Senior Policy Adviser – Women's Legal Services Australia

Exciting opportunity for an experienced policy professional to join Womens Legal Services Australia driving national advocacy and reform to advance justice safety and equality for women and non-binary people.

Womens Legal Services Australia Melbourne CBD Immediate start Hybrid working model Full time or Part time negotiable (minimum 0.8 FTE) Ogoing

• Be a part of a feminist network influencing policy and law reform to create better outcomes for Australian women
• A fantastic opportunity to work with experts in family and sexual violence.
• Competitive remuneration 5 weeks annual leave and flexible work arrangements.

WLSAs Mission

Womens Legal Services Australia (WLSA) is the peak body for Womens Legal Services with 13 members across the country including Womens Legal Service Victoria (Womens Legal).

WLSAs mission is to promote a legal system that is safe supportive non-discriminatory and responsive to the needs of women particularly victim-survivors of gender-based violence.

WLSA advocates for policy law reform and systemic change in key focus areas including:

• Increased access to specialist legal and support services for women engaged in legal and other systems
• Family law
• Domestic and family violence
• Criminal justice system for victim-survivors of sexual violence
• Child protection
• Migration law systems for women on temporary visas experiencing violence

About the Role

The Senior Policy Adviser works closely with the Executive Director to strengthen WLSAs national policy and advocacy impact advocating for justice safety and equality for women and non-binary people particularly victim-survivors of gender-based violence.

• Leading policy and law reform work informed by member expertise and lived experience
• Developing and delivering collaborative advocacy strategies in priority reform areas
• Researching and drafting submissions briefs and other materials for government and sector stakeholders
• Coordinating research knowledge sharing and capacity building projects with members
• Building and maintaining strong relationships with government sector and community stakeholders

About You

You are a strategic and values-driven policy professional who thrives in collaborative environments and is motivated by social justice outcomes. You bring strong relationship building skills sound judgement and a commitment to inclusive and feminist ways of working.

Key to your success is your:

• Demonstrated commitment to feminist values and social justice.
• Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to build trust manage differing perspectives and achieve consensus.
• High attention to detail and ability to manage competing priorities independently.

You will:

• Hold tertiary qualifications in a relevant discipline ideally law.
• Have a minimum of 3 years experience in policy advocacy or law reform work.
• Bring knowledge of issues effecting victim-survivors of domestic family and sexual violence and/or the legal assistance sector.
• Have experience in engaging with government and sector stakeholders in policy or reform work.

Why Womens Legal

In return for your dedication we offer:

• Competitive remuneration
• 5 weeks annual leave plus bonus leave between Christmas and New Year!
• Paid parental leave and reproductive health leave
• Cultural leave
• A strong commitment to your professional development personal development and wellbeing
• A hybrid working model and a flexible working environment that supports work/non-work balance
• NFP salary packaging benefits (up to $15900 in tax-free pay every year) plus meal and entertainment benefits (up to $2650 tax-free pay per year)
• Fresh fruit available in the office
• Access to our Employee Assistance Program

To apply

Submit a resume and covering letter to tell us how you are the right candidate for this role. Please ensure the cover letter addresses how you personally align to Womens Legal values as described in the attached position description.

Research shows that women are less likely to apply for roles if they dont meet 100% of the selection criteria. We encourage you to apply even if you dont meet all the criteria but this role sounds like a good fit for you.

All successful candidates will be required to produce a national criminal history check prior to the commencement of their employment.

Disclosure of a criminal record does not necessarily preclude appointment by Womens Legal but if needed we invite applicants to address this issue early in the application phase. Should a criminal record disclosure be advised by a candidate Womens Legal will endeavour to provide clarity over whether the conviction would preclude a candidate from being able to carry out the position duties.

Please note all staff employed by Womens Legal Service Victoria are required to comply with Section 121 of the Legal Profession Uniform Law.

Enquiries

Enquiries can be emailed to Ruth McKendrick HR Officer at

Equal Opportunity Employer

We recognise our work benefits greatly from the unique knowledge skills and expertise of individuals with diverse experiences including people who are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander with disability with lived experience of family and sexual violence and from migrant refugee culturally and racially marginalised backgrounds.

If this is you we strongly encourage you to apply.

Womens Legal relies on an exception under the Equal Opportunity Act to employ women only.

Applications close 8am Tuesday 27 January.