The Opportunity

Are you seeking a challenging new opportunity to lead in-house legal services and drive transformation at the enterprise level? Are you interested in joining a values driven, not-for-profit organisation with a meaningful mission? Then this could be the role for you!

In this role, you will be accountable for the provision of commercially focussed, practical legal advice, company secretary functions and governance support for the Institute’s Board and Executive. The position will lead the legal and governance portfolio to ensure that the Institute’s strategic priorities and operations are supported by appropriate legal advice and ensures legal risk is effectively identified and monitored. You will provide a full suite of legal services to the organisation including legislative interpretation, funding agreements, commercial leasing and licensing, contract drafting, dispute resolution, employment and intellectual property law.

Some of your duties will include:

• Helping to drive the continued growth, financial resilience and operational strength of the Institute
• Ensuring the Institute operates in a sustainable and viable manner within budget, in compliance with laws, regulations and standards, and delivers on financial targets
• Actively advise the Institute, CEO, Executive and Board Directors on legal and governance issues
• Overseeing the defence of the organisation in any legal action in conjunction with external legal advisers, whilst managing claims or conducting litigation to ensure that the Institute’s interests and those of its staff are protected
• Undertaking the role of Company Secretary, ensuring compliance with statutory governance requirements
• Ensuring the Institute Board and its Committees are supported to operate effectively to a high standard
• Providing contract management services across the organisation including legal assessment, general compliance and policy advice and approvals for operational and service provision contracts.
• Developing a high-performing team that works collaboratively, accountably, and effectively across the whole organisation

A position description is attached.

This is a full time, 5-year fixed term contract with possibility of extension. The option of working from home up to 0.5 FTE is also offered for this position.

You will work with a talented group of professionals including internationally recognised researchers working towards our vision of a more equitable world through better health. As a newly created role within the organisation, this is a unique opportunity to join a world-renowned research institute, make an impact, and put your name on it!

Let’s talk about you

The following criteria are essential requirements:

• Admitted as an Australian Lawyer and holding a current practising certificate.
• Experience in reporting directly to a C-Suite executive and leading a legal team.
• Experience as Company Secretary or Board Governance Officer.
• Leadership maturity demonstrated by effective decision making in complex and challenging environments and by developing high performing teams.

The following is preferable but not essential:

• Knowledge and experience of the research and commercialisation sector.

The Burnet experience…

We want you to have a successful and meaningful career at Burnet and are committed to providing a supportive workplace environment for all our people. You will be part of a collaborative culture where progressive leadership, innovation, respect, and excellence are valued. Join a team of talented individuals who are passionate about what they do – achieving a more equitable world through better health.

We offer:

• A monthly accrued day off for full-time staff
• 14 weeks paid parental leave - no qualifying period
• Additional long service leave - 17.3 weeks (minimum is 8.67) at 10 years of service
• Study leave
• Flexible working arrangements
• Generous salary packaging
• Opportunities for career and professional development

Who are we?

Burnet Institute is a leading Australian, unaligned, not-for-profit, organisation passionate about social justice, equality and evidence-based research.

Burnet Institute brings together a highly diverse skill base, with more than 400 staff and students working across cutting-edge research and projects to address some of the most relevant global health issues. Institute-wide interdisciplinary health programs Disease Elimination, Health Security and Pandemic Preparedness, and Women's, Children's and Adolescents' Health are at the heart of our daily decision making. Harnessing our international and local field presence, our laboratories, and our mixed development and research cultures drives a greater focus on the most relevant health issues and achieves a greater impact as a result.

Whilst our headquarters is in Melbourne, Australia, we also have offices in Papua New Guinea and Myanmar, and are actively involved in research and public health programs throughout Australia, the Asia-Pacific region and Africa. Burnet is the only unaligned organisation in Australia that has dual accreditation with both the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

Bring your whole self to work

At Burnet, we foster a diverse and inclusive culture. We want our people to feel like they belong and are free to be themselves at work. We have an active Gender Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (GEDI) Council that works to promote and improve gender equity, diversity and inclusion across the Institute, by developing and implementing strategies informed by both national and international best practice and staff input. Burnet holds an Athena SWAN Institutional Bronze Award from Science in Gender Equity (SAGE). If you have a reasonable adjustment, support, or access requirement at any stage of the recruitment process, we encourage you to let us know by emailing [email protected] using the subject line: General Counsel and Company Secretary enquiry via EthicalJobs.

Sounds great! How do I apply?

Click Apply Now and attach the following documents:

• Resume
• Cover Letter

As part of our commitment to gender equity, we have included a question in the application process on gender. This will allow us to monitor and report on gender in relation to our recruitment process.

Burnet is a child safe organisation. The successful applicant will be required to apply for a National Police Check and/or Working with Children. Current Australian working rights are required for all applicants.