The VCAA is a statutory body responsible to the Victorian Minister for Education, serving both government and non-government schools. We provide high quality curriculum, assessment and reporting for all Victorian students birth to 18 years.

A challenging opportunity exists to join the Legal Services Unit in a fixed-term position, providing specialist legal advice on contracts, agreements and commercial issues.

• Salary: $113,022 - $136,747 (Plus Superannuation of 11.5%)
• Fixed term till 31 March 2026
• Usual hours of work: Full time 1.0 (applications for part-time work may be considered. Flexible work conditions maybe available)
• Usual work location: East Melbourne /with occasional visits to the VCAA's Coburg Assessment Centre

Role purpose

The primary purpose of the role is to provide authoritative legal advice on contracts and commercial issues arising in the business of the VCAA. The Senior Solicitor reports to and support the Principal Solicitor in the delivery of legal services to the VCAA. Because of the size of the Unit, where business needs require it, the Senior Solicitor must have the capability and willingness to develop and apply skills in the other areas of law handled by the Unit, to provide advice and support.

Responsibilities include drafting tailored and template legal documents, assisting with contract and agreement negotiations before agreements are entered and during the life of agreements, advising on and developing written agreements for a range of transactions including sponsorships and venue hire, maintaining records of contracts entered by the VCAA (the organisation's contracts and indemnities register), and developing supporting materials such as guidelines and checklists for VCAA employees who manage contracts. Provision of training to inhouse clients from time to time by formal and informal means is also a requirement.

Other duties will be as directed, and may include legal advice on other commercial and non-commercial legal matters, according to the needs of the Legal Services Unit and the organisation. As the Unit is small, we work together to achieve Unit and organisation goals.

The VCAA engages suppliers to provide services including secure printing (requiring particular attention to security, confidentiality and integrity issues), IT hardware, software and SAAS, and advisory services, educational services related to assessment (including marking and assessment design) and reporting (including online results to students) and corporate services including security. The organisation is developing a number of digital products for the delivery of services.

Procurement advice is provided to the VCAA by the Department of Education's Procurement Division. An understanding of Victorian government procurement policy and practice, or the ability to rapidly acquire this knowledge, is necessary for this role. Contracts are managed during their life by the relevant business units of the VCAA. The Senior Solicitor is sometimes called upon to advise on contract management and performance issues.

This is a client service role, providing an opportunity to advise and assist across the organisation.

About the unit

The Legal Services Unit is a small team providing a full range of specialist legal advice and services across the operations of the VCAA, in areas including commercial law, employment, discrimination, copyright and other IP, governance and compliance (privacy, FOI, public interest disclosures). The Unit manages the organisation's IP assets. The Unit also manages investigations and hearings under Part 2.5 of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006, relating to student examination misconduct. The Unit comprises a principal solicitor/manager, one senior solicitor, a solicitor and copyright manager, with additional staff engaged for peak periods as needed.

To be successful in this role

You have:

• Extensive experience providing legal advice on contracts, agreements, licences, leases and related commercial matters including indemnities, insurance, intellectual property, privacy, risk management
• Extensive experience drafting contracts, agreements and legal documentation and maintaining template documents
• Experience providing expert legal advice and support, preferably in a government or other regulated context
• Experience providing training and preparing training and guidance materials
• Excellent written and spoken communication skills,

You are:

• able to work as part of a time and unsupervised
• curious, keen to solve problems
• organised and capable of managing competing priorities
• detail focussed
• Friendly, customer-focussed

Experience and qualifications

Essential: Tertiary qualification in law and admitted to practise in Victoria or able to gain admission promptly. Minimum 5 years PQE.

How to apply

Applicants are required to include a Curriculum Vitae and a Cover letter addressing the key selection criteria provided in the position description.

Further Information

For more details regarding this position please see attached position description for the capabilities to address in application.

The department values diversity and inclusion in all forms - gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQ+, disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. For more information about our work, working for the Department, diversity and inclusion, and our employment conditions visit the Department website and our Diversity and Inclusion page

Applicants requiring adjustments can contact the nominated contact person.

Information about the Department of Education's operations and employment conditions can be located at www.education.vic.gov.au.

For further information pertaining to the role, please contact Jenny Morris on 0476 819 722 or [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 Education will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Please let us know via phone or email if you require any adjustments to ensure your full participation in the recruitment process or if you need the ad or any attachments in an accessible format (e.g large print) due to any viewing difficulties or other accessibility requirements.

Applications close 11:59pm on 15-JUL-2025