Director, Legal Practice

Job Description

Work Type: Fixed-term - Full-time or part-time

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Grade: VPS SES1

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Occupation: Leadership and management

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Location: Melbourne - CBD and Inner Metro suburbs

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Reference: VG/VLA/LPCJLH/1945944

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Exciting SES1 role to facilitate the delivery of high‐quality, accessible, and sustainable functions across the legal practice directorate.

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• Full-time fixed term position up to three (3) years
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• Salary range: $240,938 - $310,385 TRP
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• Up to $15,900 in salary packaging, flexible hybrid work arrangement
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About the role

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The Director, Legal Practice works across Victoria Legal Aid (VLA) and the legal assistance sector to ensure access to quality legal services and to build skills and capability across the legal assistance sector.

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This role oversees the administration of VLA's high-volume grants of legal assistance and assessment of private practitioners' compliance with funding requirements and client-focused practice standards, to ensure efficiency, high-quality service delivery, future growth and organisational sustainability. It also ensures that practitioners are supported through the provision of excellent, effective training and resources.

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This role is based at our Melbourne CBD office on Wurundjeri Country.

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About you

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As our ideal candidate, you will possess:

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• A current Australian practising certificate which entitles you to practise in Victoria as a government legal practitioner.
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• Strong leadership skills, including a demonstrated ability to develop and meet strategic priorities, drive positive cultural change, develop and support high-performing teams and respond to emerging and changing organisational needs.
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• Sound knowledge of current trends, issues and challenges in access to justice, and legal practice management—including training, supervision, professional development, quality assurance, technologies and complaints resolution.
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• Strong interpersonal skills with demonstrated ability to influence change, ignite passion and leverage the efforts of a range of individual talents.
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• Demonstrated experience working in a complex stakeholder environment, including sound ability to work collaboratively, build trust and rapport, exert influence and negotiate effectively within VLA, with private practitioners and across the justice sector.
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• Demonstrated ability to drive service innovation and growth and influence change, underpinned by experience in complex service design and delivery, including client first approaches, consumer engagement, data and reporting and budgeting.
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• Legal knowledge and experience, particularly in the area of administrative law, to enable constructive and informed decisions that affect VLA and our clients.
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• Skills and experience in process mapping and design to deliver broad process or system reforms (for example, using client-centred design, co-design with lived experience groups and adopting and implementing new technologies).
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• A knowledge of the general business of VLA and a commitment to our vision and values.
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Don't meet every requirement? At VLA, we understand that your work and life experiences can be just as valuable. If your CV doesn't align perfectly with our job description, we strongly encourage you to apply. You may be just the right candidate.

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About VLA

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We offer legal representation, family dispute resolution and non-legal advocacy to those who need it most. With over 1400 staff employed in 15 offices across Victoria, we help people with their legal problems by providing information, advice and education with a focus on the prevention and early resolution of legal problems.

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Our clients come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds and foster a work culture that's inclusive as well as diverse. Your unique ideas and perspectives are valued so that we best represent the people we serve.

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Employee benefits

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• A focus on work-life balance, including fl exibleworking arrangements
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• Hybridwork fromhome& office model
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• Generous leave benefits, including:\n
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  • Three days paid seasonal leave (to be taken between Boxing Day and New Year's Day public holidays)
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  • Paid gender affirmation leave
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  • Five days both paid reproductive and fertility leave per calendar year
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• Annual 3% salary increase each December plus performance-related salary incentives
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• Attractive salary packaging options including General Expenses up to $15,900, Meals & Entertainment up to $2,650 PLUS Novated Leasing
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• Discounted annual Myki public transport passes
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• Individual learning and professional development opportunities, tailored to your role and career goals
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• Free annual flu vaccinations
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• Access to gym and end-of-trip facilities at our CBD office
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• Access to our Employee Assistance Program, including confidential counselling and access to a range of mental health and wellbeing resources.
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Applications close by 11.59pm on Monday 28 September 2026.

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Other relevant information

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It is a requirement that staff attend for office-based days at their primary work location. In line with this requirement, interstate applications will be considered only where the candidate is able and willing to relocate to Victoria, unless part of a border community.

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VLA is committed to putting the safety and wellbeing of children first.

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Applications close Monday 28 September 2026 at 11.59pm