressure and apply planning and problem‑solving skills.
• Professional discretion, including tact and diplomacy, and an understanding of how to handle sensitive information with a high level of confidentiality and discretion.
• Advanced oral and written communication and liaison skills; the ability to communicate effectively and sensitively with stakeholders in various roles and disciplines, and with people from diverse cultural and language groups, including communicating accessibly and applying culturally responsive and trauma-informed approaches.
• Well‑developed interpersonal skills, sound judgment and the ability to develop and maintain productive working relationships with key staff and a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated understanding of current policy, practice and legal frameworks aimed at addressing family and sexual violence, child safety and intersecting forms of discrimination and high‑level analytical abilities and aptitude for undertaking legal, policy and social research and translating findings into clear advice and practical resources.
• Sound IT proficiency, including Microsoft applications, working with data and preparing accessible documents, and an aptitude to learn web‑based applications and approved AI tools, including Microsoft Copilot, with sound judgment in verifying outputs and meeting Court requirements for confidentiality, privacy, information security and records management.
• A demonstrated understanding and commitment to the application of the Australian Public Service (APS) Values, to abide by the APS Code of Conduct and the ability to comply with the principles of Workplace Diversity, Accessibility, Inclusion and Work Health and Safety.

Eligibility

Employment with the Court is subject to the conditions prescribed in the Public Service Act 1999, and the following:

• Australian citizenship – the successful applicant must hold Australian citizenship.
• Security and character clearance – the successful applicant must satisfy a Police Records Check and may also be required to complete security clearances during the course of their employment.
• Successful applicants engaged into the APS will be subject to a probation period.

Interested candidates who have received a redundancy benefit from an APS agency are welcome to apply but note that they cannot be engaged until their redundancy benefit period has expired.

Diversity and Inclusion

Federal Court Australia is committed to supporting an inclusive and diverse workforce and welcomes and encourages applications from People with Disability.

First Nations peoples, LGBTIQA+ people, people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds, mature age workers, as well as young workers and supporting an inter‑generational workforce and supporting gender equity and families.

Federal Court Australia will provide reasonable adjustments for candidates to participate equitably in the recruitment process and discuss workplace adjustments to fulfil the inherent requirements of the role.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in recruitment

Candidates may use AI tools to assist with their participation in this recruitment process unless otherwise advised. Where AI tools are used, candidates are responsible for ensuring that all information submitted is transparent, accurate, and genuinely reflects their own skills, capabilities, and experience.

For more information, see: Principles for candidate use of AI in Recruitment

Getting to know the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia

The Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia Act 2021 (FCFCOA Act), which came into effect on 1 September 2021, merged the Family Court of Australia and the Federal Circuit Court of Australia into a unified court system known as the FCFCOA.The FCFCOA (Division 1) is a superior court that handles the most complex family law cases and serves as the appellate court for family law matters. It operates nationwide, except in Western Australia.The FCFCOA (Division 2), a federal court, shares jurisdiction over family law and child support with Division 1, but also handles general federal law matters, such as administrative law, bankruptcy, intellectual property, and migration law.The Federal Court of Australia entity engages employees under the Public Service Act 1999 to support the Federal Court, the FCFCOA (Divisions 1 and 2), and the National Native Title Tribunal. Established by the 2016 Courts Administration Legislation Amendment Act, each court retains its own identity and judicial independence. FCFCOA employees are covered by the Federal Court Enterprise Agreement 2024–2027.