• Newly created leadership position 
• Drive reform and change in women’s legal services
• Key member of Senior Leadership Team

About the organisation

Women’s Legal Service Victoria (WLSV) is a specialised and state-wide organisation providing services and support to women since 1982. WLSV exists to help build a gender equitable society, driving systemic change and advocating for solutions for equality, safety and economic security. It is committed to working alongside women experiencing disadvantage to promote their rights to live free from violence. WLSV uses its experience to inform their policy, law reform and education work.

WLSV provides legal services within a multi-disciplinary and trauma-informed practice in the areas of family law, family violence, victims of crime, migration and child protection. Its model incorporates social work and financial counselling to provide wrap-around support to clients.

About the role

The Director, Legal Services leads the WLSV’s multidisciplinary legal practice in the provision of high quality and best practice integrated services to clients, driven by evidence-based planning, client needs and systemic impact. The Director will lead a high performing team, developing and strengthening the knowledge and capability in integrated practice management. The Director, Legal Services leads the design and delivery of evidence-based legal services, applying sophisticated service design approaches, continuously monitoring impact and unmet need, integrating new areas of practice, and incorporating lived-experience expertise into service design approaches.

Reporting to the CEO and as a member of the Executive Management Team (EMT), the Director Legal Services will also provide leadership and strategic direction to the organisation and contribute to achievement of the WLSV strategy.

About you

To succeed in this role, you will have strong leadership capabilities and a demonstrated track record of leading high performing teams. You have experience as a member of a senior leadership team, driving strategic priorities and influencing cultural change and law reform.

Tertiary qualified in law and with a Principal Practising Certificate with Trust, or ability to secure one, you have a background in family law, family violence, child protection, migration law and /or victims of crime assistance and strong knowledge of the nature and dynamics of family violence, including the role and impact of the legal system.

Your demonstrated specialist skills in the provision of high-quality legal services includes oversight of complex client-first service delivery contexts, a strong understanding of integrated practice models and a proven ability to develop and maintain relationships with diverse stakeholders. You can manage contracts and agreements, including planning, while ensuring delivery of agreed activities and services.

Committed to WLSV’s vision of building a gender equitable society, you are focused on ensuring WLSV’s services work alongside women, are women focused and are part of a movement for social change.

Please note: Women’s Legal Service Victoria relies upon an exception under the Equal Opportunity Act to employ women only.

For more information, please contact Karen Starr at SHK on +61 3 8620 8013. Direct and third-party applications will be forwarded to SHK.