ABOUT US

The Department of Education (the department) is responsible for delivering and regulating state-wide learning and development services to approximately one-third of all Victorians across the early childhood and school education sectors. The department is also one of Victoria’s biggest employers, with approximately 80,000 teaching staff and around 5,000 public service employees.
The Legal Division provides highly valued legal services to support the delivery of the department’s strategic objectives, key reforms and to manage legal risk. In doing so, Legal Division provides direct, practical and strategic legal advice to portfolio ministers, the secretary, other senior staff and over 1,600 government schools, supporting approximately over 650,000 Victorian Government school students.

A rare opportunity has arisen to join the Legal Division as a Senior Lawyer of the newly formed Regulatory Reform Unit (RRU).
The RRU has been established to lead the legal aspects of significant legislative projects including the implementation of proposals to improve child safety in early childhood services in Victoria.
The Senior Lawyer, RRU will play a significant role in legislative project delivery, including providing expert legal advice with a focus on government law issues, particularly the application of Victorian laws in relation to government administration and the school and early childhood education system.
The Senior Lawyer will contribute to the development, management and implementation of significant legislative projects, including primary legislation and subordinate instruments such as regulations, Ministerial Orders, Orders in Council and other legal instruments, and provide novel and complex legal advice on legislation in the the early childhood education and school portfolios, and other applicable legislation.

The successful candidate will:

• work closely with the Project Director and Principal Lawyers to respond to urgent and important emerging issues
• proactively engage with other areas of the department
• seek out strategies to support the successful delivery of legislative projects
• take a significant role in building and maintaining strategic relationships with senior executives, ministers’ offices, central government agencies and other departments, as well as portfolio entities.

The Legal Division is currently recruiting for additional roles for the RRU, including two Principal Lawyer roles. See the link below for more information:
Principal Lawyer, Regulatory Reform Unit | Melbourne - CBD | Vacancies - Careers.vic.gov.au

Why join us?

• Challenging, purpose-based work that makes a difference - Be part of a passionate, high-performing team that helps support life-long learning in Victoria.
• Meaningful work that is varied, satisfying and rewarding - As part of a career in the public sector you can help shape Victoria’s future, serve the community and follow your ambition. Visit https://careers.vic.gov.au/why-work-for-vic to find out more about careers in the public service and the range of careers
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements - Part time, flexible start and finish times, work from home to help manage your work and personal commitments.
• Competitive salary - Bi-annual salary increases in line with the Victorian Public Service Enterprise Agreement
• Diversity and inclusion - As one of Victoria’s largest employers, the department is committed to creating an organisation that is inclusive and ensuring it has a workforce that represents the community it serves.
• Values - The department has adopted the public sector values which are set out in the Code of Conduct for Victorian Public Sector Employees, which are Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. The department’s values underpin how we interact with colleagues, students and families, members of the community, suppliers and government.
• Employee assistance program - For emotional, mental and general psychological wellbeing and support