Job description
Agency Department of Children and Families Work unit Legal Services
Job title Director - Legal Services and Freedom of Information Designation Senior Administrative Officer 2
Job type Full time Duration Ongoing
Salary $152,751 - $166,487 Location Darwin
Position number 30852 RTF 343714 Closing 25/03/2026
Contact officer Michelle Ganzer on 08 8944 8659 or
About the agency https://tfhc.nt.gov.au/
Apply online https://jobs.nt.gov.au/Home/JobDetails?rtfId=343714
APPLICATIONS MUST INCLUDE A ONE-PAGE SUMMARY ABOUT YOU, A DETAILED RESUME AND COPIES OF YOUR
TERTIARY QUALIFICATIONS.
Information for applicants – inclusion and diversity and Special Measures recruitment plans
The NTPS values diversity. The NTPS encourages people from all diversity groups to apply for vacancies and accommodates
people with disability by making reasonable workplace adjustments. If you require an adjustment for the recruitment process
or job, please discuss this with the contact officer. For more information about applying for this position and the merit process,
go to the OCPE website.
Primary objective
The Director Legal Services manages a large team that is responsible for the Department of Children and Families and the
Department of People Sport and Culture legal and information release functions. The Director is responsible for leading the team
to provide high quality, expert advice to support Agencies in those matters, and for maintaining the policies and procedures to
support those functions.
Context statement
The Legal Services Unit ensures DCF and DPSC are effectively and efficiently fulfilling obligations under relevant legislation, while
improving Chief Executives oversight and access to legal support, in consultation with the Solicitor for the Northern Territory and
other external legal service providers.
Key duties and responsibilities
1. Provide timely and high quality legal advice across range of complex and sensitive matters across Agencies, liaising with the
Solicitor for the Northern Territory (SFNT) and outsourced legal service providers as appropriate.
2. Oversee Agencies freedom of information function and the provision of advice around sharing information under other
statutory frameworks.
3. Assist operational and frontline areas to identify and address legal risk in the delivery of services.
4. Establish and maintain effective relationships with key stakeholders across the non-Government and Northern Territory and
Federal Government partners, within DCF and DPSC and across the legal sector.
5. Prepare high level and complex correspondence including legal advice, cabinet submissions, legal briefs, and reports.
6. Manage and develop human and financial resources including a high performing team to deliver outcomes against deadlines
and within budget.
7. Represent DCF and DPSC on relevant committees and whole-of-government working groups.
Selection criteria
Essential
1. Exceptional oral and written communication skills including the ability to consult, liaise, negotiate, and mediate outcomes with
a diverse range of staff and stakeholders, including senior executives within the Agency.
2. Demonstrated ability to lead a team to deliver high quality outcomes under pressure and to manage competing priorities to
meet critical short and long-term deadlines.
3. Demonstrated ability to provide advice to staff on professional and operational matters, and to delegate work where
appropriate.
4. Proven high-level ability to analyse and interpret legislation and apply it to an operational context.
5. High-level conceptual, analytical, negotiating and problems solving skills and ability to exercise sound judgement in a cross-
cultural environment.
6. Proven ability to handle highly confidential and sensitive information and issues with discretion.
7. Highly developed ability to communicate complex legal issues to a non-legal audience.
Desirable
1. Tertiary qualification in law.
2. Admission to practice as a legal practitioner of the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory or eligibility for such admission.
3. Experience working in statutory or regulatory frameworks.
Further information
The recommended applicant will be required to hold a current Working With Children Clearance notice and undergo a criminal
history check (a criminal history will not exclude an applicant from this position unless it is a relevant criminal history).
Approved: March 2026 Michelle Ganzer, Executive Director Strategic Policy, and Commissioning
Page 1 of 2
Job description
Agency Department of Children and Families Work unit Legal Services
Job title Director - Legal Services and Freedom of Information Designation Senior Professional Officer 2
Job type Full time Duration Ongoing
Salary $152,751 - $166,487 Location Darwin
Position number 30852 RTF 343714 Closing 25/03/2026
Contact officer Michelle Ganzer on 08 8944 8659 or
About the agency https://tfhc.nt.gov.au/
Apply online https://jobs.nt.gov.au/Home/JobDetails?rtfId=343714
APPLICATIONS MUST INCLUDE A ONE-PAGE SUMMARY ABOUT YOU, A DETAILED RESUME AND COPIES OF YOUR
TERTIARY QUALIFICATIONS.
Information for applicants – inclusion and diversity and Special Measures recruitment plans
The NTPS values diversity. The NTPS encourages people from all diversity groups to apply for vacancies and accommodates
people with disability by making reasonable workplace adjustments. If you require an adjustment for the recruitment process
or job, please discuss this with the contact officer. For more information about applying for this position and the merit process,
go to the OCPE website.
Primary objective
The Director Legal Services manages a large team that is responsible for the Department of Children and Families and the
Department of People Sport and Culture legal and information release functions. The Director is responsible for leading the team
to provide high quality, expert advice to support Agencies in those matters, and for maintaining the policies and procedures to
support those functions.
Context statement
The Legal Services Unit ensures DCF and DPSC are effectively and efficiently fulfilling obligations under relevant legislation, while
improving Chief Executives oversight and access to legal support, in consultation with the Solicitor for the Northern Territory and
other external legal service providers.
Key duties and responsibilities
1. Provide timely and high quality legal advice across range of complex and sensitive matters across Agencies, liaising with the
Solicitor for the Northern Territory (SFNT) and outsourced legal service providers as appropriate.
2. Oversee Agencies freedom of information function and the provision of advice around sharing information under other
statutory frameworks.
3. Assist operational and frontline areas to identify and address legal risk in the delivery of services.
4. Establish and maintain effective relationships with key stakeholders across the non-Government and Northern Territory and
Federal Government partners, within DCF and DPSC and across the legal sector.
5. Prepare high level and complex correspondence including legal advice, cabinet submissions, legal briefs, and reports.
6. Manage and develop human and financial resources including a high performing team to deliver outcomes against deadlines
and within budget.
7. Represent DCF and DPSC on relevant committees and whole-of-government working groups.
Selection criteria
Essential
1. Exceptional oral and written communication skills including the ability to consult, liaise, negotiate, and mediate outcomes with
a diverse range of staff and stakeholders, including senior executives within the Agency.
2. Demonstrated ability to lead a team to deliver high quality outcomes under pressure and to manage competing priorities to
meet critical short and long-term deadlines.
3. Demonstrated ability to provide advice to staff on professional and operational matters, and to delegate work where
appropriate.
4. Proven high-level ability to analyse and interpret legislation and apply it to an operational context.
5. High-level conceptual, analytical, negotiating and problems solving skills and ability to exercise sound judgement in a cross-
cultural environment.
6. Proven ability to handle highly confidential and sensitive information and issues with discretion.
7. Highly developed ability to communicate complex legal issues to a non-legal audience.
8. Possession of a tertiary qualification in Law and admission (or eligibility for admission) as a legal practitioner of the Supreme
Court of the Northern Territory.
Desirable
1. Experience working in statutory or regulatory frameworks.
Further information
The recommended applicant will be required to hold a current Working With Children Clearance notice and undergo a criminal
history check (a criminal history will not exclude an applicant from this position unless it is a relevant criminal history).