Job description
Redfern Legal Centre has an exciting opportunity for a policy and advocacy officer to join our Financial Abuse Service to lead strategic reform work and coordinate the National Economic Abuse Reference Group.
* 12 month contract (parental leave cover), full time or part time role;
* $127,413 – $135,212 (pro rata for part time) depending on qualifications and experience.
Redfern Legal Centre is a non-profit community legal centre that promotes social justice and creates change. We provide free legal advice, legal services and education to people experiencing disadvantage in New South Wales.
Redfern Legal Centre’s Financial Abuse Service (FAS) is a statewide service that provides trauma-informed expertise to family violence victim survivors who have experienced financial abuse from an intimate partner. Our specialist, cross-jurisdictional, and integrated approach provides holistic legal and non-legal support to our clients, in the areas of credit and debt, family law, company and tax, immigration, financial counselling and social work.
FAS coordinates the Economic Abuse Reference Group (EARG), a network of Australian community organisations which share expertise with government and industry to improve laws, policies and business practices and reduce the financial impact of domestic and family violence. EARG members include domestic and family violence services, community legal services and financial counselling services.
The Policy and Advocacy Lead manages the systemic advocacy, policy, law reform and capacity building work of the Financial Abuse Service to both address the causes of financial and economic abuse and improve outcomes for victim survivors. This role also coordinates the National and NSW EARG groups, works with members to develop and execute the strategic plan, and supports EARG members from other states and territories in establishing state-based groups.
Position Responsibilities
* Accountability for all aspects of the policy and law reform activity for the Financial Abuse Service NSW (FAS) and the Economic Abuse Reference Group (EARG).
* Develop effective means of engaging FAS staff (lawyers, financial counsellors and social workers) to identify and analyse systemic issues arising from their casework, to feed into the development of policy and law reform.
* Supervise and mentor FAS staff involvement with policy and law reform activities, when appropriate.
* Coordinate the Economic Abuse Reference Group, including regular meetings, communications, member engagement and website.
* Lead strategic planning for FAS and EARG to develop policy and law reform projects with clear goals and impact measurement.
* Provide expert advice to government, regulators, businesses and others for the implementation of legislative, regulatory and business practice reform.
* Coordinate, write and edit submissions, briefs, reports, articles, media releases, factsheets and other materials.
* Establish and maintain relationships with external stakeholders and represent Redfern Legal Centre in external forums.
* Support the Managing Solicitor to measure outcomes and report to funders.
* Manage work systems and output including team and individual performance.
* Ensure public messaging is consistent with FAS and EARG policy positions and act as a public/media spokesperson as required.
* Contribute to Redfern Legal Centre through attendance at staff meetings, contribution to board and funding reports, assistance with intake including intake supervision shifts, and contribution to the effective implementation of our Reconciliation Action Plan.
Knowledge, skills and experience
Essential:
* Law degree and/or relevant tertiary qualification in public policy development and writing.
* Demonstrated experience in law reform work.
* Ability to develop and deliver policy and law reform projects with clear goals and impact measurement.
* Highly developed conceptual thinking and analytical skills evidenced by the ability to understand and critique relevant legislation and legislative reform options, analyse and articulate underlying causes of vulnerability and disadvantage, and to ground both in a family violence policy context.
* Advanced written and verbal communication skills that demonstrate the ability to communicate in clear and interesting ways that understands the target audience.
* A proven capacity to confidently undertake public speaking and represent the organisation through public consultation, parliamentary inquiries and media avenues.
* Highly developed collaborative working style that respects and engages colleagues in a multi-disciplinary service, and external stakeholders.
* Demonstrated commitment to social justice.
Desirable:
* Expertise in credit, debt and consumer law, family law, family and domestic violence or another related area.
* Experience supervising other staff.
Conditions
Salary and benefits: $127,413 – $135,212 (pro rata for part time) depending on qualifications and experience.
Superannuation and annual leave loading are paid in addition.
As a Public Benevolent Institution, Redfern Legal Centre can offer staff generous salary packaging options. The tax savings for a staff member choosing to take full advantage of the salary packaging option mean that their take home salary may be increased by up to $6,000 per annum.
Redfern Legal Centre is a diverse, culturally safe and inclusive workplace that offers flexible conditions and supports wellbeing. Our enterprise agreement offers a 35-hour working week, time in lieu options and a paid end of year closure of two weeks (including public holidays) on top of four weeks annual leave.
We prioritise staff wellbeing through external debrief supervision, a generous training and professional development budget and flexible working conditions.
How to Apply
Redfern Legal Centre welcomes applications from First Nations people, people from diverse cultural backgrounds and people with disabilities.
Your application should be no more than six pages long, and must include:
* a cover letter,
* your resume; and
* must include a statement addressing the Knowledge Skills and Experience criteria in the position description.
Only applications that include a cover letter, resume and responses to the selection criteria will be considered.
Please submit your application via Employment Hero by clicking the \"Apply Now\" button.
Enquiries should be directed to Catherine Hewett at catherine@rlc.org.au using the subject line: Policy and Advocacy Lead - Financial Abuse Service enquiry via EthicalJobs.
Non-lawyers employed by Redfern Legal Centre are required to comply with s 121 of the Legal Profession Uniform Law.