Senior Police Lawyer

About the role:

This is an exciting opportunity to progress your career and obtain experience working as a Senior Police Lawyer in the Specialist Legal and Litigation Division (SLLD) of the Victoria Police Legal Services Department (LSD).

Victoria Police's LSD provides legal services and advice to support policing, courts, and the Victorian Community. The LSD is led by an Executive Director (who is also the organisation's General Counsel) and employs over 800 staff spread across four divisions – the Office of the Executive Director; the Specialist Legal and Litigation Division; the Courts and Prosecution Services Division; and the Legal Business Operations Division.

Positioned within the SLLD, the Employment Law Unit services the entirety of Victoria Police, providing legal advice on a range of employment, industrial and occupational health, and safety issues. The Unit also manages complaints and litigation arising out of the employment relationship, complaints and litigation initiated by members of the public where brought under federal or state discrimination legislation, and litigation involving WorkSafe.

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

Your duties will include:

• Responding to complaints made to federal and state human rights commissions, including appearing on behalf of Victoria Police in the commissions' dispute resolution processes.
• Managing litigation initiated in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal and the courts, which may include appearing on behalf of Victoria Police.
• Drafting advice, correspondence, legal documents and briefings to senior management.
• Collection and analysis of evidence in litigated matters.
• Other duties and involvement in projects as directed.

As the successful applicant, you will:

• Have an unrestricted Australian Practising Certificate or be immediately eligible to apply for one.
• Knowledge of and/ or experience in employment law (knowledge or experience in equal opportunity and OHS laws in particular is an advantage).
• Some knowledge of Victoria Police's operating environment and structure is ideal but not a necessity.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• The ability to work collaboratively and develop good relationships with colleagues and internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong organisation and file management skills.
• Strong time management, the ability to prioritise competing tasks and to work to strict deadlines.
• Ability to work with limited supervision, be proactive and be a team player.
• Resilience, enthusiasm and willingness to learn.

Requirements and relevant information:

• One (1) x full-time, ongoing position available.
• The salary range for a VPS4 role is $92,332 to $104,762. 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).
• As a member of the SLLD you will be located on selection, at a specific office for a particular advertised opportunity. The primary location for this position is 313 Spencer Street. However, given occasional legal service demand issues you may be required at times to undertake varied work within the Department. This promotes professional development opportunities in a range of legal domains and supports the Department's commitment to a flexible and deployable legal workforce.
• This position may require you to work outside normal hours.
• 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.

Your application must include:

• Resume
• Completed application form – the word document (2. Application form) for you to complete and attach to your submission, is attached to the job advertisement.
• A copy of your current Australian Practicing Certificate

Applications close midnight, Monday 1 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). 

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.