• Women’s Legal Service Victoria | Melbourne CBD | Immediate start | Hybrid working model
• Part-time (0.6FTE) | Maximum Term until June 2028
• Be a part of a feminist community legal service!
• Your expertise will directly contribute to building a more gender-equitable society.
• Competitive remuneration, 5 weeks annual leave and flexible work arrangements.

About Us

For over 40 years Women’s Legal Service Victoria (Women’s Legal) has championed women’s rights to live free from violence. We are a dedicated team with a passion for working with women and non-binary people to live free from violence and discrimination by:

• Providing high quality integrated legal services for Victorian women and non-binary people who are victim-survivors of family violence and disadvantaged or marginalised by structural and systemic barriers.
• Building the capacity of professionals who work with women and non-binary people, to better understand the law and navigate the legal system safely.
• Advancing gender equality by challenging unsafe and discriminatory policies and laws and informing and advocating for legal and policy initiatives that respect and promote the rights of women and non-binary people.

About the Role

The Senior Policy and Project Officer will play a key role in advancing housing justice for women and children who have experienced family violence.

Funded by the Victorian Legal Services Board, this role will support a collaborative project with three partner Community Legal Centres, aimed at reducing the risk of financial and housing insecurity post-separation through fairer property settlements.

The Senior Policy and Project Officer will drive project management, stakeholder engagement and advocacy work, while coordinating monitoring and evaluation to demonstrate the projects impact.

• Plan, develop and implement the project plan, including managing the project budget;
• Collaborate with partner Community Legal Centres, consultants and colleagues to deliver project activities;
• Support the preparation of project reports; acquittals and monitoring and evaluation processes; and
• Engage stakeholders to improve system responses for women at risk of homelessness.

About You

You are an organised and collaborative project manager, passionate about advancing social justice for women and children impacted by family violence. You have excellent communication skills, a strategic mindset, and a flexible approach to working in a dynamic environment. Your ability to build strong relationships and influence change will see you succeed in the role.

Key to your success is your:

• Strong project management, planning and organisational skills;
• Ability to develop and implement effective project plans;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills;
• Ability to work collaboratively with a range of stakeholders;
• Capacity to analyse data to inform planning, advocacy and evaluation; and
• Flexibility and adaptability in a changing environment.

You will:

• Have experience in developing and delivering projects and collaborating with stakeholders;
• Hold a tertiary qualification in a relevant discipline;
• Bring a solid understanding of family violence and/or family law; and
• Ideally have experience working with women experiencing family violence.

Why Women’s Legal?

In return for your dedication, we offer:

• Competitive remuneration
• 5 weeks annual leave, plus bonus leave between Christmas and New Year!
• Paid parental leave and reproductive health leave
• Cultural leave
• A strong commitment to your professional development, personal development, and wellbeing
• A hybrid working model and a flexible working environment that supports work/non-work balance
• NFP salary packaging benefits (up to $15,900 in tax-free pay every year) plus meal and entertainment benefits (up to $2,650 tax-free pay per year)
• Fresh fruit available in the office
• Access to our Employee Assistance Program

To apply

Submit a resume and covering letter to tell us how you are the right candidate for this role. Please ensure the cover letter addresses how you personally align to Women’s Legal values as described in the attached position description.

Research shows that women are less likely to apply for roles if they don’t meet 100% of the selection criteria. We encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet all the criteria, but this role sounds like a good fit for you.

Please note, non-lawyers employed by Women’s Legal Service Victoria are required to comply with Section 121 of the Legal Profession Uniform Law.

All successful candidates will be required to produce a national criminal history check prior to the commencement of their employment.

Enquiries

Enquiries can be emailed to Ruth McKendrick, HR Officer at [email protected], using the subject line: Senior Policy and Project Officer enquiry via EthicalJobs. 

Equal Opportunity Employer

We recognise our work benefits greatly from the unique knowledge, skills and expertise of individuals with diverse experiences, including those with lived experience of family violence, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women with disability and women from migrant, refugee or non-English speaking backgrounds. If this is you, we strongly encourage you to apply.

Women's Legal relies on an exception under the Equal Opportunity Act to employ women only.