SES Band 1 - General Counsel (2 Positions)

Job Description

Are you looking for an opportunity to make a difference? Are you passionate about helping Australians to stay safe by regulating therapeutic goods and curbing the supply of unlawful therapeutic goods, such as vapes? Can you see the opportunities to drive great regulatory outcomes through the provision of quality legal services? We are seeking new SES Band 1 Assistant Secretaries (General Counsel) to lead the Legislation, Advice and FOI Branch and the Dispute Resolution, Compliance and Commercial Branch in the Regulatory Legal Services Division (RLSD). RLSD provides legal and freedom of information (FOI) services to the Health Products Regulation Group (HPRG), which includes the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and the Office of Drug Control (ODC). As a General Counsel in RLSD, you will lead a Branch of over 25 lawyers to provide a range of in-house legal services to support the regulatory functions of HPRG. You will also assist the First Assistant Secretary with the leadership of the division and provide expert legal advice on matters of particular importance to HPRG. You will have the opportunity to work in partnership with our regulatory clients on high profile projects of national importance, including the implementation of the vaping legislative reforms. HPRG has responsibility for several significant and interesting regulators. Our lawyers work closely with their clients to secure robust regulatory outcomes under these schemes. The Department has recently completed a Capability Review. As part of the department's leadership team, successful candidates will play a crucial role in maintaining the strengths demonstrated through this review and implementing actions to address the areas for growth it identified. To be a strong contender, you will be strategically focused with demonstrated experience in the provision of high-level legal services relevant to HPRG. This includes demonstrated analytical and conceptual skills in solving complex legal problems, strong statutory interpretation and administrative law skills, excellent professional judgment and initiative, and the ability to achieve quality outcomes within tight timeframes. The key duties of the position include: Lead the branch to provide high-quality, timely and solutions-focused legal services to HPRG. Manage all aspects of branch practice, including recruitment, development and maintenance of standard operating procedures, staff development, information management, budget and change management. Provide expert legal advice on complex or significant matters and projects. Lead, support and develop lawyers and staff within the branch. Proactively manage legal risk in HPRG, including through close engagement with regulators to identify relevant risks. Support HPRG's regulatory function, including through the delivery of training and awareness sessions to client areas in HPRG and promoting consistency of HPRG-wide processes. Build and maintain strong relationships with all relevant stakeholders, including HPRG regulators, the Minister's Office and external stakeholders. Work with the First Assistant Secretary and the other branch head to manage the Regulatory Legal Services Division more generally. #J-18808-Ljbffr