Australian Department Of Infrastructure And... | El1 - Assistant Director - Senior Privacy Lawyer, Public Law

Contact Officer:
Duncan Thompson on ((contactphone2)) or
Closing Date: 11.59pm AEDT, Wednesday 29 January 2025
Our Department Values Our values set the direction for what it means to work in our department. They inform the standard and expectations of behaviours, skills and capabilities and the attributes we currently have, will continually work to achieve and develop, and that we use to acknowledge and attract, retain and recruit into our department.
The department supports workplace diversity and values the contribution of people from diverse backgrounds. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability, people with cultural and linguistic diversity, and LGBTQIA+ people. The department is committed to achieving gender equality and, in particular, supporting women's progression into senior leadership.
A little bit about us The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts (Department) is responsible for the design and delivery of the Australian Government's infrastructure, transport, regional development, communications and arts policies and programs. The Department's work touches every Australian community and underpins our economy and society. Our focus is on connecting Australians, enriching communities, and empowering our regions. We do this by providing policy advice to government, and delivering programs, services, and research for the benefit of all Australians.
The Legal, Legislation Liaison and Privacy Division (LLLPD) encompasses the Department's legal, legislation and privacy functions which involves:
the provision of high quality, practical, technically excellent and timely legal advice, support and services for the Department and Ministers' offices, on the diverse areas covered by the portfolio; the provision of advice (not legal advice) and guidance on the legislative process, coordination of legislation and legislative instrument bids for the Department, assistance with registration of legislative instruments; the provision of legal advice and support for the purpose of ensuring the Department complies with its obligations under applicable privacy legislation, including the Privacy Act 1988, and fostering privacy best practice in the Department's management and handling of personal information. The opportunity we have available We are continuing to grow our Division. In order to support this work, we are looking for talented and adaptable lawyers with a public law background and with demonstrated experience or a strong interest in privacy and information law and who have strong technical legal abilities, well developed written and interpersonal skills and a proactive attitude and desire to work in our team.
You will work in a team led by our Principal privacy and information lawyer and primarily be advising on privacy and information law related matters within LLLPD, as well as working closely with the Privacy team in researching and developing strategies and material to best position the Department in being able to comply with the Privacy (Australian Government Agencies – Governance) APP Code 2017 and to meet future challenges, particularly in preparing the Department for the proposed Privacy Act reforms. From time to time, you may also be required to work on more general Public Law matters across the LLLPD.
What will you do? Working closely with the Privacy team's Principal Lawyer, the Senior Privacy Lawyer will be responsible for providing accurate and timely advice on a broad range of privacy and information law related matters to ensure the department is compliant with its privacy obligations, both in the delivery of its programs and in its internal operations; support the continuous development and improvement of the department's privacy management framework and its privacy management plan consistent with the department's statutory obligations, including the department's adoption of a privacy by design approach to policy and project development, to help foster privacy best practice, and to assist with the department's compliance with any future privacy reforms; oversee and/or facilitate privacy impact assessments consistent with requirements under the Australian Government Agencies Privacy Code; identify privacy risks and provide legal advice and/or assist in the management of those risks; assist with the conduct of investigations into potential privacy breaches and to provide relevant advice that is consistent with requirements under the Privacy Act 1988; assist with the resolution of privacy complaints in accordance with the Privacy Act and alternative dispute resolution strategies, whether in relation to complaints made directly to the department or to the regulator; support privacy and information handling awareness in the department; for example, through the delivery of training to departmental staff; build and maintain positive working relationships with key internal and external stakeholders and to participate in relevant government networks; be collaborative while also being independent and self-directed in the way you manage and meet your responsibilities; demonstrate an approach that is consistent with the department's values and where challenges are viewed as opportunities for departmental learning and continuous improvement; Using your public law background and general public law legal skills to assist with general Public Law matters as the need arises across the Division. Who are we looking for? The successful candidate for this position will be able to demonstrate their capability against the Executive Level 1 Work level standards. Our ideal candidate for the EL1 (Senior Privacy Lawyer) position:
has excellent technical legal skills and (ideally) proven experience in matters with a substantive level of technical complexity; is able to work in a fast-paced environment, often to urgent deadlines; communicates persuasively and in plain English and ideally have such experience in complex and strategically important contexts; experience supervising and mentoring more junior staff; takes initiative and responsibility for their work and that of the lawyers under their supervision; has the capacity to develop a sound knowledge of portfolio subject matter quickly; has good interpersonal skills and the ability to develop strong working relationships with colleagues and stakeholders in the provision of legal advice, including colleagues working in different locations; strives to continuously improve; is responsive to client needs and supervisor feedback; is flexible, resilient and a team player with a positive and collaborative work style. RecruitAbility minimum requirements Minimum requirements for this role include:
Ability to effectively coordinate work ensuring high quality and timely outcomes. Good interpersonal communication skills, including strong attention to detail. Ability to provide timely and concise advice to inform and support executive decision making. Ability to establish and maintain key strategic relationships with a broad range of stakeholders. RecruitAbility is a scheme which aims to attract and develop applicants with disability and also facilitate cultural changes in selection panels and agency recruitment. Job applicants with disability who met the requirements are advanced to the next stage of the selection process:
Opt into the scheme Declare they have a disability, and Meet the minimum requirements of a vacancy advertised in the scheme More information can be found at RecruitAbility scheme: A guide for applicants | Australian Public Service Commission.
