About us

The Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation is a Registered Aboriginal Party (RAP) appointed under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 (Vic). We represent the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Traditional Owners of Melbourne and the Greater Melbourne region, and we take great pride in our responsibility for protecting and managing Aboriginal cultural heritage objects and places on Wurundjeri Country. The Corporation offers a range of cultural services including environmental land management, cross-cultural education, traditional Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremonies, research, and cultural consultations.

About the role

This role is responsible for coordinating and managing legal obligations and requirements of Wurundjeri Corporation Key tasks will be the provision of legal and commercial advice to CEO and Board of Directors as well as overseeing and progressing matters with outsourced law service providers.

General Counsel

• Providing guidance and ensuring compliance with various governance obligations and requirements for the CEO, Board and Wurundjeri Corporation overall.
• The provision of legal advice within the framework of the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth), Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (Cth) (CATSI Act), Traditional Owner Settlement Act 2010(Vic), Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 (Vic), and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984 (Cth).
• Ensuring contractual obligations are entered into appropriately, consistent with relevant delegations and monitoring those obligations and the Corporation’s adherence to them.
• The drafting and reviewing of legal documentation necessary for the operation of the Corporation, including contracts, service agreements, joint ventures, and non-disclosure agreements.
• Management of/liaison with external/outsourced law service providers and associated budgetary requirements.
• Draft and negotiate a range of commercial documents (including sales and purchases agreements and business to business contracts)
• The setup of systems and procedures for productive and efficient legal work practices
• Collaboration with the organisation’s various business units to assure legal adherence for special projects as well as day to day tasks.

Native Title

• Ensure legal compliance with Rule Book of the Corporation.
• Establish and maintain positive, productive and collaborative working relationships with Wurundjeri Elders, Wurundjeri staff and other stakeholders as required to perform your role.
• Attend key meetings with partners, external lawyers, service providers and other significant stakeholders
• Advocate for Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung rights and interests as Traditional Owners and act as a role model for the Wurundjeri Corporation in all that you do.

About you

• Relevant academic qualifications and a practising certificate
• Clear criminal background check
• Australian Citizen or resident for working purposes
• Able to display a strong track record in a similar in-house role with a for purpose or public sector organisation
• Significant experience in NFP Governance, Native Title law and commercial law
• Reasonable knowledge and appreciation of Aboriginal cultures and matters including cultural safety and social issues.
• Can identify the balance needed between being consultative and taking initiative.
• Resilient and able to adapt and change during transition to new ways of working.
• Customer-focused.

For more information off a full position description, please email [email protected] using the subject line: Internal Legal Counsel enquiry via EthicalJobs.