Willoughby City Council

General Counsel

General Counsel

• Join a dynamic, diverse and future-focused local authority
• Enjoy working in our newly refurbished state-of-the-art office space
• An attractive salary will be offered depending on the experience of the successful candidate, plus 11.5% Superannuation

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced General Counsel to join our team at Willoughby City Council!

About us

When you join Willoughby City Council you join a close-knit team with a big impact. We are dynamic, diverse and future-focused. We value team players who are willing to roll up their sleeves and get the job done. We serve the community and make it our job to make people’s lives better. It’s all in a day’s work.

You’ll have the freedom to grow in your career alongside likeminded people who will support you every step of the way. You’ll be part of our transformation as a Council and shape the future for the residents of Willoughby. And you’ll do it all from a thriving hub in Sydney, in the culturally-rich area we are so proud to call home.

About you

You’re looking for a role with purpose, one where you can make a meaningful difference.  You have so much to offer.  And we can see that.  As much as you bring to the table, we provide you with the support you need to accelerate your career growth.

We are constantly evolving… and that change brings with it new directions, skillsets and thinking for you to embrace.   Through collaboration and projects across the organisation, you will have incredible opportunities come your way.  How far you take them, well, that’s in your hands.

A career here is about sharing ideas, spotting opportunities to make life and work in Willoughby better for all of us.  It’s a collaborative approach to making the right decisions for our residents and environment.

What that means for you is the opportunity to contribute your expertise and learn from your colleagues across all the different areas of Council each and every day.

About the role

The General Counsel role provides high-level legal representation and advice to senior Council staff on the management of a diverse range of legal matters. It supports legal and regulatory compliance, and provides pragmatic solutions to complex legal issues. The role supports good governance by providing direct legal input and by sourcing and managing external legal expertise when required.

A significant part of this role is to represent Council in planning appeals including appearing for Council at s34 conferences and either appearing at hearings or instructing external lawyers or barristers.

In addition to planning matters, you will also be advising across all other areas of Council including on property, commercial, procurement and compliance matters. Council has a panel of external lawyers for providing specialist advice where needed but the General Counsel needs to be comfortable dealing with a range of legal issues at least at a preliminary level.

You will provide legal advice at both strategic and operational levels to staff on a diverse range of complex and sensitive issues.

Requirements

• Degree qualification in Law and admission as a legal practitioner holding, or eligible to hold, an unrestricted practising certificate
• An understanding of the local government sector
• Significant experience representing applicants and/or consent authorities in planning appeals including appearing without counsel or external solicitors in s34 conferences and either appearing at hearings or instructing counsel or external lawyers
• Demonstrated capacity and preparedness to deal with other areas of local government law (in addition to planning law) that you may not necessarily be experienced in including commercial and property, procurement, commercial, privacy, access to information, governance and enforcement work
• Demonstrated ability to provide practical, expert and strategic legal and policy advice on a range of complex matters and exercise good judgement
• Demonstrated ability to reason conceptually, negotiate effectively, solve complex problems and high priority issues, paying close attention to details and higher order considerations simultaneously

How to apply

Apply now to join us at Willoughby City Council where you can add value and be valued for the meaningful work you do.

When you work at Willoughby Council, you will work with a diverse group of like-minded people who have people and the community at the forefront in everything we do. Check out our employee benefits on our careers page to see:

• Where you can look after yourself and your loved ones
• Where you can enhance your wellbeing
• Where you can grow, develop and be part of a team

https://www.willoughby.nsw.gov.au/Council/Working-with-us/Careers

Enquiries: Marcia Doheny – General Counsel – 0460 010 163

Applications must address all of the key responsibilities outlined in the Position Description.

Successful candidates may be required to undertake pre-employment screening including police and qualification checks.

Applications close: Sunday, 24 November 2024 at 11:30pm

Please note recruitment activity may commence before the closing date.