• Full time permanent opportunity, East Burwood VIC Location

As General Counsel for World Vision Australia (WVA), you will be the key legal advisor on all major organisational transactions, including acquisitions and investments, structural matters, revenue contracts and regulatory matters.

Reporting to the CFO, you will be involved in preparing submissions on proposed changes to laws, engaging with regulators, advising on responses to issues raised by supporters and other stakeholders, approving settlements of disputes and ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations; achieved through a mix of internal and external legal resources.

Your areas of responsibility include;

• The General Counsel is responsible for both the selection, retention, management and evaluation of all outside counsel and the management of a team of Legal Counsels.
• Advise the Board, CEO and Senior Leaders on legislative, regulatory and industry developments.
• Notify and provide advice to the CEO, Senior Leaders and the Board on significant legal matters as relevant, including advice on risks, exposures and contingencies.
• Serve as the key legal advisor on all major organisational transactions, including acquisitions, divestments, joint venture, structural matters, revenue contracts and regulatory matters.
• Prepare submissions on proposed changes to laws which impact on WVA itself and how it relates to supporters (e.g. tax deductibility of donations).
• Advice on responses to issues raised by supporters and other stakeholders.
• Define strategic defence and approve settlement of disputes filed against the organisation.
• Ensure the organisation conducts its business in compliance with applicable laws and regulations
• Represent WVA on matters of major sector legal structural reform or framework change (ACNC, ATO, etc.) including preparation of submissions

Who we are looking for…

• Relationship & Management skills – influencing, negotiating, planning, stakeholder management and people management
• Ability to manage complex legal and litigation
• Tertiary qualifications in Law & holder of current Legal Practising Certificate
• Significant senior level experience as a Company Secretary or senior lawyer.
• Experience in cost-effective management of outside legal resources.

Comprehensive working knowledge and experience with;

• Charity & NFP regulation (including tax position)
• International aid and development sector in Australia
• Regulation/standards relating to governance of corporations (in particular public corporation limited by guarantee)

What you need to know…

This role is a permanent position operating in a full-time capacity and will be based at our head office in Burwood East, Victoria.

For your information, the interviews will start immediately, and the role may be filled before the closing date.

World Vision Australia takes our Safeguarding responsibilities seriously and we provide an environment that is safe for our child and adult beneficiaries. We have strong recruitment procedures to make sure the safest and most suitable people work with the children in our programs. All successful candidates will undergo a criminal record and Working with Children check prior to employment. We provide our staff and volunteers with ongoing supervision, support and training in their work with child and adult beneficiaries.

Why World Vision…

We offer great benefits such as salary packaging, flexible working arrangements, free on-site parking and an onsite café for our employees.

World Vision is a global community, working together for the one purpose – to bring about positive change in the lives of the world’s most vulnerable children. People are inspired to work for us because they want to contribute to making a difference. We are part of an international team, using our talent, determination and influence to invest in a better tomorrow. As a global Christian humanitarian organisation, we provide short-term and long-term assistance and have impacted the lives of over 200 million vulnerable children and people worldwide. With approximately 37,000 staff members working in nearly 100 countries, World Vision has been engaging people to work towards eliminating poverty and its causes for almost 7 decades.

World Vision Australia delivers life changing impact because we are community-led, child-focused and inspired by our Christian faith.

When it comes to our people, as an organisation we embrace diversity, employing people from a variety of cultural and religious backgrounds.