Lawyer and Senior Lawyer - Privacy

Job Details

EMPLOYMENT TYPE - Ongoing Full time

LOCATION - ACT

AFP BAND & SALARY - AFP Band 5-8, $95,010.00 - $132,391.00 within the AFP Broadband 3-8 (Legal)

JOB REFERENCE NUMBER - 12823

This advertisement is to fill current vacancies and create a merit pool for future ongoing or non-ongoing vacancies arising over the next 12 months.

Did you know?

The mission of the Australian Federal Police is to provide dynamic and effective law enforcement to the people of Australia. It provides policing throughout Australia in relation to the prevention and detection of crimes against the Commonwealth, its laws and integrity, and community police services to the Community of the ACT.

Working for the AFP provides you with a diverse and rewarding career. Whether you immerse yourself in a position on the frontline, or provide critical operational or professional support, the work you do makes a big impact on the people of Australia. 

We recognise your contribution to our workforce and offer generous remuneration and conditions including:

• Six weeks (30 days) of paid annual leave per year + additional paid Christmas stand down 
• 4 extra mandatory leave rest days per year 
• 18 days of paid personal leave per year
• Generous superannuation of 15.4%
• 16 weeks of paid maternity leave (after 12 months of service) + an additional 36 weeks of maternity leave without pay
• Generous salaries and incremental salary progression governed by the AFP Enterprise Agreement 
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangement that provides work/life balance
• Health & wellbeing services – with a focus on early intervention, education and prevention
• Access to ongoing training and professional development opportunities

What is the role?

Applications are sought from suitably qualified applicants wishing to be considered for the role of Lawyer and Senior Lawyer - Privacy.

This advertisement will create a merit pool for current and future vacancies arising over the next 12 months.

Positions may be filled at the AFP Band 5 to 8 levels, within the AFP Legal Officer 3 to 8 Broadband, depending upon the skills and experience of the successful candidate.

AFP Legal is the AFP’s internal legal practice, delivering legal services across the wide spectrum of AFP law enforcement – related activities both domestically and overseas. AFP lawyers work in an exciting, dynamic and intellectually challenging environment providing legal advice in areas including criminal law, information law, national security law, dispute resolution, administrative law, employment law, commercial law, and governance.

You will also be required to contribute to the achievement of outcomes in accordance with the regulatory framework, the AFP Code of Conduct and the AFP Governance Instruments. It is expected that the successful applicant will deliver on the core responsibilities and meet any requirements of the position as outlined below.

What will you do?

Privacy lawyers working in the Commercial, Governance and lnformation Branch in AFP Legal provide high quality, cost effective in-house professional legal services in a broad range of matters relating to privacy.

The Privacy work of the team includes a broad range of work relating to the AFP’s responsibilities under the Privacy Act, including:    

• Advising on the collection, use, disclosure and handling of personal information under the Privacy Act and the Australian Privacy Principles, including in relation to data breaches
• Assisting and advising on privacy impact assessments, and associated threshold assessments under the Privacy (Australian Government Agencies) Code
• Responding to privacy complaints made to the AFP and the OAIC
• Advising on the inclusion of privacy obligations in commercial documents
• Developing and delivering training to the AFP on the provisions of and obligations under the FOI Act and Archives Act
• Assessing and processing requests made in accordance with the Privacy Act.

Essential Requirements

• You must be an Australian Citizen at the time of application.
• A Negative Vetting 1 (Secret) security clearance or the ability to obtain one.
• Either hold a current practicing certificate for an Australian state or territory or the High Court, or be eligible to apply for a practicing certificate. 
• Hold tertiary qualifications in law and possess contemporary relevant legal knowledge and experience.
• Have a minimum post admission experience of 2+ years for lawyers and 5+ years post admission experience for senior lawyers.
• Have demonstrated experience in privacy law.

Selection Criteria

Band 5

• Organising your work, making sound decisions and achieving outcomes
• Communicating and working effectively with other people
• Applying technical knowledge, expertise and skills

Band 6-8

• Achieve results
• Communicates with influence
• Contributes to strategic thinking
• Cultivates productive working relationships
• Shows personal drive and integrity
• Technical knowledge and skills

Application

Please submit the following documents via our Jobs portal prior to the closing date and time:

• Resume/CV - This will form the basis for determining your suitability against the position requirements and give the panel a clear outline of your current knowledge and qualifications along with previous experiences. Please include your work history, responsibilities and achievements.
• Applicant pitch (maximum two pages). Ensure your pitch tells us why you are the best fit for the role, with examples that demonstrate your capabilities addressing the selection criteria, role requirements and work level standards for the role.

Only complete applications will be considered. Please review and ensure the uploaded documents are correct for this application after submitting your application.

Employment Suitability

Should you successfully progress from the application stage all applicants must:

• Complete an Employment Suitability Questionnaire (ESQ) and provide a traffic history check and proof of Australian citizenship. This aids in the assessment of your character and your ability to comply with the AFP's professional standards both in an official and private capacity. Please review our AFP Character Standards to ensure that you meet our requirements before you submit your application. Applicants will not receive feedback if they are unsuccessful at this gateway.
• Have your fingerprints taken if an offer of employment is made.
• Undertake mandatory drug testing for illicit drugs. This sample could include; urine, saliva or hair.
• Proof of a minimum of two COVID-19 vaccinations (or one dose if the Janssen vaccine was used) will be required if an offer of employment is made. 
• Satisfactorily undertake a security clearance to the level specified for the position.  

Recruitment Process

Applicants who have demonstrated their suitability for employment through their resume and application, may be invited to a formal interview. Using the relevant AFP work level standards as a guide, you may be asked a range of questions to demonstrate your skills and abilities. These could include behavioural based scenario questions. Read our guides for applicants to find out how to prepare for you interview.  

Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion

Diversity and inclusion is an operational priority for the Australian Federal Police (AFP). To be an effective police force, we must be reflective of the community we serve, working across languages, cultures and transnational borders. The 2023-26 Diversity & Inclusion Strategy is the guiding framework for delivering the AFP’s diversity and inclusion goals and reflecting our commitment to being an employer of choice, incorporating diversity and inclusion principles in day-to-day practice and building a psychologically and culturally safe workplace. This includes hiring people from diverse backgrounds who bring their lived experience to contribute, and add value, to the AFP. Find out more about how the AFP embraces diversity and inclusion.

Contacts and Closing Information

Contact Officer - Erin Garty,

Contact Officer Phone: 02 5126 6493, ​

Contact Officer Email: Erin.Garty@afp.gov.au

Applications Close: 11:59pm (AEDT) 20/05/2024

To view other employment opportunities, please visit our career site.

www.afp.gov.au