Director (Grants Division)

About Legal Aid Queensland"s vision is to be a leader in a fair justice system where people are able to understand and protect their legal rights. Our purpose is to provide quality, cost effective legal services to financially disadvantaged people throughout Queensland. We embrace diversity, flexibility, learning and continuous improvement to deliver quality legal services.

About the Role
This is an outstanding opportunity for an experienced business or legal professional to manage arrangements for the purchase of legal services to support legal service delivery to vulnerable and disadvantaged Queenslanders. You will be responsible for overseeing this busy and demand driven area to ensure quality services are provided in a timely way within available budget. In this role, your responsibilities will include:

• Be part of the Grants Management Team that leads Grants to achieve outcomes for clients and Grants employees, establishing a strong culture of teamwork, support, service delivery, and efficiency.
• Supervise Grants Managers including providing of performance management, feedback and career development. Also oversee recruitment, establishment management, achievement and development planning, and learning and development for the division.
• Develop and implement new and updated policies, procedures, business processes and systems to support the delivery of Grants functions. This includes planning and coordination of change management activities.
• Contribute to strategic and operational planning for Grants and lead the development, implementation and reporting of associated projects and programs.
• Prepare briefing notes to the Executive Leadership Team, various governance committees and the LAQ Board about Grants. Provide advice and information to inform strategic decision making.
• Make and record decisions about requests for a grant of legal assistance in accordance with delegations including expensive cases, senior officer assessments and internal reviews. Prepare related correspondence and briefing notes.
• Monitor service delivery demands and coordinate the operational response and changes including preparation and delivery of divisional communication. Also analyse Grants activities using various business systems and prepare related reports for internal and external stakeholders.
• Manage the operational relationships between LAQ and preferred suppliers to ensure any conflicts arising from grants operations are appropriately managed.
• Represent Grants in internal and external forums and maintain a strong network of contacts in relevant bodies. Attendance at court may be required to explain LAQ decisions for particular matters.
• Model the Grants THRIVE values of trust, honesty, respect, inclusive, vitality, ethics.

How You Will be Assessed
The ideal applicant will be someone who has the following capabilities:

• You have experience managing a large and decentralised team. You have demonstrated leadership skills and can foster positive team culture and wellbeing through communication, building capability, and promoting safe and inclusive practices. You develop strategies and plans to address current challenges as well as future needs.
• You have a knowledge of legal practices, procedures and terminology and can apply this to Grants decisions and demonstrate an understanding of the organisation's strategic direction and can align operational activities with organisational and government priorities.
• You communicate proactively in a clear, concise and articulate manner, provide advice and negotiate persuasively including preparing documents and you can represent the organisation effectively in public and internal forums.

What we Offer
As a member of the Legal Aid Queensland Community, you will receive:

• Full time hours: 36.25 hrs per week
• Generous employer super contributions of 12.75%
• Generous salary packaging available
• Study leave for approved work-related courses.