Museums Victoria, Australia's largest public museum organisation, is seeking a Principal Lawyer.
ABOUT MUSEUMS VICTORIA:
Ever dreamed of working in a place where dinosaurs roam, stars explode, and the world's most intriguing stories come to life? Welcome to Museums Victoria (MV)—where every day is a new opportunity to create unforgettable experiences. As one of the southern hemisphere's largest and most iconic museum organisations, we're not just about exhibits; we're about engaging, immersive moments that spark curiosity, creativity, and connection.
Home to the awe-inspiring Melbourne Museum, the culturally rich Immigration Museum, the mind-expanding Scienceworks, and the World Heritage-listed Royal Exhibition Building, MV is a place where events transform spaces and stories into something truly unmissable. Join a passionate team that brings ideas to life and makes discovery part of everyday experience.
ABOUT THE POSITION:
The Principal Lawyer delivers high quality legal support across Museums Victoria, providing strategic, practical and solutions-focused advice. The Principal Lawyer will advise on a broad range of matters to ensure managers and staff appropriately manage legal and other risks in planning, project management and delivery of organisational objectives. The role supports the General Counsel in the delivery of legal and risk advisory services, including commercial legal matters (contracts and procurement, intellectual property, construction projects and information technology), management of museum collection items and touring exhibitions, risk and insurance advice, litigation management and dispute resolution, and statutory interpretation and public law.
Some of the key duties include:
- Independently perform legal professional work at an advanced level, including reviewing, advising on, negotiating and drafting contractual agreements, including complex and bespoke agreements.
- Provide high quality, strategic, timely, practical and solutions-focused advice to internal stakeholders, including the Museums Board of Victoria and Museums Victoria Executive Team, on a broad range of legal, governance and project matters.
- Provide authoritative advice across areas relevant to a government organisation with commercial activities, including contracts and procurement, intellectual property, information technology, financial management, insurance, workplace health and safety, asset management, leasing, and statutory interpretation.
- Develop and deliver internal communications, training and resources to build organisational capacity in risk, contract management and legal matters.
- Oversee and advise on insurance, litigation and claims management, liaising with the Victorian Managed Insurance Authority and reporting to internal and external stakeholders.
- Oversee procurement and management of external legal services to ensure services are authoritative, correct, timely and accessible.
- Develop, maintain and continuously improve legal systems and resources, including knowledge management systems, templates, precedents, decision-making tools, processes and procedures.
- Mentor other Museums Victoria lawyers and provide review and support as required.
The successful applicant will have:
- Significant experience providing authoritative, accurate and practical legal advice on highly complex and time sensitive matters, particularly in commercial and contractual law.
- Demonstrated ability to identify, research, advise on and resolve complex and novel legal issues.
- Demonstrated ability to navigate complex issues and documentation and provide simple, plain English advice and guidance.
- High level interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to collaborate, influence and negotiate effectively at all levels and build effective stakeholder relationships.
- Strong conceptu
al, analytical and decision-making skills, with the ability to manage pressure, ambiguity and change, prioritise tasks and meet deadlines.
- Ability to act decisively and support sound, efficient organisational decision-making.
- Ability to work collaboratively and flexibly in a team environment and provide leadership, guidance and/or supervision to other lawyers when required.
- Demonstrated knowledge of and interest in current standards and best practice in organisational risk management and compliance.
OTHER INFORMATION
This role is full time, ongoing position. The salary on offer is VPS6.1 base of grade - $138,631 per annum + 12% Superannuation.
HOW TO APPLY?
To view the position description, visit Careers - Museums Victoria. From our Current Vacancies page, select “All Jobs” and click on the link for this job's listing.
To apply, please click “Apply for this Job” at the bottom of the job listing page.
For more information about this position, please contact Rebecca Northeast at [email protected].
Please submit the three following three documents with your application:
- Your Cover Letter
- Your Resume
- A written response addressing the Key Selection Criteria as outlined in our Role Statement (Please refer to attached document)
Applications Close: Sunday 22 March (11:59pm)