Principal Government Lawyers and Deputy General Counsels undertake core legal functions including providing complex legal advice, preparing briefings, submissions and notifications to the agency's executive, and to external review bodies such as the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner and the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. This includes management, oversight, as well as strategic legal advice and assistance to the agency's executive and the Minister.

Legal Services Division leadership positions are responsible for the delivery of legal services functions on behalf of the agency, and the Chief Executive Officer, and may include advocacy work and projects where required, as well as developing business plans, strategies and monitoring workflow and performance.

Principal Government Lawyers and Deputy General Counsels oversee and manage legal matters associated with:

· agency programs

· administrative law

· freedom of information

· privacy and secrecy

· practice and... procedure

· processing freedom of information requests

· managing complaints related to FOI, and/or to the Freedom of Information Commissioner

· supervising and reviewing the release of information and issuance of notifications and submissions to external parties, Courts and Tribunals.

You will be responsible for
• Representing the General Counsel, the CEO, the broader Executive, and the Minister, and negotiating on behalf of the agency at cross-agency, inter-jurisdictional and other forums, as well as providing subject matter expertise, specialist legal and strategic advice to the agency.
• Lead and manage staff and oversee the management of performance, attendance and health and well-being, including developing staff capability through coaching, mentoring and succession planning and provide strategic direction to a work area. Provide high level strategic specialist legal and practical assistance in the development of agency policies, processes and procedures.
• Lead and manage a caseload of legal matters, including high profile and contentious cases requiring written material including briefs for external legal providers to instruct them in proceedings. Prepare complex and/or sensitive legal notifications and submissions to Commissions, Courts or Tribunals.
• Identify, assess, manage and report on legal risks in the agency and escalate issues to the executive, as well as developing and managing key strategic relationships with a broad range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Lead a team delivering Privacy and Freedom of Information functions for the agency, as well as overseeing quality assurance activities and promoting quality decision making. Exercise delegations appropriate to role in accordance with legislation and guidelines.

Services Australia makes government services simple so people can get on with their lives. Our goal is to make it easier to engage with the services that Australians rely on.

To achieve this goal, we are transforming the way we work to deliver a simple, helpful, respectful and transparent experience for customers
Sydney NSW Australia

Salary Criteria