- Location: Canberra, ACT
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Application Closing Date: Wednesday 8 July 2026 at 11:30pm AEST
Classification
Executive Level 1 ($130,638 - $148,889)
Employment Type
Ongoing & Non-ongoing (for a period up to 24 months)
This role is being advertised as both ongoing and non-ongoing, with the employment type to be determined in negotiation with the preferred candidate and the PM&C delegate.
Where a non-ongoing specified term is offered, this would be for a maximum period of two (2) years. If the initial contract is for less than 2 years, it may be extended or renewed once, up to the 2 year limit.
A non-ongoing offer may result in conversion to an ongoing offer of employment, however this must occur within 18 months from the opening date of this advertisement.
Flexible Work
At PM&C we recognise the broad benefits of offering flexibility in how, when and where work is performed. We consider flexibility first from a starting position of ‘how can we make this work?’ and consider individual circumstances and operational requirements in making genuine attempts to establish mutually beneficial arrangements. Please reach out to the contact officer if you would like to explore what flexibility might look like for you, such as part time work, variable start and finish times or working from home.
Who we are
The PM&C General Counsel team deliver high level, practical legal advice to support the Prime Minister, Secretary and the department to identify and manage legal risk. You will work in a small team and engage widely across the department, advising on a range of issues including employment, public and commercial law. You will be comfortable working with a wide range of stakeholders, including senior executives.
What you will do
As a Senior Lawyer in the General Counsel team, you will work in a fast-paced environment and operate with a high degree of independence. Your strategic and analytical mindset will mean you can be trusted to anticipate and mitigate legal risks, with a whole of department perspective.
You will support the General Counsel in:
- Building strong, trusted relationships across the department.
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Supporting the management of legal risks.
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Providing high level, solutions-focused legal advice to the Secretary, Senior Executives and internal stakeholders.
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Advising on workplace law, including advice on the Fair Work Act 2009 , Work Health and Safety Act 2011, Public Service Act 1999, supporting workplace investigations, and drafting or reviewing workplace policies and procedures.
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Advising on public law and administrative law matters, including Freedom of Information requests, Privacy, statutory decision-making and appointments.
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Supporting the Department’s compliance with the Legal Services Directions 2025.
What you will bring
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Technical Expertise: Strong capability working in a government environment, supported by in-depth experience, statutory interpretation and analytical skills. Ability to deliver clear, practical advice on a range of legal issues within short timeframes, whilst balancing competing priorities.
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Strong Stakeholder Engagement and Communication: Builds trusted relationships internally across the department and externally with other agencies and stakeholders. Delivers a client focused approach and communicates confidently and effectively, including with senior executives. Escalates sensitive issues appropriately and provides practical legal advice to support informed decision-making.
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Judgement and Problem Solving: Applies judgement and a practical, solutions-focused approach to legal problems. Assesses legal risk within the broader departmental and whole of government context, balancing legal, operational and strategic considerations when preparing advice.
To be eligible to apply, you must:
- Hold a law degree from an Australian university, or equivalent qualifications that make you eligible for admission as a legal practitioner in Australia.
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Be admitted, or eligible for admission, as a legal practitioner in Australia, and
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Be able to obtain and maintain a practising certificate with the ACT Law Society.
The following experience will be highly regarded:
- Five years’ post admission legal experience (or equivalent) gained in government and/or private legal practice.
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Demonstrated experience in government, advising on administrative law, statutory interpretation, commercial and/or procurement, and/or employment law matters.
Eligibility
- Under section 22(8) of the Public Service Act 1999, employees must be Australian citizens to be employed in the APS unless the Agency Head has agreed otherwise, in writing. At PM&C to be eligible for this position you should be an Australian Citizen by the completion of the recruitment process, except under exceptional circumstances.
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The successful candidate must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance, or hold a current security clearance of an appropriate level.
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The successful candidate will be assessed through our pre-employment screening checks, such as an Australian Criminal History Check, and will normally be subject to a six-month probation period if new to the APS or has not yet completed their probation period elsewhere in the APS.
Security Clearance Required
Negative Vetting Level 1 (Secret)
How to apply
Submit an online application through the PM&C Current Opportunities by
11:30pm AEST on Wednesday, 8 July 2026.
As part of your application you will need to provide:
- Your resume (maximum three pages)
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A ‘one page pitch (no more than 650 words)’ telling us how your skills, knowledge, experience and qualifications make you the best person for the job and to perform at the relevant classification level.
You are encouraged to refer to the Candidate Pack and the relevant classification level of the PM&C Performance Model to assist you in drafting your one page pitch.
You may also refer to the APSC resource Cracking the Code for further guidance and assistance on applying for jobs in the Australian Public Service.
Contact Officer
Tom Creedon on (02) 6228 6861 or
[email protected].
Please Note – This is an unclassified web based recruitment system so your application must not contain any classified or sensitive information. This includes in your one page pitch and resume.
