Senior Lawyer, Legislation

Title: Senior Lawyer, Legislation

Requisition ID: 8017

Work Type: Ongoing Full Time

Fixed Term Period: Not Applicable

Location: Melbourne - CBD

Date Posted: 28 Oct 2025

About Us
We create thriving places and connected communities. We bring together transport, planning, land use, precinct and policy functions in a single department to deliver the best outcomes for Victorians.

Together with our portfolio agencies, we are responsible for planning, building, operating and maintaining Victoria's transport, planning and land services for use by all.

We foster a safe, inclusive and constructive place to work.

DTP Legal
is a Group within the Department of Transport and Planning, and is responsible for providing legal, legislative, commercial and policy advice and support to the Secretary and Department in the achievement of the transport system vision, objectives and decision-making principles and in the management of Victoria's planning and building system, including through delivery of the recently announced Victorian Housing Statement

About The Role
This is an ongoing opportunity
The Senior Lawyer, Legislation
, provides authoritative and strategic legal advice on complex and sensitive legislative, legal, and policy matters aligned with government and departmental objectives. The role supports the delivery of legislative services and programs, leading or assisting major legislative reform and review projects. It involves drafting and reviewing a wide range of legal and legislative documentation, including drafting instructions, statutory instruments, Cabinet submissions, and orders in council, and conducting negotiations to finalise these documents.

In this role you will identify emerging legal and policy issues, assessing their implications for the department and the State, and provides expert advice and options for decision-making to departmental staff and portfolio agencies. The position requires undertaking in-depth legal and policy research and analysis, managing stakeholder interests with professionalism and diplomacy, and contributing to the broader objectives of the DTP Legal Branch by undertaking tasks and projects as required.

Position Accountabilities
Position Description, please click here
Senior Lawyer Legislation
Key Selection Criteria
We are seeking a skilled
Senior Lawyer,
capable of providing expert legal and legislative advice on complex and sensitive matters. This role needs you to be able to advise on the development and interpretation of legislation, drafting statutory instruments and Cabinet submissions, and supporting the department's legislative reform and policy initiatives. You will apply your strong understanding of constitutional and administrative law, statutory interpretation, and legislative processes to identify, analyse, and resolve complex legal and policy issues.

The successful candidate will demonstrate advanced critical thinking, problem solving, and the ability to navigate political and organisational contexts with sound judgment and professionalism. You will manage competing priorities, engage effectively with stakeholders, and handle challenging conversations with diplomacy and resilience whilst working collaboratively within a dynamic legal team.

Qualifications And Experience
Mandatory

• Admitted to practise law in Victoria and a current practicing certificate.

Desirable

• Experience as a Government lawyer preferred.

Culture Value
We welcome applicants from a diverse range of backgrounds representing the community that we serve, including veterans, parents, carers, First Peoples, people with disability, multicultural, multifaith and LGBTIQA+ individuals.

As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and high-performance culture. Through shared actions and behaviours aligned with our strategy and direction, we empower our people to thrive and meaningfully contribute to the department's goals.

What we offer

Working at the Department of Transport and Planning provides people with the opportunity to contribute to creating thriving places and connected communities for all Victorians.

For further details please refer to Careers at the Department of Transport and Planning.

Pre-employment checks and employment conditions

All new appointments to the department will be subject to a National Criminal Records Check, Misconduct Screening, and a Qualification Check where there is a requirement for a mandatory qualification. Information provided to the Department of Transport and Planning will be treated in the strictest confidence consistent with the requirements of the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014.

Applicants must be an Australian Citizen, Permanent Resident or hold a valid work permit or visa necessary for the nature of the position.

Recipients of Victorian Public Service (VPS) voluntary departure packages should note that re-employment restrictions apply.

Non-VPS applicants will be subject to a probation period of six months.

How to apply

Click the
'Apply'
button to be redirected to our recruitment platform, where you may need to create an account to submit your application.

If you encounter any issues, refer to our Quick Reference Guide for step-by-step instructions.

Applications close at
11.59pm on Thursday, 13 Nov 2025.
Please include both your resume and a cover letter. All applications must be submitted via the online portal, we're unable to accept email or manual submissions.

For further information about the role, please contact
Alana
Chinn – Acting Director Legislation at
Important Information
If you require any adjustments to fully participate in the recruitment process, or need the advert or attachments in an accessible format (e.g., large print), please contact us by phone or email.