• Legal Officer Grade 5
• Full time ongoing role
• Managing key legal functions
• Working in a volunteer-based agency
• Supporting communities of NSW before, during and after emergencies
• Location: based in Wollongong at NSW SES State Headquarters

About the opportunity

An exciting new opportunity exists to join a small, dedicated team within a volunteer-based agency supporting the communities of NSW, where you can apply your legal expertise to develop a robust, practical and effective legal function in NSW SES. 

Sitting in the Office of the Commissioner, and reporting to the Chief of Staff, Manager Legal is a new role responsible for overseeing the key legal functions in the NSW SES and providing expert legal advice to the NSW SES executive.

The role provides practical legal advice and research to the Commissioner and the senior executive across a wide range of matters, from interpretation of emergency services legislation to contracts and responses to coronial inquests.

The role supports robust decision-making across the NSW SES and is responsible for coordinating whole-of-agency legal requests, managing outsourced legal advice, and leading projects to improve agency legal and policy compliance, within the functions of the role.

The role involves high level stakeholder engagement and works closely with key staff across the agency, including frontline operations, procurement, professional standards and governance.

About the NSW SES

Our Mission: NSW SES saving lives and creating safer communities.

Our Vision: A trusted volunteer-based emergency service, working together to deliver excellence in community preparedness and emergency response.

The NSW SES serves the community as the lead agency for Floods, Storms and Tsunamis. We are recognised as the most versatile and widely used emergency service organisation in NSW.  Our volunteers are highly skilled, experienced, and well- trained in the wide variety of roles they perform.

With over 10,000 volunteers we are committed to protecting and supporting the diverse communities of NSW. Learn more here.

About you

To be successful in this role you will:

• Be admitted as a lawyer in New South Wales, hold a current Australian practicing certificate that entitles you to practice as a government lawyer in New South Wales without supervision.
• Be proficient in building and maintaining strong relationships with stakeholders, internal and external, have excellent communication skills and the ability to explain legal concepts in simple and practical ways.
• Be experienced in supervising and managing routine legal processes, and also provide well written expert advice on complex legal issues.
• Be skilled in managing resources, ensuring agency compliance, and contributing to agency goals.
• Thrive in a complex, high volume, legislative environment with competing priorities and short turnaround times.

What we can offer you 

• You will enjoy a 35-hour work week
• You can enjoy a hybrid work environment, time in the office in Wollongong and time working remotely (such as from home).
• Attractive salary range of $149,906 to $152,845 plus 11.5% superannuation and leave loading
• Our work is meaningful and rewarding. The SES’s mission is saving lives and creating safer communities, and you can be an important part of our work.
• We have attractive leave entitlements including parental, sick, flex and recreation leave.
• We care about our people. We have Mental Health & Wellbeing programs and services to support our people and operational and leadership training and development opportunities to develop our people. Some of these include:
• Fitness Passport
• LinkedIn Learning
• Member Assist Program for free confidential counselling support
• Flu vaccine program. 

You Belong Here

We care about people as individuals and are committed to diversity, inclusion, and new ways of working. We encourage applications from people of any age, gender, ethnicity, cultural background, faith, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity.

We want our people to reflect the diverse community we serve and are committed to creating an inclusive and flexible workplace. We want to know what this looks like for you so we can support your success at work.

If you require reasonable adjustments, we are committed to supporting you throughout the recruitment processes and in the workplace, If you feel you may require an adjustment during the recruitment process, please contact [email protected] for confidential advice on options. 

How to apply 

Your application should include as separate attachments:

• A cover letter (maximum of one page) briefly responding to the essential requirements and your interest in the role;  
• Responses to each of the targeted questions (maximum of one page per answer); and
• An up-to-date resume of no more than four pages detailing your skills and experience relevant to the role

Targeted Questions

1. Describe a time when you provided strategic and expert legal advice on complex legislation or administrative law issues? How did you ensure your advice addressed legal risks and aligned with agency priorities?
2. How do you manage relationships with key stakeholders, particularly when dealing with sensitive legal matters or competing interests? 

Want to know more?

If you want to know more about this opportunity, please contact Michelle Egan, Chief of Staff at [email protected] using the subject line: Manager Legal - Wollongong enquiry via EthicalJobs , or on 0477 367 222.

The role description is attached here.

Talent Pool

A recruitment pool may be created for ongoing and temporary roles of the same role or role type that may become available for filling over the next 18 months. Further information here.

The NSW State Emergency Service is a proud employer of a diverse workforce. We encourage applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, cultural background, faith, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity. We are committed to reflecting the diverse community we serve and creating an inclusive and flexible workplace. People with disability are supported to access adjustments in recruitment processes and in the workplace, to enable them to demonstrate their skills and capabilities to meet the requirements of the job. As supporters of flexible working, we welcome discussions about how our roles can be undertaken flexibly.