Senior Legal Counsel ANZ – Construction 8 + PQE

Wolf & Williams; Melbourne; Remote; AUD 170,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Market-leading salary and bonus

Work-from-home flexibility

Career development and support

Job summary

Wolf & Williams is seeking an experienced Senior Legal Counsel to join its established legal team. The role provides commercially astute legal advice across major infrastructure projects in the ANZ region, reporting to the General Counsel.

You will lead front-end construction and project delivery matters, manage multi-party disputes, and mentor junior lawyers. Ideal candidate has 8+ years in front-end construction or project delivery, with private practice and in-house experience preferred.

Qualifications

• 8+ years experience in front-end construction or project delivery.
• Demonstrated ability to lead a project.
• Private practice and in-house experience preferred.
• Commercially astute with a solutions-focused mindset.

Responsibilities

• Lead and project-manage tender processes for major projects from initiation to award.
• Negotiate high-value PPP contracts with deal values from $40 million to $2+ billion.
• Provide strategic legal advice across the lifecycle of major projects.
• Lead management of complex project disputes including settlements and litigation.
• Mentor junior members of the legal team.
• Draft/review project-specific legal documents to support mobilisation.
• Advise on regulatory compliance matters during pre- and post-construction phases.
• Support structuring transactions and negotiations across ANZ region.

Skills

Commercial acumen

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Regulatory compliance

Legal risk management

Education

Bachelor of Laws

Admitted to practice in Australia

Tools

Legal research tools

Job description

Our client is a leading infrastructure services organisation delivering major projects across the Transport Sector. They are seeking an experienced Senior Legal Counsel to join their established Legal team. Operating with a high degree of autonomy, this role will provide commercially astute legal advice to a range of business units. Reporting into the General Counsel you work closely with the broader legal and commercial team.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Leading and project-managing tender processes for major projects (from initiation to award), collaborating closely with the commercial team.
• Negotiating high-value PPP contracts with deal values ranging from $40 million to over $2 billion.
• Provide strategic legal advice to project directors, commercial managers and senior leadership on the full lifecycle of major projects, including contract interpretation, risk allocation, variations, extensions of time and payment claims.
• Lead the management and resolution of complex project disputes, including negotiation of settlements, preparation of claims and defences, and representation in adjudication, arbitration, mediation and litigation.
• Mentoring and developing junior members of the legal team.
• Drafting and reviewing project-specific legal documents, such as letters of intent and framework agreements, to support efficient project mobilisation.
• Partnering with external counsel to advise on regulatory compliance matters, including environmental, planning, and health and safety requirements during the pre- and post-construction phase.
• Assisting in structuring transactions and supporting the negotiation and execution of major project deals across the ANZ region.
• Collaborating with external counsel on health and safety compliance and critical workplace incident investigations; this will involve approximately one site visit per month.
• Providing proactive advice on legal and commercial issues and managing contractual risks to minimise disputes.

Ideal Candidate

• At least 8 years' experience in front-end construction or back/end/ project delivery.
• Be confident leading a project.
• Ideally you have both private practice and in house experience.
• Proven ability to manage complex operational and multi-party issues with a commercially astute, solutions-focused mindset.Ability to think laterally, understand project priorities and business drivers, and drive outcomes that create positive financial impact.

On Offer

• Market-leading salary and bonus
• Work-from-home flexibility
• Career development and support