Senior Legal Support Officer

Australian Department of Industry, Science and Resources; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work arrangements

Job summary

Australian Department of Industry, Science and Resources is seeking an APS6 Senior Legal Support Officer to provide specialised legal matter support, research, procurement, administrative and operational assistance to lawyers across the Legal Practice.

You will work under the PMU, supporting document preparation, file management, and costings, with emphasis on accuracy, compliance and stakeholder engagement to ensure high-quality legal service delivery.

Qualifications

• Sound judgment and initiative to manage complex legal support work with limited direction.
• Understand and support how legal work is sourced and managed with clear scope and engagement requirements.
• High-level administrative and operational support experience in a legal practice, with knowledge of legal processes and systems.

Responsibilities

• Provide lawful matter and administrative support to lawyers, including document management and preparation of complex legal materials.
• Support lawyers on administrative and operational matters and promote efficient ways of working across the Legal Practice.
• Provide procurement, finance and compliance support for legal services and engagement documentation with external providers.

Skills

Legal research

Administrative support

Procurement

Contract management

Financial management

Stakeholder engagement

Document preparation

Job description

Australian Department of Industry, Science and Resources – Sydney NSW

The Department of Industry, Science and Resources and our broader portfolio are integral to the Australian Government’s economic agenda. Our purpose is to help the government build a better future for all Australians through enabling a productive, resilient and sustainable economy, enriched by science and technology. We do this by:

• Growing innovative & competitive businesses, industries and regions
• Investing in science and technology
• Strengthening the resources sector.

The APS and the department offer a clear direction and meaningful work. You will be able to create positive impact in people’s lives whilst contributing to improved outcomes for Australia and our people.

If you would like to feel a strong connection to your work and you are accountable, committed and open to change, join us in shaping Australia’s future.

Please see the APSC’s APS Employee Value Proposition for more information on the benefits and value of employment within the APS.

About the Department

The Department of Industry, Science and Resources and our broader portfolio are integral to the Australian Government’s economic agenda. Our purpose is to help the government build a better future for all Australians through enabling a productive, resilient and sustainable economy, enriched by science and technology. We do this by:

• Growing innovative & competitive businesses, industries and regions
• Investing in science and technology
• Strengthening the resources sector.

The APS and the department offer a clear direction and meaningful work. You will be able to create positive impact in people’s lives whilst contributing to improved outcomes for Australia and our people.

If you would like to feel a strong connection to your work and you are accountable, committed and open to change, join us in shaping Australia’s future.

Please see the APSC’s APS Employee Value Proposition for more information on the benefits and value of employment within the APS.

About the team

The Practice Management Unit section sits within the Corporate and Information Law Branch in the Chief Counsel and Integrity Division (CCID). CCID supports the Department of Industry, Science and Resources to achieve its objective of a productive economy lawfully and with integrity.Lawyers in CCID provide strategic, practical legal advice on high-profile, cutting-edge public policy issues including artificial intelligence, energy supply and security, science and manufacturing initiatives, space activities and technologies, and trade remedies.

The Practice Management Unit (PMU) delivers high quality strategic and operational support through a range of non-legal and administrative functions. As a client focused team, the PMU contributes to efficient service delivery and effective practice operations.

CCID offers a fast paced, intellectually challenging and rewarding environment. The team is made up of warm, collegiate, talented, legal professionals who are passionate about their role in government decision making and committed to providing high-quality legal advice in a highly supportive culture.

The opportunity

Within the Practice Management Unit (PMU), the APS6 Senior Legal Support Officer provides specialised legal matter, research, procurement, administrative, and operational support to lawyers across the Legal Practice. As a shared practice-wide resource, the role supports the efficient, accurate and compliant delivery of legal services through high-level legal matter and document support, sourcing and managing legal services, research and analytical assistance, guidance on practice processes, management of practice resources and systems, and finance and operational support.

The Senior Legal Support Officer works to the PMU Practice Manager and performs complex support work with limited direction and requires sound judgment, professional expertise, initiative and effective stakeholder engagement. It contributes to the quality, consistency and continuous improvement of legal service delivery through document preparation and quality assurance, research and analysis, administration of legal matter systems and records, maintenance of practice resources, support for onboarding and operational processes, and finance and procurement support.

