About the Department
The Department of Industry, Science and Resources and our broader portfolio are integral to the Australian Government's economic agenda. Our purpose is to help the government build a better future for all Australians through enabling a productive, resilient and sustainable economy, enriched by science and technology. We do this by:
* Growing innovative & competitive businesses, industries and regions
* Investing in science and technology
* Strengthening the resources sector.
The APS and the department offer a clear direction and meaningful work. You will be able to create positive impact in people's lives whilst contributing to improved outcomes for Australia and our people.
If you would like to feel a strong connection to your work and you are accountable, committed and open to change, join us in shaping Australia's future.
Please see the APSC's APS Employee Value Proposition for more information on the benefits and value of employment within the APS.
About the Anti-Dumping Commission
We are Australia's international trade remedies authority – the Anti-Dumping Commission. Commission staff investigate alleged unfair trade practices involving goods entered Australia. These investigations seek to deliver a level playing field for industry. We are responsible for administering Australia's anti-dumping legislation. The Commission is a connected team of professionals with investigative, accounting, auditing, business, learning and development, legal, economic, and international trade skills and experience. We promote a positive workplace culture and support flexible working arrangements. Our goal is for staff to reach their full potential through engaging work and career growth opportunities, within a diverse, inclusive and connected team of peers and leaders.
About the team
The Legal Branch, led by the Executive Director, Legal (EDL), is a small supportive team of lawyers with expertise in regulatory, administrative and trade remedies law. The team works closely with the Investigations Branch and the Strategy and Operations Branch. Work in the Legal Branch is fast paced, intellectually challenging and rewarding. Lawyers work within the domestic trade remedies framework with exposure to the international trade law environment. The team is committed to providing high quality legal advice in a highly collegial culture.
The opportunity
Our Principal Legal Counsels lead the legal team's contributions to the Commission's work to support good decision making by the Commissioner and promote and develop best-practice regulation.
Your work is integral to the commission. You will regularly engage with investigation case teams and the policy section and contribute to commission-wide meetings through the delivery of sound legal advice. You will draft merit review submissions and attend Anti-Dumping Review Panel conferences and assist in the briefing of counsel in Federal Court proceedings.
Day to day work involves provision of advice on the Commissioner's legislative obligations primarily under Part XVB of the Customs Act. You will take the lead in building the team's legal skills in administrative and trade remedies law through second-counselling their work and expanding the team's knowledge of trade remedy settings in other jurisdictions.
You will have the opportunity to work closely with the department's legal area on FOI, privacy and other corporate-related matters, and with external legal providers and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on systemic trade-related issues.
Our ideal candidate
We are looking for motivated and skilled legal professionals who have:
* 5 years post-admission experience,
* Effective verbal communication skills and a strong client focus,
* Strong understanding of administrative law and statutory interpretation principles,
* Experience providing well-reasoned, evidence-based, written legal advice in a regulatory environment. This includes identifying legal risk and developing legally compliant options for managing those risks consistent with legal obligations,
* Experience drafting submissions for merits review and judicial review proceedings,
* Well-developed planning and organisational skills for building capability and meeting deadlines,
* Experience mentoring and second counselling the work of junior lawyers,
* Highly developed collaboration skills to engage with staff at all levels,
* High standards of professional and personal integrity,
* The ability to quickly learn and apply Australia's anti-dumping legislation (Part XVB of the Customs Act 1901),
* Ability to learn Australia's obligations under the World Trade Organization (WTO) Anti-Dumping Agreement and the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measure.
If you have the skills, experience and motivation to succeed in this role, we welcome your application.
What you will do
This role requires you to:
* Manage case work including by providing effective legal advice, verbally and in writing, to investigators,
* Supervise lawyers providing client focused legal services to case teams,
* Build a positive, productive and mutually supportive team environment to provide a valued legal support function,
* Work with the Executive Director, Legal, to identify and act on opportunities for continuous business improvement, aligned to the Commission's priorities,
* Evaluate and advise on developments arising from judicial or merits review, and WTO cases identifying the need for consequential legislative, policy or practice changes.
Eligibility
Must have at least a Bachelor of Laws degree (or equivalent) from a recognised Australian tertiary education provider and hold an unrestricted practicing certificate.
Admission as a legal practitioner of the High Court or the Supreme Court of a State or Territory of Australia.
Substantial contemporary, relevant knowledge and experience in administrative law and statutory interpretation.
To be eligible for employment in the APS and the department, candidates must be Australian Citizens.
Positions require a Baseline security clearance and successful candidates will be required to obtain and maintain a clearance at this level.
Notes
Our preferred candidate has a minimum of five years post-admission experience combined with experience or a strong interest in trade law.
The department does currently offer flexible work opportunities for many roles. This vacancy is based in Melbourne (preferred), but in exceptional circumstances depending on the successful candidate, the commission will consider staff working from one of the Department's other capital city offices. Please reach out to the contact officer to discuss this further.
Limited Domestic travel may be required.
On the 12th of March 2026, the salary range for this role will become $158,513 - $169,596.
A merit pool may be established and used to fill future vacancies within 18 months from the date the vacancy was first advertised in the Gazette.
Application information
Your application must not contain any classified or sensitive information. This includes in your application responses, CV and any other documents. The selection panel may not consider applications containing classified information.
Please provide a pitch explaining how your skills, knowledge and experience will be relevant to this role and why you are the best candidate for the position. Your pitch can contain no more than 750 words and should align to the key duties listed above.
Please complete your application online and provide your current CV with your application. (CVs must be in .doc, .docx, or .pdf format).
Accessible application documentation is available in other formats on request. Please contact ***********@industry.gov.au or (02) 6276 1*** if you require assistance with your application.
Please refer to our Applying for a position information for additional information on how to apply.
Contact Information
For more information regarding this opportunity, please contact Katrina Gunn on 03 9268 7*** or 0499 972 *** or via email on ************@adcommission.gov.au