AddressThe Role
You will work as part of a small team at the ADF Indo-Pacific Centre for Military Law (IPCML) to coordinate training and engagement activities with regional partners that promote respect for the rule of law and compliance with international law in military operations. This is not a regular client-facing legal advice role. If you have a keen interest in international relations and international law, this is an opportunity to be involved with legal training and defence cooperation with Indo-Pacific regional partners in order to shape Australia’s strategic environment.
You will support the design, development, delivery and evaluation of legal training courses, while managing resources, workload and priorities to deliver timely, cost-effective and quality outcomes. We operate a high-tempo legal training environment with a full program of activities year round, which requires on-site support and semi-regular travel to Canberra. You will be accountable under limited direction to perform and achieve complex legal work within an integrated workforce, including the following tasks:
Conduct legal research and analysis on specialist areas of international law so as to review and update training material to reflect recent developments, and ensure quality control and assurance.
Apply legal knowledge to research and prepare legal and policy documents and correspondence for review (eg: prepare briefings for Mobile Training Teams, and conduct legal research on regional developments).
Perform procedural, administrative and clerical support work to achieve results.
Assist with the preparation for and delivery of legal training activities, including overseeing substantive course content and outcomes alongside event management.
Assess delivered courses and draft post activity reports with a view to capturing successful outcomes and lessons learned so as to continuously improve the delivery of legal training.
Proactively support the IPCML’s implementation of the Defence Reconciliation Action Plan.
Representational duties, including engaging with course participants, visitors, and guest lecturers from military, academia and external agencies.
Coordinate and contribute to the IPCML work plan and provide advice and assistance on methods of task completion to team members.
Develop the IPCML’s outreach on social media, and draft and publish content for our website.
Organise your workflow and make independent decisions relating to your area of responsibility and expertise.
This role is eligible for an additional remuneration benefit known in Defence as a Building Defence Capability Payment (BDCP). This enables Defence to provide a premium, in addition to the base salary otherwise payable under the Defence Enterprise Agreement (DEA), for positions in occupational disciplines/classifications that are critical to Defence capability. For further information, please contact the contact officer.
About our Team
The IPCML is a regional centre of excellence in military law which supports a stable and secure Indo-Pacific region, a rules-based global order, and respect for international law. The Centre’s mission is to promote respect for the rule of law and compliance with international law in military operations through training, international engagement, and related activities with partners from the Indo-Pacific region. The IPCML offers a suite of training courses, delivered in both Sydney and Canberra, as well as delivering capacity-building activities overseas through Mobile Training Teams.
The IPCML is a small, integrated team of civilian personnel, supplemented by the subject matter expertise of permanent and reserve military Legal Officers. The IPCML forms part of the Military Law Branch, and reports to the Director-General Military Legal Service. The team is co-located with the Military Legal Training Centre at Victoria Barracks Sydney in Paddington, NSW. The two centres share an administrative team (1 x APS6 Office Manager, 1 x APS5 Paralegal, 1 x APS5 Finance, Governance and Admin Officer, 2 x APS4 Business Support Officers, 1 x APS1 Admin Officer), which performs critical administrative support and enabling functions to support training and capacity-building activities to military officers from the Indo-Pacific region.
As an APS 5 Legal Officer, you will work within a complex stakeholder environment to support the development of collaborative partnerships by fostering and maintaining a broad range of contacts in this field. In addition, you will support the Director and Deputy Director through a well-developed understanding of and compliance with relevant legislative frameworks, government decision-making and Defence’s mission and policy requirements to ensure high standards of governance and reporting. The IPCML is committed to a diverse workforce underpinned by an inclusive culture that respects, values and utilises the contributions of people of different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives.
The IPCML is committed to implementing the Defence Reconciliation Action Plan, and to mainstream gender perspectives, as part of the Gender, Peace and Security agenda. Defence is committed to creating a fair and equitable workforce that encourages personnel to reach their full potential and positively contribute to organisational goals.
Our Ideal Candidate
The IPCML is seeking a junior legal professional who is a self-starter with a passion for legal training, international law, defence cooperation, and engagement with the Indo-Pacific region. This position contributes to Australia’s security and stability in the region by promoting respect for the rule of law and compliance with international law, and the successful candidate will work in support of the National Defence Strategy’s strategic priorities. You will possess strong interpersonal skills, have the ability to communicate in a clear, concise and articulate manner, both in writing and orally, and to manage competing priorities in a high tempo environment. Additionally, you will have a good sense of initiative, and be able to work well autonomously, whilst also working closely with a team in support of the Director and Deputy Director.
You should have excellent relationship management skills, with the ability to liaise and work collaboratively with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, and negotiate in a persuasive manner to achieve business outcomes. You will be accustomed to dealing with senior officials and international guests, and be able to act in a representational capacity as an ambassador for the IPCML and Australian Government in dealing with foreign military officers, legal academics, and representatives of the humanitarian organisations with whom we work. Cultural awareness and familiarity with working in a cross-cultural environment is critical to this role. You will be diligent, dependable and dedicated, with good judgment and problem-solving skills. Well-developed organisation and planning skills are essential to this role.
You will be able to produce quality products within constrained timeframes, with a keen eye for detail and the ability to think critically, analyse information, identify issues, and use effective judgment to address challenges, seize opportunities and make improvements. You will also be flexible and able to respond positively when required to adapt to changing pressures and demands.
We welcome a candidate who brings leadership skills, a values-based approach, and a positive culture to the workplace. You should also have a good level of ICT literacy and be able to quickly adapt to Defence policies, processes and systems for filing, human resources, travel, and finances.
Application Closing Date: Thursday, 18 July 2024
For further information please review the job information pack, reference ASG/04742/24 on https://defencecareers.nga.net.au/?jati=EA42DE6D-A285-C8D8-E7F8-DAD65862E162
