Social Services Regulator
The Social Services Regulator (SSR) is an independent statutory authority that exists to safeguard the rights of children and young people as well as people who use social services in Victoria.
The SSR regulates the Social Services Standards, the Child Safe Standards (for organisations without a sector specific co-regulator as well as the social services sector), and also administers the Worker and Carer Exclusion Scheme (WCES), Reportable Conduct Scheme (RCS) and Working with Children Check (WWCC) scheme and NDIS Worker Screening Check.
The Social Services Regulator takes an integrated and intelligence driven approach to identifying, preventing and excluding unsafe people from working with children and young people, as well as ensuring organisations that work with children and young people keep children safe from abuse and harm by meeting the Child Safe Standards.
As a co-regulator of the Child Safe Standards, the Social Services Regulator works with other co-regulators of the Child Safe Standards including the Department of Health, Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA), Victorian Early Childhood Regulation Authority (VECRA), and Workforce Inspectorate Victoria to keep children safe from harm and abuse.
THE ROLE
The Senior Legal Counsel is a trusted legal advisor within the Legal and Internal Review team and will work as part of the SSR Legal team across SSR's operational areas including on complex matters arising under the various legislative frameworks. This includes, but not limited to, advice and management of litigation involving Working with Children Checks as well as regulation of the Social Service Standards, the Reportable Conduct Scheme and the Worker and Carer Exclusion Scheme.
This role offers a diverse and engaging workload, with a strong emphasis on collaboration, teamwork, and building effective relationships with both internal and external stakeholders, while contributing to continous organisational improvement.
ACCOUNTABILITIES INCLUDE
Day-to-day your responsibilities will include:
- Support the SSR Legal team in the delivery of high quality, stakeholder focused and cost-effective legal services in relation to highly complex and sensitive matters. This includes the management of matters in courts or tribunals particularly in relation to the Working with Children Check scheme.
- Provide strategic, risk-based legal advice on social service regulation and laws, and legal issues related to the Regulator's functions, including complaints, notifications, investigations, prosecutions and a broad range of administrative law, legislative interpretation and corporate governance matters that relate to the operation of the Regulator.
- Support and advise the SSR on litigated matters, including day to day carriage of matters, engaging counsel or external legal support (where appropriate) and providing advice on prospects as well as ensuring the SSR complies with its obligations as a model litigant.
For more details, please open the position description.
HOW TO APPLY
Applicants are encouraged to apply online. Attachments can be uploaded in .doc, .docx, .pdf, .txt or .rtf formats.
Applicants are required to submit a CV and Cover Letter (max 2 pages) outlining their suitability to the role in line with the Key Selection Criteria.
Applicants must be an Australian Citizen, Permanent Resident or hold a valid work permit or visa. Work eligibility will be checked as part of the recruitment process.
Preferred candidates will be required to complete pre-employment screening, including a national police check and misconduct screening.
For more information on working with us and our recruitment process, please contact SSR HR at [email protected].
Please apply to submit your interest in this position.