Legal/Industrial Officer or Senior Legal/Industrial Officer – Workplace Advice and Support (WAS)

Classification

Depending on skills and experience, classification range from Level 3 to 5 in Appendix 2 of the APESMA Enterprise Agreement 2023

· Legal/Industrial Officer Level 1 (LIO 1);

· Legal/Industrial Officer Level 2 (LIO 2); or,

· Senior Legal/Industrial Officer Level 1 (SLIO 1).

Overview

Professionals Australia (PA) is a contemporary and innovative union, representing the industrial and professional interests of professional employees across Australia. Our members include engineers, scientists, pharmacists, managers, IT professionals, translators and interpreters, and architects.

We are committed to growing and strengthening our membership in workplaces and across industries and professions.

We strive to make a positive difference to members’ working and professional lives and we are working hard to gain greater respect, recognition and rewards for our members and the vital professional services they deliver.

Role Description

The role exists within WAS, the centralised legal and industrial team within PA that provides advice and representation to members across Australia. The role will also support Organising staff with collective industrial matters.

Depending on experience and classification, the role will:

• Manage a case load of individual industrial matters (such as contract reviews, unfair dismissal, general protections, discrimination, underpayments and bullying and harassment).
• Manage a case load of collective industrial matters (such as supporting enterprise bargaining and related matters, protected industrial action and collective disputation).
• Work with and assist less experienced employees in running matters and projects.
• Contribute and/or Lead projects - this may include but is not limited to training, briefing materials, presentations and/or media materials.
• Liaise with and develop relationships with other teams within Professional Australia
• A Senior Industrial Legal Officer may be required to oversee the work of Junior Industrial Officers and Legal and Industrial Support Officers

Experience and Qualifications

The role requires completion of an undergraduate qualification in law, IR, political economy or a similar qualification or experience. Depending on the classification, the role may expect some industrial or legal experience through to having more advanced knowledge and skills at the senior level.

A legal practicing certificate is not a mandatory requirement of the role, but can be supported.

We are looking for candidates who have:

Legal/industrial relations knowledge (more advanced knowledge at senior levels).

• Legal/industrial relations experience (more advanced experience at senior levels).
• Problem-solving skills.
• A level of expertise in the running of individual and/or collective employment matters.
• Negotiation, advocacy and/or litigation/arbitration expertise.
• An unrestricted Legal Practicing Certificate and the capacity to provide legal supervision (desirable).
• Demonstrated capacity to contribute to, and/or lead, projects
• Strong communication skills.
• A commitment to union values.

Salary and conditions

Range from $86,873 to $113,869 (plus superannuation)

Negotiable based on experience.

Generous leave provisions, including 12 RDOs, 4 weeks annual leave and 4 days paid shut down leave; parental and study leave.

Staff have access to working from home options in accordance with the APESMA Enterprise Agreement 2023.

Whilst the position is ideally based at the PA office in West Melbourne, Victoria, consideration will be given to interstate applicants. Staff may be required to travel regionally or interstate from time to time.

Further information

People from diverse backgrounds, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, are strongly encouraged to apply.

Applications should address the criteria above.

Please contact Scott Crawford, National Director – Industrial Relations, on 0423 442 214 to discuss the role in detail.