HR/IR jobs

Senior Government Lawyer

Our Opportunity

The Industrial Relations Legal Division comprises the Bargaining and Coverage Branch, Employment Standards Branch, and Safety, Compensations and Institutions Branch.

The division manages the implementation of the Government's legislative program for workplace relations, work health and safety and workers’ compensation. We provide legal advice about workplace relations matters to the Minister, the departmental executive, and stakeholders within the department, portfolio, and other agencies. This includes provision of advice to the Minister on possible ministerial intervention in appropriate legal matters and managing those interventions to ensure that the Minister puts forward clear, well-argued submissions to the relevant court or tribunal.

The division also provides legal advice to government on industrial relations legislative reform options, liaising with the Office of Parliamentary Counsel about the drafting of legislation and providing support to the Minister during the Parliamentary phases of the legislation process.

The Bargaining and Coverage Branch has responsibility for subject matters including: enterprise bargaining; industrial action; stand down; building industry-specific industrial relations legislation, including the Australian Building and Construction Commission; constitutional and geographical coverage of the Fair Work Act; transfer of business; independent contractors and the gig economy; and the Black Coal Mining Long Service Leave scheme.

The Employment Standards Branch has responsibility for subject matters including: the national employment standards; modern awards; equal remuneration; general protections; and unfair dismissal and unlawful termination.

The Safety, Compensation and Institutions Branch has responsibility for subject matters including: workers’ compensation; work, health and safety; institutions; statutory appointments; right of entry; registered organisations; and external reviews and appeals of Fair Entitlements Guarantee decisions.

We are seeking to fill various Senior Government Lawyer roles in the division. Successful applicants will, within a small team supervised by a Principal Government Lawyer:

• undertake legal and policy research and analysis and report on workplace relations, work health and safety and/or workers’ compensation issues, including legislative developments and decisions of courts and tribunals
• work collaboratively to prepare complex correspondence and briefing material and settle routine correspondence and briefing material
• prepare legal advice on a range of complex matters and settle legal advice on routine matters;
• prepare drafting instructions, review draft legislation and other related material and undertake tasks associated with Parliamentary consideration of legislation
• manage Commonwealth litigation, including preparing Commonwealth submissions for court and tribunal hearings and instructing external counsel
• manage or contribute to legislative and related legal policy projects
• promote the principles and practices of workplace diversity, work health and safety and participate in staff development and training.

We are committed to providing a flexible, diverse and inclusive workplace. We are open to a range of flexible work arrangements including part-time, job-sharing, and flexible work hours.

Who are we looking for?

We seek people who bring fresh ideas, diverse experience, and global perspectives, and are willing to explore innovative ways of working. People who work for us will display leadership at all levels, apply information effectively in order to solve problems, and work collaboratively to achieve outcomes.

We are looking for applicants who have strong legal analytical skills, are good problem solvers, have excellent communication skills and can work collaboratively with colleagues and stakeholders.

Experience in providing legal advice on aspects of workplace relations law, work health and safety and/or workers’ compensation is desirable but not essential.

Please refer to the AGD Performance Expectations for more detail.

The range and nature of work within the Attorney-General’s Department requires a workforce that reflects our diverse society and the department provides a number of support mechanisms for employees.

As an AGD employee, you will:

• be part of an inclusive and diverse work environment
• receive a generous starting salary and work conditions
• benefit from supportive learning and development
• be supported by a range of active networks including the Indigenous Employee Network, the Celebrating Ability Network, the Women’s Network, the Pride Network and the Cultural and Linguistically Diverse Network.

To see further information regarding our support for our employees, please see our Workplace Diversity Page.