Legal Manager

About Energy Safe Victoria (ESV)

Our purpose is to keep Victorians energy safe and ensure energy is used confidently. Through education, regulation and enforcement, we work to ensure that energy safety, supply and efficiency are a priority in Victoria and something our customers can be confident in. Our people come from a wide range of professions with diverse skills and experience driving the success of ESV.

About the opportunity

We have an exciting opportunity for a Legal Manager who will contribute by:

• Contribute to the overall leadership and strategy implementation of the Division through close cooperation with the Head of Legal and Procurement and divisional management peers.
• Provide technical leadership and management of staff including selection, retention, performance management and development of high performing staff through mentoring, coaching, to ensure consistency and quality in the delivery of legal advice and outputs.
• Deliver complex legal projects in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders, including scoping and establishment, risk management, and progress reporting along with managing the preparation of key communications and briefing documents.
• Manage the day-to-day activities of the Legal team to provide pragmatic and practical legal advice in matters concerning:
  • statutory interpretation, regulatory powers (e.g. issuing, varying or revoking Directions, recalls, prohibitions), acceptance of safety cases and legislative applications, and administrative law;
  • commercial and corporate matters including intellectual property, trademarks, property and employment law, commercial negotiations, procurement, and liquidation and administration of regulated entities; and
  • privacy, freedom of information and information sharing.
• Brief external legal service providers using appropriate panel arrangements, including the review and approval of expenditure and receipt and acceptance of advice.
• Oversee end-to-end Freedom of Information requests, statutory requests including infringement notices. In addition, privacy matters as well as public interest disclosure and other public sector governance matters.
• Administer ESV's legislative compliance, delegation and Memorandum of Understanding frameworks.
• Provide legal reporting on current and emerging issues and opportunities and updates to management, and externally, as required.
• Provide authoritative legal advice and guidance to internal and external stakeholders such as government, industry, and the public.
• Partner with Energy Safe's Learning and Development team to provide legal training to, and educate, Energy Safe staff on relevant matters such as contract management, legislative compliance, and delegation use, ensuring compliance.  

To be successful, you'll have:

• Relevant tertiary qualifications in law and admitted to practice as an Australian Lawyer.
• Hold or be eligible to hold a current unrestricted practising certificate in Victoria.
• Significant experience working in a senior legal role across regulatory, corporate law and FOI.
• Understanding of the nature and application of compliance and enforcement frameworks and governance arrangements.
• Experience in the preparation of project plans, briefs and reports with advice and recommendations to senior leaders on complex legislative issues and options.
• Excellent people and negotiation skills, highly developed communication skills, and the ability to work collegiately with a broad range of stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to analyse, manage and resolve complex legal issues for internal and external stakeholders, particularly in the regulatory reform context.
• Excellent ability to interpret and apply complex legislation, regulations, standards, and codes to work.
• Experience in briefing external legal services providers and providing legal advice in a pragmatic and practical business orientated manner.
• Strong culture building skills including the ability to build high performing teams through coaching and performance development, whilst working in a sensitive environment comprising multiple complex stakeholders.   
• Understanding of the Victorian energy sector including the frameworks governing safety of electricity, gas, and pipelines: coupled with experience working within the public sector is highly desirable.

How to apply

Please refer to the available position description to assess your suitability and submit your current resume and cover letter via the Apply button.

ESV will conduct relevant and required checks about applicants and the information provided with an application including reference checks, vaccination status check and a satisfactory National Police Check.

For a confidential discussion, please contact Human Resources via **************@energysafe.vic.gov.au

Applications close at midnight on Monday 26 February 2024