Overview
Work Type: Fixed-term - Full-time
Salary: Salary not specified
Grade: Grade in advertisement
Occupation: Legal
Location: Melbourne - CBD and Inner Metro suburbs
Reference: VG/6090
Health & Safety Legal (HSL) sits within WorkSafe’s Legal & Governance Division and provides WorkSafe’s health and safety business units and other internal stakeholders with legal advice on a broad range of issues relating to compliance and enforcement. HSL also has the care and conduct of WorkSafe’s coronial and Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (Review and Regulation Division) proceedings.
As a Senior Lawyer, you will provide legal advice to support the development of health and safety compliance and enforcement operations, guidance, policy and legislation, and strategic projects. You will also play an important role in mentoring and supporting junior staff while contributing to key organisational priorities.
- $168,512.00 per annum + 12% superannuation
- Full time, fixed term 18 January 2027 to 25 February 2028 (parental leave)
- Melbourne CBD based role (hybrid – 3 days a week in office)
About the opportunity
Health & Safety Legal (HSL) sits within WorkSafe's Legal & Governance Division and provides WorkSafe's health and safety business units and other internal stakeholders with legal advice on a broad range of issues relating to compliance and enforcement. HSL also has the care and conduct of WorkSafe's coronial and Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (Review and Regulation Division) proceedings.
As a Senior Lawyer, you will provide legal advice to support the development of health and safety compliance and enforcement operations, guidance, policy and legislation, and strategic projects. You will also play an important role in mentoring and supporting junior staff while contributing to key organisational priorities.
Key accountabilities include:
- Provide timely expert oral and written advice on complex legal issues.
- Manage the day to day conduct of litigation and inquiries, including applications for administrative review of inspector decisions, injunction applications, Coronial Inquests and Royal Commissions.
- Provide strategic and practical legal advice about the formulation, development and implementation of guidelines, legislation, policies and projects relating to health and safety.
- Identify and propose legislative, procedural or policy reform where required.
- Supervise the work performed by junior staff.
- Build and maintain effective working relationships with key internal and external stakeholders. The incumbent must manage constructive relationships in sensitive and dynamic environments.
About you
You are a skilled legal professional who thrives in a complex regulatory environment and can communicate effectively with a broad range of stakeholders. You bring sound judgement, strong problem-solving capability and a collaborative approach to working with multidisciplinary teams, while successfully managing competing priorities and delivering quality outcomes.
Additionally, you will possess the following:
- Demonstrated specialist knowledge in the field of occupational health and safety, administrative law and civil procedure.
- Experience managing a portfolio of litigious claims.
- Experience in providing legal advice in a compliance and enforcement context.
- Experience working independently as a specialist or directly managing project work, including coordination and supervision of staff, to achieve specified outcomes within designated time frames.
- Experience managing internal and external stakeholder relationships, including managing competing stakeholder interests.
- Demonstrated accountability for achievement of team results.
- Demonstrated ability to allocate and align resources to achieve core business objectives.
- Knowledge of the occupational health and safety law, privacy law, criminal law, evidence and criminal procedure, coronial proceedings and / or inquiries under the Inquiries Act 2014 (Vic) are desired.
Qualifications
- Tertiary qualification in law.
- Admission to practice as an Australian Lawyer with at least five years post admission experience.
- Eligible to hold a practising certificate as an Australian Legal Practitioner.
- Valid current driver's licence.
Applications close 11pm Friday 20 November 2026.