Employment Opportunity

The External Legal Services Team (ELS) is a collaborative, motivated and innovative team that has frequent interaction across government entities and the private sector legal industry. An opportunity exists for an Assistant Director or Senior Legal Officer to join ELS to fill an ongoing vacancy. The position offers an excellent opportunity to gain an understanding of Commonwealth legal needs and risk whilst develop strong working relationships across the Commonwealth and the private sector legal industry.

The ELS is responsible for the administration and management of the Whole of Australian Government Legal Services Panel (the Panel) as well as certain reporting obligations as set out in the Legal Services Directions 2017 (Directions). The Panel is made up of 51 private sector legal services providers appointed to one or more of the six broad areas of law that are utilised to service the Commonwealth's legal needs and compliment services provided by the Australian Government Solicitor.

As part of the management of the Panel on behalf of the Commonwealth of Australia we routinely provide advice on areas such as:

• relationship and contract management advice with external legal services providers and Commonwealth entities
• access to external legal services
• practice management advice and best practice for external legal procurement
• advice on matters relating to engagements with external legal services providers
• managing the Head Agreement and associated obligations on parties to the agreement
• compliance with the Directions for legal expenditure
• provide secretariat support to the Commonwealth Legal Practice Managers Forum
• administer the Legal Panel Portal.

How you can help us make a difference

Executive level staff in ELS are proactive, collaborative problem-solvers and team players, with a wide variety of skills. We are looking for candidates with skills covering:

• supervision of staff
• developing and maintaining strong working relationship across Commonwealth legal teams and private sector suppliers
• leading engagement on specific projects/taskings with Commonwealth entities and/or private sector stakeholders
• confidence in providing sound and considered policy and legal advices (where appropriate)
• developing materials for and leading presentations
• strong analytical and critical thinking skills to identify and develop workable solutions while exercising sound judgement
• ability to work flexibly and support others to meet team and branch goals
• strong negotiation skills and the ability to quickly develop and maintain strong relationships in fast-paced and sometimes tense situations
• excellent time and risk management skills
• ability to think strategically and consider how decisions made today influence or can affect decisions of tomorrow
• the ability to set and implement team goals; and work collegiately to achieve the desired outcome
• a legal qualification, while not essential, would be desirable.

In addition to those already engaged in the Public Service we strongly encourage applications from suitably qualified persons from the private sector who have experience in practice administration/management, procurement or senior administrative roles.

Merit Pools:

A merit list or pool may be created as part of this selection process and be used to fill similar vacancies in Canberra, ACT.

Flexible work arrangements will be considered and supported where possible. These may include:

• Job Share
• Hybrid Work
• Remote Work
• Compressed Hours
• Bandwidth Modification