Legal Practice Manager

EL 2 - $132,153 - $153,543 per annum plus superannuation
- Legal & Governance
- Canberra, ACT - John Gorton Building, Parkes ACT 2600]
- _Work in a fast-paced, exciting legal environment._
- _Manage a small, motivated team._
- _Work in a motivated and professional division with a wide range of skill sets and backgrounds._

**Who we are**
The Legal and Governance Division is responsible for legal services and advice, communications and media, governance, corporate support as well as parliamentary, appointments and ministerial services. This includes the provision of strategic advice and services to the Secretary, the Executive and the business areas of the department. The division is managed by the Chief Counsel (First Assistant Secretary), and operates in a fast paced, exciting environment. We facilitate excellent outcomes for our clients and focus on ensuring our staff are supported and developed so that they are in the best position to take on the challenges of the work.

**The Job**
DAFF is seeking a Legal Practice Manager to manage the Practice Management Unit (PMU). Reporting to the Chief Counsel, the PMU provides support for the division and the Chief Counsel. The Practice Manager is responsible for the operation of the Practice Management Unit (PMU), including the supervision of a team of paralegal and administrative staff. The PMU develops and administers the division’s systems to support a diverse, full service legal practice supporting the department. These systems include business and workforce planning including recruitment, managing legal procurement, billing, invoicing and reporting for external legal expenditure. You will be responsible for motivating, mentoring and supervising your section to deliver on initiatives and goals whilst striving to create an inclusive, responsive and effective environment.

Key duties of the role include:

- administering the division's legal matter management system
- administering the division's legal advice register
- developing and managing templates and guides for our legal practice
- managing procurement of external legal services
- managing reporting obligations to the office of legal services coordination
- developing business plans
- recruitment and workforce planning
- coordinating professional development and training
- internal budgeting and forecasting for business needs and
- managing paralegal support Please note that this recruitment process may be used to fill a both ongoing and non-ongoing position.

If an offer of non-ongoing employment is made, the successful applicant would be employed for an initial period of 6 to 12 months with the possibility of extension up to a maximum period of 3 years in total. Non-ongoing positions may become ongoing. Should a position become ongoing then the merit pool established through this selection process, which is valid for a period of eighteen months from the date the vacancy was advertised in the Gazette, may be used to fill the vacancy on an ongoing basis. The merit pool may also be used to fill future ongoing and non-ongoing vacancies where the duties are of a similar nature.

**What we are looking for**

**Knowledge and experience**
Significant previous experience in managing administrative teams is necessary for this role. Experience in legal support is highly desirable.

**Skills and capabilities**
To be successful for this role you will have:

- proven skills in providing high quality administrative, business and financial support
- a demonstrated capacity to lead, develop and mentor staff and build a cohesive and collaborative team
- a very high-level of professionalism, discretion, tact, and diplomacy in dealing with sensitive and/or confidential matters
- a proven ability to build and maintain effective relationships with both internal and external stakeholders and
- a demonstrated ability to communicate clearly and in an accurate, timely and professional way.

**For additional information, please read the Job Description below.