What else can we offer? Your life
Find your purpose. We provide the environment you need through excellent conditions and a supportive, values-driven culture, allowing you to keep being you. Our values are to be: respectful, informed, collaborative, adaptive, accountable. Through our commitment to these values, we maintain a fulfilling and supportive environment that promotes the wellbeing of our people. We offer job security, flexible work arrangements, regional and city work locations, generous leave and superannuation entitlements and access to higher tiered pay points in some classifications. Access to join our 6 staff-led diversity networks which promote a culture of inclusion to enhance work performance and the wellbeing of all staff. Your contribution
Our collaborative and supportive culture fosters high performing teams where you are valued for your expertise, experiences and point of view. We provide the environment you need through excellent conditions and a supportive, values-driven culture, allowing you to keep being you. We provide a respectful and inclusive working environment. Our people feel a sense of belonging and are acknowledged for the contributions they make towards our objectives to deliver for the Australian community. Your development
Commence or enhance your career pathway and build your knowledge, skills and experience through our commitment to learning and development and professional opportunities. Through our investment in learning and development opportunities, and a positive performance culture, we provide diverse career pathways for our people to enable their mobility and adapt in a rapidly changing world. We offer generous leave and superannuation entitlements and access to higher tiered pay points in some classifications. Your passion
Our breadth of work provides unmatched opportunities to apply your subject matter expertise while discovering new interests across our diverse portfolio. You can contribute to work that enriches our communities, empowers our regions, and connects Australians. We offer you the unique opportunity to experience a range of exciting work areas, all with one thing in common – improving the lives of everyday Australians. Help plan for the global digital economy, design liveable future-facing cities, or create the transport and telecommunications systems of tomorrow. You can also help empower our regional communities, promote our thriving arts sector, or protect and celebrate the culture, heritage and languages of First Nations people. We have a direct role in ensuring our infrastructure, communication and transport sectors remain efficient, safe, sustainable and accessible in today's rapidly changing environment.
Eligibility requirements Employment with the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts is subject to conditions prescribed within the Public Service Act 1999 including:
Citizenship : candidates must be an Australian citizen at the time of submitting your application. Health Assessment : The preferred applicant may be required to undergo a medical examination conducted by the department's preferred medical provider. Security Clearance : The successful candidate must be able to obtain and/or maintain a security clearance at Baseline Level. You must be willing to disclose all relevant and required information. You must have lived in Australia, or have a checkable background, for at least the preceding five years for Baseline Vetting clearances. More information on the security clearance vetting process is available on the Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA) website. How to apply Applications for this opportunity close at 11.59pm AEDT, Wednesday 29 January 2025.
In applying for this position, you are not required to address individual selection criteria. Rather, you should provide a statement of no more than 2 (two) pages outlining your background, capabilities and experiences, and how these align with the advertised role. You should also provide a tailored CV, no more than 4 (four) pages . The capabilities and behaviours required to be successful for this role are identified in the 'Who are we looking for' section.
If you experience any issues with the system please contact the recruitment team on 02 6136 8989 or via email at to discuss an alternative way to submit your application. Please advise the contact officer if you require reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process. The department is committed to the accessibility of our systems. If you identify as someone with disability and you require accessibility assistance or more information, please email
Timeline and assessment If a merit pool is established it will be valid for 18 months from date it first appeared in the APS Gazette.
Anticipated timeline for recruitment milestone dates: Applications open: 29 November 2024
Applications close: 29 January 2025
Application shortlisting: 3 February 2025
Further assessments: 13 February 2025
Selection report finalised: 20 February 2025
Offers and announcements: 24 February 2025
The above is indicative only, please reach out to the contact person if you have any questions on the recruitment process or timeframes.
Your application will be assessed against the requirements of the job and the Work level standards. Once the entire applicant pool has been assessed, the panel will create a shortlist of applicants. If your application is shortlisted, you may be asked to undertake further assessment, this may include work sample testing, interviews, and reference checks.
Work with us. Apply now!
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