Company description:

About Us

The Department of Transport and Planning oversees key planning, transport and land use policy decisions and management across the State. A life-cycle approach to planning, building, connecting and sustaining communities means our people can come together to; improve services, deliver sustainable projects, focus on customer engagement, streamline regulatory approval pathways, facilitate community consultation and better realise local economic opportunities for more liveable communities across Victoria.

DTP Legal is a Division within the Department, and is responsible for the provision of legal, legislative, commercial and information access advice and support to the Ministers, Secretary and Department in the achievement of the transport, land use and planning system vision, objectives and decision-making principles.

The Operations and Commercial Branch of DTP Legal provides advice and support to divisions of the Department and portfolio agencies, in relation to commercial disputes, commercial negotiations, contract management, transport operations, public private partnerships, transport franchises, commercial projects and the integration of the Big Build assets back into our transport network. The Branch comprises a large team of lawyers with expertise in commercial and contract law, commercial negotiation, dispute management, and laws associated with multi modal transport operations, large scale procurement, precinct development and property transactions.

Job description:

About the Role

*This is a Fixed-Term Full-time VPS 6 position ($134,593 - $180,115 plus superannuation) until the 31st of December 2027*

Take the lead on high-impact commercial projects as the Principal Lawyer, Commercial & Projects at the Department of Transport and Planning! Reporting to the Director Legal, Commercial & Projects, you'll provide expert advice on complex legal matters across diverse initiatives, including road construction, public transport infrastructure, technology advancements, and precinct development. Collaborate closely with a skilled legal team and key clients to deliver clear, practical, and timely legal services. With the opportunity to work alongside the Investment and Technology Group, you'll be at the heart of delivering innovative solutions that shape Victoria's transport future.

To access the Position Description, please click here.

Position Outcomes

• You are a highly skilled and engaged member of your legal team, respected, and sought after for your legally excellent, clear, timely and pragmatic legal advice
• You successfully identify, and advise on how to manage, all significant legal risks in the projects that you work on
• You effectively and efficiently manage any external advisors that you engage to ensure advice and services provided are of a high standard, reflect current best practice, mitigate risk, optimise business outcomes, are consistent and reflect value for money
• You proactively establish and maintain strong relationships with stakeholders and clients to support delivery of DTP's objectives
• You present annually to your branch or the whole of DTP Legal on one or more of the matters on which you have advised
• You contribute to a positive team culture by always acting with respect and courtesy to your colleagues and clients
• You ensure that legal knowledge and other documents prepared in the course of your role are safely stored in easily accessible and searchable format
• You assist as required in the delivery of other legal advice, and perform other duties and tasks as directed.

Key Selection Criteria

As a Principal Lawyer, Commercial & Projects, you will provide authoritative legal advice on complex, urgent, or sensitive matters, ensuring alignment with policy, probity, and operational considerations. You will oversee the quality of legal advice, including that provided by external providers, while developing creative solutions to address intricate legal challenges. Your role will also involve drafting sophisticated transactional documents, either bespoke or adapted from precedents, to meet project-specific requirements and effectively manage legal and commercial risks.

Additionally, you will apply advanced knowledge of legislative processes and statutory interpretation to resolve complex issues, utilising extrinsic materials and legal frameworks effectively. With strong critical thinking skills, you will evaluate problems within a broader organisational context, delivering innovative solutions that prevent recurrence and achieve measurable outcomes. Clear and impactful communication will be a key focus, allowing you to present information logically and concisely to diverse audiences.

Personal Attributes

You will demonstrate a keen understanding of the political and organisational environment, recognising the pressures and cultural dynamics within the department. As a leader, you will foster a culture of collaboration across teams and with external stakeholders, actively removing barriers to effective communication. With a flexible and adaptive approach, you will adjust strategies to achieve the best outcomes, inspiring others to embrace innovative approaches to deliver results.

Qualifications and Experience

Mandatory

• Admitted, or eligible to be admitted, to practice law in the state of Victoria.

Desirable

• Demonstrated experience advising on complex issues relating to procurement, commercial contracts, transport contracts or projects.
• Demonstrated in-house legal experience
• Demonstrated experience working for or advising government, including awareness of government-specific considerations relevant to legal advice

What we offer

• Meaningful work making Victorian communities more accessible and liveable
• Professional growth and development opportunities across the department and the wider Victorian Public Services
• A hybrid working model focused on collaboration and teamwork
• Optimal work-life balance initiatives including flexible working arrangements
• Opportunity to work across multiple urban and suburban hubs
• We prioritise the development of a safe and inclusive culture

Culture Value

We are an equal opportunity employer, embracing a diverse range of applicants such as veterans, and people who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, LGBTQIA community members, individuals with disabilities and/or health conditions, as well as those from varied faith and cultural backgrounds. At our department, we prioritize the development of a safe, inclusive, and high-performance culture through shared actions and behaviours that align with our strategy and direction. This empowers our employees to effectively contribute to our goals.

How to Apply

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Applications close 11.59pm on Wednesday, 26th March 2025.

Please include a resume and cover letter. All applications must be submitted through the online portal. We're unable to consider email or manual applications at this time.

For further information about the role please contact Sheree Siow - Director Legal, Commercial and Projects via [email protected].

Preferred applicants may be required to complete a police check and may be subject to other pre-employment checks. Information provided to the Department of Transport and Planning will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Please let us know by phone or email if you need any adjustments to fully participate in the recruitment process. If you require the ad or any attachments in an accessible format (e.g., large print) due to viewing difficulties or other accessibility needs, we are happy to accommodate.