At the Department of Justice and Community Safety, we’re looking for people who want to make a difference. People who take pride in their work. People who get things done. People who are committed to making Victoria a safer place.
We embrace diversity and strive to have a workforce that reflects the community we serve. We’re all about recruiting the best people, regardless of gender, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation or cultural background. If you think you can do the job and would be a good fit for our department, we’d love to hear from you.
The department is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and recognises that children’s rights need to be respected, their views welcomed and valued, and their concerns taken seriously and acted upon.
If you require adjustments to the recruitment and selection process, or require an alternative format to any of the application material, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the contact person listed on this ad.
For more information on working with us and our recruitment process, please visit justice.vic.gov.au/careers
We’re proud of the important work we do across Victoria. Want to be part of it?
- Lead the development of expert legal policy on corrections matters and lead legislative and policy reform projects.
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Fixed, Full-Time Opportunity to work with a high-performing and passionate team in the Victorian Public Service
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VPS Grade 6: $142,790 - $191,084 plus superannuation.
The Department of Justice and Community Safety is seeking a Principal Legal Policy Officer, Legal Policy Team to provide a critical role within Policy and Strategy.
About the Business Unit
Corrections Victoria (CV) is part of the Department of Justice and Community Safety (DJCS) and is responsible for the direction, management and operation of Victoria's adult corrections system, including both community and custodial corrections.
Policy and Strategy is a business unit within CV. Our mission is to drive systemic improvements in the corrections system by providing strategic, evidence-based advice. Policy and Strategy work closely with other CV business units to deliver a modern corrections system that is focused on human rights, rehabilitation and community safety. Policy and Strategy live the Victorian Public Service values in its work, with an emphasis on improving outcomes for people in contact with the system, and fostering a workplace culture that is kind, respectful and effective.
The Legal Policy Team, within Policy and Strategy, delivers legal policy advice and legislative and regulatory reform for the corrections portfolio to strengthen community safety, improve outcomes for CV clients and workforce, meet legal obligations, and manage systemic legal risks.
About the Role
The Principal Legal Policy Officer is a senior expert contributor responsible for leading legal policy projects and legislative reform for CV. This includes developing and coordinating new legislative and policy proposals, preparing and coordinating detailed and complex advice, reports and briefings, and mentoring team members to build capability across the team.
The role operates within a complex and dynamic environment that requires a capacity to exercise sound judgement, and the ability to proactively develop and maintain effective relationships with key stakeholders, using influence and negotiation skills to support the provision of clear advice to support effective, timely actions.
Core to being successful in this role will be your ability to understand new subject matter quickly, demonstrate appropriate initiative, and your capacity to write accurate, timely and audience-appropriate documents and briefings.
Some of your duties will include:
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Support the Senior Manager by mentoring and supporting the team to deliver advice to senior departmental executives a nd Ministers on legal policy relating to CV.
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Provide high level, technical and authoritative strategic and innovative legal policy advice to departmental executives and Ministers on highly complex and potentially sensitive matters.
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Lead the development of legal policy to support operational service partners within CV.
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Deliver high quality and authoritative written materials including solutions focussed policy papers, reports, briefings and presentations on policy and program issues and options for senior management, departmental executives, government and other key stakeholders.
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Proactively build and maintain positive relationships with key internal and external stakeholders and facilitate a partnership approach to working across DJCS and government, and with the community.
To learn more about this role before applying, please read the attached position description.
About you
To be successful in this role, you will have:
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Sound knowledge of and/or experience in Victorian government administrative processes, including Cabinet and legislative processes.
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Proven track record in providing public sector legal policy advice within a complex social policy environment.
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Knowledge of current policy direction, research and issues within corrections and the justice system more broadly, or the ability to understand these issues quickly.
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Strong conceptual and analytical skills with ability to analyse complex operational, policy and legal issues, interpret legislation and provide appropriate legal or regulatory options.
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Demonstrated experience in stakeholder engagement, including building and sustaining productive working relationships with senior internal and external stakeholders, and using influence and negotiation skills to achieve effective outcomes.
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Experience in mentoring or supporting the development of colleagues, sharing expertise to build team capability and foster a collaborative environment.
Qualifications/requirements
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A tertiary qualification in law is highly desirable.
How to Apply
Please click the Apply button on this advertisement. Applications should include a resume and covering letter. Attachments can be uploaded in .doc, .docx, .pdf, .txt or .rtf formats.
The successful candidate will be required to undergo pre-employment checks which ma y include a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (NCCHC) and misconduct screening.
If you require adjustments to the recruitment and selection process, or require an alternative format to any of the application material, please don't hesitate to get in touch with the contact person listed on this ad.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
CHILD SAFE STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT:
The Department of Justice and Community Safety is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. We seek to prevent harm of any kind impacting children and young people and have zero tolerance for racism, child abuse and inequality. Children and young people's rights, relationships, identity, and culture must be recognised and respected, their voices heard, and their concerns acted upon. We aim to foster a culturally safe, child safe and child friendly environment for all children and young people we have contact with, deliver services to, or are impacted by our work.
