Chief Counsel/First Assistant Secretary

About this role

As Chief Counsel / First Assistant Secretary of the Workplace Relations Legal Division, you will lead a team responsible for: • providing legal advice to government on workplace relations, work health and safety, and workers’ compensation framework matters • supporting the development of legislative reform, and • managing workplace relations litigation involving the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. The Chief Counsel, along with the Workplace Relations Legal Division, works with the 3 policy divisions in the Workplace Relations Group, as well as the Office of the Chief Economist, throughout the design process of legislative policy matters, to ensure an integrated approach to reforms. The duties and responsibilities include: • Leading the division to provide independent, expert legal advice to the Minister and the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations on workplace relations, statutory appointments, work health and safety, and workers’ compensation • Leading collaboration with departmental colleagues and across the APS to support the development of legislation using a project management approach • Leading the division to manage workplace relations litigation involving the Minister • Overseeing statutory appointments to workplace relations portfolio agencies and bodies, and • Contributing to corporate priorities, such as those relating to mentoring, diversity and inclusion, employee networks and cultural capability. The successful candidate will have a strong legal background (and be admitted as a legal practitioner) with experience in legal advising and litigation in workplace relations and/or experience in legislative development. They will need to be able to work effectively with policy colleagues. They will also be an outstanding leader and manager.