Senior Legal Officer

Department Of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry is seeking a Senior Legal Officer to provide high quality in-house legal services, including research, analysis and problem solving for regulatory scientists and policy staff. You will mentor and supervise junior lawyers, delivering initiatives in an inclusive, responsive environment.

Successful applicants will demonstrate strong advisory skills, the ability to handle sensitive matters, and a track record of leading legal teams with 3–6 years

Qualifications

• Identify key legal issues and give accurate, practical legal advice clearly, concisely and in a way that meets client needs.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to foster and build effective relationships as an in-house adviser in a collaborative environment.
• Ability to deal appropriately with sensitive matters that may affect the department, the Public Service and/or the broader community.
• Lead and develop lawyers and manage legal services efficiently and effectively.
• Minimum of 3 to 6 years of relevant post-admission experience.

Responsibilities

• Identify key legal issues and give accurate, practical legal advice clearly and concisely.
• Foster and build effective relationships as an in-house adviser in a collaborative environment.
• Help lead and develop lawyers and manage legal services efficiently and effectively.
• Support regulatory, policy and compliance initiatives within the department.

Skills

Legal research

Legal analysis

In-house advisory

Stakeholder relationships

Mentoring/leadership

Regulatory compliance

Education

Law degree

Job description

Range excludes 15.4% employer super contribution

This is where you play an important role.

Senior Legal Officers provide high quality legal services in an in‑house environment, including legal research, analysis and problem solving. Our highly engaged internal clients are comprised of regulatory scientists and administrative, policy and compliance officers who are passionate about safeguarding and growing sustainable agriculture, fisheries and forestry for Australians. As a Senior Legal Officer, you will be responsible, with your Principal Legal Officer, for motivating, mentoring and supervising legal officers in your team to deliver on initiatives and goals whilst maintaining an inclusive, responsive and effective environment.

Please note that this recruitment process will initially be used to fill one ongoing vacancy and that the role may be able to be performed from either of the locations listed above. The merit pool established through this selection process, which is valid for a period of eighteen months from the date the vacancy was advertised in the Public Service Gazette, may be used to fill future ongoing and non‑ongoing vacancies in the division where the duties are of a similar nature, noting that some vacancies are only available in Canberra.

Who we are looking for

The successful applicants will be able to demonstrate the following:

• The ability to identify key legal issues and give accurate, practical legal advice clearly, concisely and in a way that meets client needs.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to foster and build effective relationships as an in‑house adviser in a collaborative environment.
• The capacity to deal appropriately with sensitive matters that may affect the department, the Public Service and/or the broader community.
• The capability to help lead and develop lawyers and to manage legal services efficiently and effectively.
• Significant previous experience of legal practice, with a minimum of 3 to 6 years of relevant postadmission experience.

Mandatory Qualifications

To be eligible for these positions you are required to hold a degree in law and be eligible to hold an ACT or VIC legal practising certificate

Flexible employment arrangements are available with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.