Legal Support Officer

About the role:

This is an exciting opportunity to progress your career and obtain valuable experience working in the Legal Services Department at Victoria Police. The Legal Services Department is enhancing its response in an effort to meet the expansion of court networks and jurisdictions across Victoria. Victoria Police is seeking to meet this demand with an enthusiastic, skilled and dedicated team of Legal Support Officers to predominantly undertake clerical responsibilities, and as the need and opportunity arise, assist Police Lawyers who prosecute a range of complex offences. As the successful applicant, you will have the ability to efficiently handle busy court lists and to manage competing priorities effectively whilst providing administrative and practical support to your colleagues in Court.

You will be expected to undertake administration duties and provide support and assistance to Police Lawyers and Prosecutors in providing information to a range of clients in the areas of Family Violence, criminal prosecutions and other areas as required. The role promotes the opportunity to develop and maintain collaborative relationships within the expansive Victoria Police workforce. There will be an expectation that you work with internal and external stakeholders across agencies as part of a broad network that will ensure cooperative and proactive approaches to addressing community harm.

Your role as a Legal Support Officer is a vital part in the overall function of the prosecution units of which both Police Lawyers and Police Prosecutors are a part of. You will be required to provide daily support and assistance to Police Prosecutors and Police Lawyers in an administrative capacity. This includes triaging telephone calls and enquiries, the coordination and management of incoming and outgoing briefs of evidence and the preparation of court lists in advance of hearing dates.

Victoria Police is a contemporary and agile workplace and supports flexible working arrangements.

Your duties will include:

• Reporting to the Officer In Charge
• Provide administration support
• Answer and respond to telephone calls, emails and enquiries
• Sort incoming and outgoing mail
• Data entry into the Brief Management System
• Preparation of court lists (criminal and civil)
• General filing; and
• Undertake duties as required by line managers.

As the successful applicant, you will have:

• Be able to work in a team environment as well as on your own
• Undertake duties as directed
• Have a high level of resilience
• Have excellent organisational skills and
• An ability to manage a high constant workload.

Requirements and relevant information:

• One (1) x full-time, fixed term until 30/06/2025 position available.
• The salary range for a VPS2 role is $56,834 to $72,985 (covering salary ranges VPSG 2.1 and VPSG 2.2).  Although it is standard practice for selected candidates to commence at the base of the salary range, genuine consideration will be given to a commencement salary within the available range that is commensurate with the successful candidate's knowledge, skills and experiences. This will be subject to negotiations with the Hiring Manager in the course of the selection process and may include the provision of evidence of a higher income and/or supporting documentation (as required).
• This position is located at the Broadmeadows Prosecutions Unit, 15 Dimboola Road, Broadmeadows.
• Applicants must be an Australian Citizen, Permanent Resident or hold a valid work permit or visa.
• The successful applicant will be required to undergo pre-employment checks which may include fingerprint checks and misconduct screening.
• As a member of the Legal Services Department you will be located, on selection, at a specific office within a Division for a particular advertised opportunity.  However, given occasional legal service demand issues you may be required at times to undertake varied work within the Department.  This supports the Departments commitment to a flexible and deployable legal workforce and professional development opportunities in a range of legal domains.
• If you hold a legal qualification (i.e. LLB) and are successful in your application and appointment to this position, you will be eligible to enter this role at a VPS 2.2 grade. The developmental opportunity available for legally qualified Legal Support Officers allows for the granting of a delegation by the Chief Commissioner of Police for the employee to appear in Court on behalf of Victoria Police under the supervision of Senior Police Lawyers.  We offer this as an opportunity for legally qualified applicants to progress their development in this role and the opportunity for progression to a higher grade. 

Your application must include:

• Resume;
• A copy of your Australian Legal Practising Certificate (if applicable);
• Completed application form - the word document (2. Application form) for you to complete and attach to your submission, is attached to the job advertisement. 

Applications close midnight, 7 April 2024.

Please Note: All applications will need to be submitted through one of the following platforms; Jobs and Skills Exchange (JSE) website, Victorian Government careers website (Careers.vic) or Seek. Applications will not be accepted via other platforms or email.

Current Victorian Government employees must apply via Jobs and Skills Exchange (JSE). 

For further information, please contact: Senior Police Lawyer Danielle Marrari on (03) 8335 5*** or ***************@police.vic.gov.au. No recruitment agencies please.

We welcome applications from people with disability. If you have a disability/medical condition and require a copy of this advertisement and attached documentation in an accessible format or would like to discuss an access requirement/reasonable adjustment for the recruitment process, please contact VPS Recruitment via email **************@police.vic.gov.au or on (03) 8335 8***.

About Us:

Victoria Police has a dedicated workforce of more than 22,000 employees consisting of police, protective services officers, police custody officers, and public service staff. Each employee plays a vital role in providing the 24/7, 365 days a year emergency response and public safety capability the organisation delivers to its community. As a Victoria Police employee, you have a dedication and commitment to community safety. 

Having a workforce that reflects the community we serve is important to Victoria Police. We want to attract and retain people of all genders, ages, religions, disability, sexual orientation, family and caring responsibilities, and cultures including people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage. If you are interested in a position, we encourage you to apply as we celebrate the benefit that diversity brings to our employees, our services, and our community.

Find out what it is like working as a Victorian Public Servant for Victoria Police: https://www.police.vic.gov.au/vps