Senior Lawyer - Legal Advice Team

• Executive Level 1 Opportunity
• Position available in Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney

We are seeking a Senior Lawyer for our Canberra, Melbourne or Sydney office locations.

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. Any 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 Senior Lawyer in the Legal Advice Team, you will have the opportunity to:

• demonstrate leadership and management skills including by supervising and assisting to develop lawyers within the team to enhance their capabilities and achieve effective outcomes
• in support of the FWO’s statutory functions, including its education and advice functions:
  • prepare and review high-quality, practical and strategic advice on complex workplace relations issues under limited supervision
  • conduct high-quality reviews of web content, templates, guides and other workplace relations educational materials
• manage risks and provide or obtain high-quality and practical advice on other areas of law, such as commercial, corporate and public sector law, including freedom of information, privacy and procurement
• demonstrate sound legal research skills on a wide range of legal topics
• develop and maintain strong working relationships with a  broad cross-section of colleagues and stakeholders
• drive projects and innovation initiatives.

What we are looking for 

We are seeking an exceptional Senior Lawyer with strong legal, leadership and management skills who is adaptable, proactive and committed to achieving fairness in Australian workplaces.

You must have at least 5 years of post-admission experience working as a lawyer and be experienced in providing advice on complex workplace relations issues with limited supervision. Experience working in a regulatory context, advising on public sector law, and conducting corporate and commercial advice and transactional work is also highly desirable.

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 without a supervised legal practice condition.

You are able to produce work autonomously with a proven track-record of achieving results within short timeframes and under pressure. You must be skills in conducting legal research and legal drafting with a well-developed ability to identify and manage risk. You will also have excellent written and oral communication skills and be able to effectively convey your views on a matter, while building and maintain relationships with a broad cross-section of internal and external stakeholders. You will also be expected to use your leadership and management skills to develop more junior lawyers’ capabilities and skills.

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