Our ideal candidate

Our ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate:

• Sound judgment, initiative and professional expertise to manage complex legal support work and deliver high-quality outcomes with limited direction.
• Ability to understand and support how legal work is sourced and managed, with clear scope, deliverables and engagement requirements
• High-level administrative and operational support experience in a legal practice, with sound knowledge of legal work, legal processes, and the systems, records and resources that support legal service delivery.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to provide accurate written material, sound advice, reporting and professional stakeholder engagement.
• Ability to build and sustain productive working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, and respond effectively to client, business and practice support needs.
• Ability to plan, prioritise and monitor work effectively, manage competing priorities, and contribute to continuous improvement in systems, processes and service delivery.
• Capability to manage procurement, finance, invoicing and costings processes with attention to detail and in accordance with relevant Commonwealth and departmental requirements.
• Professionalism, discretion and probity, with the ability to operate within legal and organisational frameworks.

The key duties of the position include:

• Provide legal matter and administrative and support to lawyers, including coordinating document management, supporting file and record management, collating material, and preparing, formatting and quality assuring complex legal documents and related materials.
• Provide support and guidance to lawyers on administrative, procedural and operational matters, and promote consistent and efficient ways of working across the Legal Practice.
• Provide procurement, finance and compliance support for legal services, including preparing documentation, maintaining records, and assisting lawyers in their duties as contract managers in accordance with relevant Commonwealth and departmental requirements.
• Supporting the scoping and sourcing of legal work by helping lawyers clarify requirements, identify the appropriate delivery approach, and assist in the preparation of engagement documentation for external legal service providers
• Manage invoicing, finance-related processes and the NPP costing spreadsheet, and work with lawyers to develop costings and related documentation, applying judgment, attention to detail and an understanding of relevant financial and administrative frameworks.
• Maintain and update Stratus pages and other practice resources, and contribute to improvements in systems, processes and guidance material to support efficient and consistent legal service delivery.
• Provide research and analytical support by undertaking research and contributing to analysis to support legal service delivery, applying judgment to identify and present relevant information.
• Provide administrative, operational and reporting support across the Legal Practice, including support for onboarding, recruitment and other people-related processes, and contribute to broader practice support activities as required.

Eligibility

A legal qualification or legal background is not essential. Relevant legal qualifications or legal experience will be considered where they support the capabilities required for the role.

Candidates may instead demonstrate the required capability through experience in legal operations, legal practice or administrative support, procurement or contract management of professional services, or another relevant service-delivery environment.

To be eligible for employment in the APS and the department, candidates must be Australian Citizens.

Positions require a Baseline security clearance and successful candidates will be required to obtain and maintain a clearance at this level.

Notes

A merit pool may be established and used to fill future vacancies within 18 months from the date the vacancy was first advertised in the Gazette.

The department does currently offer flexible work opportunities for many roles. This vacancy is based in Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra or Melbourne, although flexible or remote work arrangements may be considered for the right candidate. Please reach out to the contact officer to discuss this further.

Getting to know the Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR)

The department’s Enterprise Agreement and policies provide for a flexible working environment to assist staff balance their work and home life. Staff and managers work together to balance the operating needs of the department with the needs of the individual. Options may include full time/part time working arrangements, working from home or other arrangements.Below we have some of the core suggestions from the department employee handbook. These are summary points we'll table in a future.”

Our employees say they recommend our department as a good place to work. Our workplace is one that encourages and supports all employees to have a sense of belonging and a culture that allows them to bring their authentic selves to work every day. Our reconciliation vision supports a workforce with opportunities and career pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The vision allows them to feel empowered and helps to ensure that the department and broader community can benefit from the knowledge and experience of Australia’s First Peoples. We encourage applications from people of all ages, abilities, nationalities and backgrounds including Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, mature age, culturally and linguistically diverse people, people of the LGBTIQA+ community and people with disability. The department wants to give candidates the opportunity to demonstrate their full potential during a recruitment process. We encourage candidates who require any adjustments or support as part of the recruitment process to reach out and discuss them with the job’s contact officer. Candidates are also welcome to contact our Inclusion team at *********@industry.gov.au for a confidential discussion if you identify from any of these diverse backgrounds and would like to discuss how we can support you.