Principal Legal Officer- Employment and Legal Policy

**Full Time, ongoing opportunities**:

- **Based in Parramatta CBD with hybrid and flexible work option, regional locations considered**

**About the Department of Education**

The Department of Education is the largest provider of public education in Australia with responsibility for delivering high-quality public education to two-thirds of the NSW student population. For more information, please visit NSW Department of Education.

**About the Legal Services Directorate**

Legal Services supports schools, and regional and state corporate offices to navigate the law to put students at the centre of decision-making.

Our high-performing legal team works collaboratively across the organisation, partnering to provide critical legal advice. We are a trusted and credible partner, delivering excellent service and promoting community confidence in public education. Our legal advice and expertise builds organisational capabilities so that every student, every teacher, every leader and every school can improve, every year.

Legal practice areas include commercial, property, contracts, liability, discrimination, privacy, employment, attendance, civil, criminal and administrative law, and general litigation.

**About the opportunities**
- **Employment law**

The Litigation and Corporate Team is a dynamic team of lawyers guiding the Department of Education through complex legal frameworks, working across a broad range of stakeholders and areas of law. We provide advice to schools and business units, draft research-based legal advice, negotiate with defendants and claimant solicitors, provide representation in tribunal matters, court hearings and mediations, and prepare a wide range of legal documents. The team has a good balance of in-house direct legal work and instructions to external legal providers. The team covers various work areas including liability claims, prosecutions, employment and inquests.

The employment work stream conducts the full suite of general employment law matters including unfair dismissal claims in the Industrial Relation Commission, providing advice and management of general human resources matters including those relating to recruitment and termination, injured workers, payment claims, and policy issues. The employment team also works closely with key stakeholders including the Health & Safety Directorate, Employee Relations and Professional Ethics and Standards on the management of employee related matters generally. You will also be engaged on Department wide projects and assist the Principal Legal Officer with the development of effective strategies for legal reform across the Department and cluster agencies.
- **Legal policy and administrative law**

The Legal Policy and Schools team provides a broad range of legal and strategic advice to schools and policy areas across the department. The practice is fast-paced and diverse, responding to wide range of issues that arise in a system of over 2,200 schools. The team also manages:

- administrative law matters, such as judicial review proceedings in the Supreme Court,
- privacy and discrimination matters,
- ad hoc projects, eg. the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability, and
- legislative compliance.

This team also provides inhouse legal advice and support on issues such as risk mitigation and legal compliance.

**About You**

You are a highly experienced solicitor who:

- **can manage yourself**, showing drive and motivation, with an ability to self-reflect and commit to learning
- **communicates effectively** and clearly, actively listening to others and responding with understanding and respect
- **works collaboratively** with others, valuing their contribution
- **delivers results**, through the efficient use of resources and a commitment to quality outcomes
- **can develop practical solutions** by analysing and considering the broader context
- **understands technology** and uses available technologies to maximise efficiencies and effectiveness
- **can manage and develop people**, motivate staff, and develop capability and potential in others
- **optimises business outcomes** by managing people and resources effectively, to achieve public value.

For further information please view the **role description**.

**Qualifications, experience and knowledge**

Your professional credentials, experience and expertise should include:

- legal qualifications and a current unrestricted NSW legal practising certificate
- experience as a solicitor/advocate
- knowledge and experience in the areas of law that impact the NSW Department of Education
- the ability to provide quality independent legal advice and manage legal risk
- complementary capabilities in statutory interpretation, legal research, legal drafting, prosecution and advocacy
- knowledge of and a commitment to the department’s Aboriginal education policies.

**Benefits**

With nearly 100,000 people working all over NSW, the Department o