Legal and Policy Officer

This position is within the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia.

Position Overview

The Legal and Policy Officer is part of a discrete team assisting the Chief Executive Officer and Principal Registrar of the FCFCOA (CEO) with the administration of the FCFCOA (Division 1) and the FCFCOA (Division 2) and to support the exercise of the CEO’s statutory duties and exercise of the CEO’s day-to- day responsibilities across two extremely busy Courts. Together the Courts comprise 122 judges; hundreds of legal, social science and related support staff; registries and circuits across 43 locations; and are responsible for around 100,000 filings per year. The Legal and Policy Officer will work closely with the staff assisting the Chief Justice of the FCFCOA.

The CEO of the FCFCOA is a statutory office appointed by the Governor-General pursuant to section 86 of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia Act 2021 (FCFCOA Act). The CEO is responsible for assisting the Chief Justice with managing the administrative affairs of the Courts (sections 84-85 and 250-251 of the FCFCOA Act). In respect of both Courts, the CEO manages the staff and oversees budgets of the Courts and ensures that the business needs of the two Courts are met. The CEO also works with the CEO of the Federal Court of Australia to negotiate, monitor and ensure the coordinated and effective delivery of registry and corporate services. In addition, as the senior lawyer of the FCFCOA, the CEO exercises the judicial power of the Commonwealth pursuant to delegations under sections 98 and 254 of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia Act 2021 (Cth).

The Legal and Policy Officer provides high level support to the CEO. This includes carrying out legal project work, legal research, preparing complex correspondence and reports and coordinating submissions from all areas of both Courts. The Legal and Policy Officer will also conduct research and investigation into a wide range of issues relating to the administration and business of the Courts and liaise with a range of internal and external stakeholders. The Legal and Policy Officer will work in conjunction with staff within the Chambers of the CEO, including the Chambers Manager and Executive Assistant to coordinate briefings, reports and diaries and events.

This role has a wide-range of tasks and responsibilities across the Courts. The person appointed to this position will be someone who anticipates what needs to be done, shows great initiative, is highly motivated and organised, efficient, able to work under pressure and possesses strong communication and interpersonal skills.

Key Responsibilities and Duties

The Legal and Policy Officer is responsible for assisting the CEO with the administration of the Courts by undertaking administrative, legal, policy and strategic work, including

• handling sensitive material and information on behalf of the CEO;
• providing high level support to the CEO;
• undertaking in-depth legal and policy research and analysis, including to assist with internal court reform, policy development, case management processes and training material;
• assisting with the preparation and coordination of complex correspondence, presentations and reports, including submissions or information to or for Judges, Registrars, Government and Parliament;
• legal research on topical and emerging issues of family and general federal law, including providing briefings/memoranda to the CEO, and assisting in the preparation of conference papers and speeches;
• working in conjunction with the CEO’s Executive Assistant to ensure the careful management of the CEO’s emails, calendars and travel arrangements;
• communicating effectively with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders;
• supporting various committees and working groups, including assisting with projects and research and preparing agendas and issues papers; and
• coordinating submissions from all areas of the Court for high level meetings, and ensuring that responses meet deadlines.

Some limited travel may be required.

Reporting Relationships

This position reports to the National Executive Chambers Manager to the CEO and ultimately to the CEO of the FCFCOA.

The Legal and Policy Officer is required to engage with judges and staff of the FCFCOA, including the Chief Justice, judges, the Deputy Principal Registrar, Registrars, Court Child Experts, Senior Executive staff and other staff of the Courts and the Federal Courts entity. They are also required to liaise with Government, State and Territory agencies, the legal profession, Court users and other external stakeholders.

Mandatory Qualifications

Completion of a legal degree or in final year of legal studies.

Competencies and Experience

• Experience working in a professional environment, such as a Court, law firm or Government.
• Knowledge of family law, general federal law and the Federal courts system.
• Familiarity with the principles of public sector governance and accountability.

Selection Criteria

• Demonstrated high-level organisational skills, including attention to detail, excellent time- management skills, the ability to set and manage priorities, multitask, work effectively under pressure and apply planning and problem solving skills.
• Professional discretion, including tact and diplomacy, and an understanding of how to handle sensitive information.
• Well-developed research and presentation skills, including the ability to research primary and secondary legal material and draft high-level papers, summaries, submissions and reports.
• Strong oral and written communication and liaison skills and the ability to communicate with people at all levels.
• The ability to work both as part of a team and individually.
• Well-developed interpersonal skills, sound judgment and the ability to develop and maintain productive working relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Sound IT proficiency, including skills in the use of electronic legal resources, and proficiency in the use of Microsoft applications.
• A demonstrated understanding and commitment to the application of the Australian Public Service (APS) Values, to abide by the APS Code of Conduct and the ability to comply with the principles of Workplace Diversity and Occupational Health and Safety.

Salary

$90,199 - $101,022 per annum, plus 15.4% superannuation.

Applications close at 11:30pm (AEDT) on 24 January 2025.

How to apply

To be considered you will need to upload a concise expression of interest (2 page maximum) detailing how your experience and skills relate to the position description and selection criteria and attach a current resume.

Contact Officer

For more information, confidential enquiries can be made to Lisa Terceiro, National Executive Chambers Manager to the CEO and Principal Registrar of the FCFCOA, by email Lisa.Terceiro@fcfcoa.gov.au

Eligibility Employment with the Court is subject to the conditions prescribed in the Public Service Act 1999, and the following:

1. Australian citizenship – the successful applicant must hold Australian citizenship;
2. Security and character clearance – the successful applicant must satisfy a Police Records Check, and may also be required to complete security clearances during the course of their employment;
3. Successful applicants engaged into the APS will be subject to a probation period

Interested candidates who have received a redundancy benefit from an APS agency are welcome to apply, but note that they cannot be engaged until their redundancy benefit period has expired.

Diversity and Inclusion

Federal Court Australia is committed to supporting an inclusive and diverse workforce and welcomes and encourages applications from People with Disability. First Nations peoples, LGBTIQA+ people, people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds, Mature age workers, as well as young workers and supporting an inter-generational workforce and supporting gender equity and families.

Federal Court Australia will provide reasonable adjustments for candidates to participate equitably in the recruitment process and discuss workplace adjustments to fulfil the inherent requirements of the role.

RecruitAbility

RecruitAbility applies to this vacancy. Under the RecruitAbility scheme you will be invited to participate in further assessment activity for the vacancy if you choose to apply under the scheme; declare you have a disability; and meet the minimum requirements for the job. For more information visit: https://www.apsc.gov.au/recruitability