Junior Lawyer/Lawyer - Legal Advice Team

• APS Levels 4 to 6
• Position available in Melbourne and Sydney

We are seeking to fill multiple lawyer positions within the Legal Advice Team for our Melbourne or Sydney office locations at the following classifications:

• Junior Lawyer (APS Level 4) - $80,267 to $87,064 plus 15.4% superannuation
• Lawyer (APS Levels 5-6) - $89,426 to $111,296 plus 15.4% superannuation

You will be asked which role(s) you are applying for in your online application. You should carefully consider the selection criteria and qualifications/experience requirements for each role.

Full-time and part-time hours are available. Operational needs will often require you to work part of the week in the office but flexibility requests will be considered on a case by case basis. Offers will be based on candidate performance and operational requirements.

A merit list may also be formed through this recruitment process which may be used to fill upcoming vacancies that arise over the next 18 months.

About the OFWO

The Office of the Fair Work Ombudsman (OFWO) is an independent statutory office established by the Fair Work Act 2009 (Fair Work Act). Our functions outline the responsibilities we have as set by the Fair Work Act and other legislation to achieve our purpose:

• provide education, assistance, advice and guidance to employers, employees, outworkers, outworker entities and organisations
• promote and monitor compliance with workplace laws
• inquire into and investigate breaches of the Fair Work Act
• take appropriate enforcement action
• perform our statutory functions efficiently, effectively, economically and ethically.

About the team

The Legal Advice Team in the Advice Branch is a team of specialist lawyers working closely with internal and external stakeholders to provide strategic Legal Advice on complex workplace relations issues, outside of the FWO’s compliance and enforcement functions. We also provide or obtain Legal Advice on a wide range of other matters, including workplace relations educational materials, corporate and commercial matters, and public sector law issues such as privacy.

What our employees say about us

We are one of the most engaged and high performing agencies in Australia; consistently scoring above average on employee engagement and wellbeing when surveyed against other APS agencies.  

What we offer you

We provide a diverse, inclusive and supportive work environment with access to: 

• Great training and development opportunities 
• Generous leave and flexible working arrangements 
• Our Employee Assistance Program (EAP), a free counselling service for you and your family 
• A competitive salary, plus 15.4% superannuation 
• Rewards and recognition initiatives 

We Value Diversity 

OFWO has been accredited as a Breastfeeding Friendly Workplace since 2011. We are also members of the Australian Network on Disability and Pride in Diversity. We encourage and welcome applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability, LGBTQIA+ people, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and mature age people.

Eligibility

• To be eligible for employment with the OFWO you must be an Australian citizen. 
• The successful candidate must hold a current Australian Government Security Clearance (AGSVA) or be willing to undergo and obtain a Baseline security clearance. 

A range of other conditions may be required depending on the role you are applying for.

Typical duties
 
As a Junior Lawyer (APS 4) or Lawyer (APS 5-6) in the Legal Advice Team, you will have the opportunity to:

• in support of the FWO’s statutory functions, including its education and advice functions:
  • prepare and provide practical written and oral advice on workplace relations issues 
  • draft and review web content, guides, templates and other workplace relations educational materials
• provide or obtain advice on other areas of law, such as commercial, corporations and public sector law, including privacy and public procurement
• undertake legal research on a wide range of legal topics
• develop strong working relationships and work with a broad cross-section of colleagues and stakeholders.

The typical duties and responsibilities will vary depending on the successful candidate’s classification, in accordance with the APS Work Level Standards. 

What we are looking for 

We are seeking exceptional lawyers with a can-do attitude who are agile, proactive and committed to achieving fairness in Australian workplaces. 

You must hold a degree in Law from an Australian university (or an overseas equivalent qualification) and have been admitted or be eligible to be admitted to the Supreme Court in your State or Territory and the High Court of Australia. You must also have or be able to obtain a practising certificate.

Junior Lawyers (APS Level 4)

As a Junior Lawyer, you will generally have up to 1 year or more of post-admission practice experience, or other translatable experience in workplace relations or regulatory contexts. Workplace relations experience will be highly regarded. You will have strong oral and written communication skills and be able to effectively convey your views on a matter. You will be able to undertake legal research and advice writing under general direction and manage a varied workload.

Lawyer (APS Levels 5-6)

As an APS5 lawyer, you will have at least one to three years of post-admission experience and as an APS6 lawyer you will have at least three years of post-admission experience. Workplace relations experience will be highly regarded.

You will have excellent oral and written communication skills and be able to undertake legal research and advice writing work of greater complexity and under more limited direction. 

Particularly at the APS6 Level (and highly desirable at the APS5 level), you will be:

• able to produce work autonomously with a proven track-record of achieving results within short timeframes,
• expected to help develop more junior lawyers’ capabilities and assist their ongoing skills development.

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