First Assistant Secretary, Legal and Integrity

The department is responsible for the design and delivery of the Australian Government's infrastructure, transport, regional development, sport, communications and arts policies and programs. The department's work touches every Australian community and underpins our economy and society.

Our focus is on connecting Australians, enriching communities, and empowering our regions. We do this by providing policy advice to government, and delivering programs, services, and research for the benefit of all Australians.

The department's Legal and Integrity Division provides high quality, practical, technically excellent and timely legal advice, support and services for the department and portfolio Ministers' offices. It also champions our culture of integrity, manages and investigates misconduct, and develops strategic initiatives to enhance ethical practices across the agency. The work is varied across the diverse subject matter of the portfolio, intellectually stimulating and rewarding. Our people are dynamic and collaborative.

The key duties of the position include

The Legal and Integrity Division is a newly created division, bringing together our legal and integrity functions. The legal function in the department provides high quality legal advice and support for the department and ministers' offices, on the diverse areas covered by the portfolio. These include:

- The regulation of airports and aviation

- Major transport and infrastructure projects

- Infrastructure investment

- Regional development

- Surface transport matters, including road vehicles and shipping

- The administration of non-self-governing territories

- Northern Australia

- The arts

- Sport

- Online safety

- Media and platforms

- Communications infrastructure, including NBN co and Spectrum

- Communications services, including regional communications and Australia Post, and consumer safeguards

Significantly, the legal services function is required to support a wide variety of legal matters ranging from litigation in the High Court to the negotiation of complex commercial arrangements with private parties. We are seeking a candidate with significant experience in the management and delivery of legal services in the Commonwealth government context.

The integrity function in the department delivers and provides high quality support for the Secretary, Executive, leaders and staff. This includes:

- Oversight of the department's enterprise risk management framework, policies and procedures and enterprise risk register and controls

- Promote a culture of integrity and ethical conduct across the department in accordance with relevant legislation and the APS Values.

- Lead investigations into ethical breaches such as fraud, bribery and corruption, often working with the Chief People Officer and People Branch.

- Management of the department's Freedom of Information, complaints and conflict of interest functions.

The FAS Legal and Integrity is a pivotal role, and in this position, you can expect to:

- Assume overall responsibility for the department's legal matters and the provision of legal advice and direction across the department.

- Act as the trusted legal adviser on sensitive and complex matters, often on an urgent basis, for the portfolio Ministers and their offices, Secretary and Deputy Secretaries.

- Enhance our integrity framework to prevent corruption, fraud and other misconduct.

- Oversee misconduct assessments and investigations and advising on policy and compliance.

- Work collaboratively with our Chief People Officer to promote awareness of APS values and the Code of Conduct and drive strategic risk mitigation.

- Have highly developed management and stakeholder engagement skills and be able to represent the department at a range of forums. You will be required to interact with the portfolio Ministers and their offices, Secretary and Deputy Secretaries, portfolio agencies, central agencies and other senior stakeholders.

- Ensure there are effective quality assurance protocols and business planning arrangements to support the delivery of timely and high-quality outputs.

- Provide overall leadership of staff within your division, including building and developing a high performing team to deliver on the core priorities of your division and across the department.

- Contribute to the development and implementation of strategies that strengthen the department's culture and leadership.

Who are we looking for?

As the FAS Legal and Integrity, you must demonstrate you are a collaborative and agile leader with the ability to strategically manage in the context of contributing to the achievement of government policies in a legally appropriate way. You will have the demonstrated ability to provide strategic and overall leadership to your division and manage with a proven record of delivering high quality legal services in a complex, politically sensitive and operationally diverse environment.

SES Behaviours

As a member of the Senior Executive Service team in the department, you will:

- Promote, uphold and exemplify the APS Values, the Secretaries Charter of Leadership Behaviours (DRIVE), the General Counsel Charter, and the Statement of Expectations of Australian Government Lawyers.

- Model, develop and sustain a culture of professional and accountable behaviour, self-reflection, integrity and stewardship.

- Empower, build and develop capability in others, by encouraging a culture of continuous learning.

- Commit to cultural learning and safety of First Nations and cultural and/or linguistically diverse staff.

- Embed diversity and inclusion outcomes.

- Reward and recognise staff.

- Foster a culture of psychological safety.

- Enact on your Work, Health and Safety obligations.

- Examine own performance and regularly seek feedback from others.

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