Senior Legal Officer

The Australian Workers Union; Cumberland; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

The Australian Workers Union is seeking a Senior Legal Officer to provide strategic legal and industrial advice to the Granville NSW Branch. You will advocate in the Fair Work Commission and other courts, defend member rights, and review collective agreements to ensure compliance.

You will lead a small legal team, mentor paralegals, and prepare material for major disputes and variations. Strong employment law experience and advocacy are essential.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated commitment to union values
• Extensive employment law experience at a trade union, employment law firm or an employment-law specific in-house role
• Well-developed written and verbal communication skills, with strong attention to detail
• Ability to work autonomously and to demonstrate initiative
• Strong advocacy skills and the ability to represent the AWU in hearings and conferences
• Drafting enterprise agreements and assisting with enterprise bargaining

Responsibilities

• Advocacy before the Fair Work Commission, New South Wales Industrial Relations Commission and Chief Industrial Magistrate's Court
• Providing advice and support to the Branch around a range of industrial and legal matters including disciplinary matters, dispute resolution, discrimination, harassment, bullying, redundancy, unfair dismissal, and adverse action
• Drafting enterprise agreements and assisting with enterprise bargaining
• Providing support and mentoring to legal officers and paralegals
• Preparing material for and appearing in significant industrial disputes, including Modern Award variation applications

Skills

Union values alignment

Employment law experience

Team player

Autonomy

Written communication

Advocacy skills

Job description

The Australian Workers Union – Granville NSW

The Senior Legal Officer is responsible for providing effective legal and industrial advice and representation to the Branch. The branch legal team protects the interests of the AWU and its members through advocacy in the Fair Work Commission, the NSW Industrial Relations Commission, the Chief Industrial Magistrate's Court and the Federal and Federal Circuit Courts. The team disputes unfair dismissals and other unjust employer conduct, recovers underpayments for workers, reviews collective agreements for compliance with minimum standards, and contests approvals of non-compliant collective agreements in our industries.

Key responsibilities

• Advocacy before the Fair Work Commission, New South Wales Industrial Relations Commission and Chief Industrial Magistrate's Court
• Providing advice and support to the Branch around a range of industrial and legal matters including disciplinary matters, dispute resolution, discrimination, harassment, bullying, redundancy, unfair dismissal, and adverse action
• Drafting enterprise agreements and assisting with enterprise bargaining
• Providing support and mentoring to legal officers and paralegals
• Preparing material for and appearing in significant industrial disputes, including Modern Award variation applications

About you

• Demonstrated commitment to union values
• Extensive employment law experience at a trade union, employment law firm or an employment-law specific in-house role
• Comfortable and adept at working in a team environment
• Ability to work autonomously and to demonstrate initiative
• Well-developed written and verbal communication skills, with strong attention to detail
• Strong advocacy skills and the ability to represent the AWU in hearings and conferences

About us

The Australian Workers' Union (AWU) is the nation's oldest and one of its most influential trade unions, representing approximately 70,000 working Australians. We are a diverse union, representing workers across industries including manufacturing, steel, aluminium, glass, oil and gas, aviation, agriculture, construction, state public services, local government, health, food, resources, events and aquaculture. Getting the best outcome for our members is at the heart of what we do. The Branch legal team is located at the AWU's office in Granville NSW, the headquarters of both our New South Wales Branch and National Office.