General Counsel, Legal Services (several positions)
Join to apply for the General Counsel, Legal Services (several positions) role at Services Australia.
Senior Executive Service Band 1
* Provide high level legal and strategic advice to the Commonwealth.
About us
Services Australia (the Agency) is at the frontline of government service delivery, supporting millions of Australians with economic, health and social wellbeing payments and services. We’re making government services simple, so people can get on with their lives. Our goal is to make it easier to engage with the services that Australians rely on. To achieve this goal, we’re transforming the way we work to deliver a simple, helpful, respectful and transparent experience for customers.
In the 2023-24 financial year, the Agency delivered $241 billion in total payments across Centrelink, Medicare and Child Support services. We delivered this through our digital channels with 1.1 billion transactions, 53.9 million phone calls and 10.7 million face‑to‑face engagements at our 318 service centres. The Agency is one of the largest Australian Public Service (APS) agencies in Australia, with more than 32,500 ongoing staff, located in every state and territory.
Legal Services Divisions
The Legal Services – Customer Division and Legal Services – Corporate Division are a large and dynamic Commonwealth legal practice managing one of the Commonwealth’s largest litigation practices, as well as advising on cutting‑edge administrative law issues, emerging information law issues, a range of complex corporate and employment law issues, Freedom of Information and privacy law including operational privacy. The Divisions provide independent legal services, advice and assistance to the Minister, the Chief Executive Officer and the Executive.
Additional details on the divisions can be found in the candidate pack.
General Counsels are responsible for the provision of high‑quality and timely strategic legal advice, advocacy and support. As a senior leader in the agency, General Counsels are also responsible for the leadership and management of a branch.
There are immediate vacancies for the following General Counsel roles.
General Counsel, Litigation
* Manage Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) merits review matters for Centrelink, Child Support and Health programs.
* Manage appeals from the ART to the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia and the Federal Court for Centrelink, Child Support and Health program matters.
* Manage debt litigation for Centrelink and Child Support programs.
* Provide advice and support to program areas in relation to litigated and other court matters, including responding to court proceedings served on the agency (other than employment related claims), providing responses to Coronial investigations and inquests, responding to requests for information from Royal Commissions/Commissions of Inquiry, support for staff called upon to provide a witness statement or give evidence in courts and tribunals (other than employment related claims or criminal prosecutions managed by Fraud Control and Investigations Division).
* The role is not responsible for managing commercial, property, employment, FOI or privacy litigation or disputes but does provide advice on subpoena management where required.
The preferred locations for the General Counsel, Litigation position are Canberra, Brisbane, Melbourne or Sydney; other major city locations may be considered by exception.
General Counsel, Program Advisory Legal
* Provide legal advice on all agency programmes and legislation, including Centrelink, Child Support, Medicare and health programmes, and indemnity schemes.
* Manage agency delegations and authorisations and statutory appointments.
* Legal liability advising compensation on programme decisions to support discretionary customer compensation management.
The preferred location for the General Counsel, Program Advisory Legal position is Canberra; other locations may be considered by exception.
General Counsel, FOI and Reviews
* Managing the distinct teams within FOI and Reviews, comprising FOI Customer Process, FOI Significant (Complex) Processing and Reporting, FOI and Review Legal, Review Investigations (including CDDA), and Complex and Escalated Reviews.
* Providing advice on FOI requests from customers and third parties.
* Responding to enquiries from the Australian Information Commissioner.
* Managing the agency’s relationship with the Commonwealth Ombudsman and coordinating the agency’s response to inquiries, investigations and other correspondence and engagement with the Ombudsman.
* Managing a large Compensation for Detriment caused by Defective Administration practice and acts of grace and debt waivers from the Department of Finance.
* Managed applications to the Administrative Review Tribunal and Courts regarding FOI.
The preferred location for the General Counsel, FOI and Reviews position is Canberra; other locations may be considered by exception.
Qualifications
* Bachelor of Laws degree or equivalent.
* Admission as a legal practitioner in an Australian court.
* Eligibility to hold an unrestricted practising certificate.
These roles may be filled on an ongoing or non‑ongoing (fixed term) appointment.
This process will also be used to establish a merit pool for vacancies across the agency, as they become available within an 18‑month period.
Salary and benefits
* The Senior Executive Band 1 level offers an attractive remuneration package, including 15.4% superannuation and salary packaging options.
* Conditions that support your health, wellbeing and lifestyle.
* Generous leave provisions, including accruable annual leave of 23 days per year with the capacity to purchase an additional 4 weeks’ annual leave per year after 12 months service.
* Accruable personal leave including sick and carers leave at 18 days per year.
To apply you need to be an Australian citizen.
You will need to pass our pre‑employment screening process, which includes a pre‑employment check, and where relevant, a working with children and vulnerable people check.
You will also need, or have the ability to acquire, an Australian Government security clearance to the appropriate level for the position. This will be arranged for you, if successful.
Apply
Before applying, please obtain Candidate Information Pack at the bottom of this page.
How to apply:
* Start your application by clicking the "begin" button.
* Login to an existing account or reset your password.
* Preview Application Form.
If you require further information, please contact Jonathan Beaumont on (02) 6126 4500 or ServicesAustralia@beaumontandbeaumont.com.au. Enquiries will be kept in strict confidence.
Seniority level
* Not Applicable
Employment type
* Full‑time
Job function
* Legal
* Government Administration
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