Legal Team Leader Corporate - Freedom of Information - Commercial, Governance and Information

Job Details

EMPLOYMENT TYPE - Ongoing Full time

LOCATION - ACT

AFP BAND & SALARY - Band 08, $121,628.00 - $132,391.00 plus additional remuneration of $14,000 per annum

JOB REFERENCE NUMBER - 13015

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:

• 6 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?

The AFP’s Chief Counsel Portfolio (CCP) is a dynamic, professional, diverse and interesting legal practice, underpinned by our commitment to AFP values and desire to foster a positive and inclusive workplace culture. The CCP is comprised of:

• the Chief Counsel Office;
• AFP Legal (which is AFP Legal Operations Team and AFP Legal Corporate Team); and
• Criminal Assets Litigation (CAL) (which is CAL North Team and CAL South Team).

The portfolio is geographically dispersed across six capital cities. The Portfolio is managed by the Chief Counsel and each legal team is managed by a General Counsel.

AFP Legal Corporate

The AFP Legal Corporate team is responsible for the provision of legal advice and litigation services that directly support the operational law enforcement activities of the AFP. AFP Legal provides high quality, cost effective in-house professional legal services in administrative, operational, commercial and employment law to the AFP.

The Freedom of Information Team, in the Commercial, Governance and Information Law Branch, advises and manages requests for access to documents, and correction of information, as applicable, pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act), the Privacy Act 1988 (Privacy Act) and the Archives Act 1983 (Archives Act). This includes:

• assessing and processing requests made in accordance with the FOI Act, Privacy Act and Archives Act 
• providing advice to AFP staff, decision-makers and executive on the application of the FOI Act, Privacy Act and Archives Act
• providing assistance to decision-makers in relation to internal review decisions 
• responding to external merits review by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner 
• managing and coordinating the AFP response to complaints and notifiable data breaches under the Privacy Act 
• ensuring the AFP’s compliance with the Information Publication Scheme 
• internal and external reporting, including responsibility for the AFP’s compliance with statutory reporting requirements to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
• developing and delivering training to the AFP on the provisions of and obligations under the FOI Act, Privacy Act and Archives Act. 

As a Team Leader you also play a pivotal role in developing people, managing change and influencing behaviours that lead to a supportive culture that respects the perspectives, talents and value of each individual. Consistent with the AFP values, AFP leadership philosophy, organisational reform agendas, AFP corporate business plans and your Performance Development Agreement, the expectation is that you will deliver on the core responsibilities and meet any requirements of the position as outlined below.

What will you do?

The role of Legal Team Leader in AFP Legal requires strong management and leadership skills. Coupled with this, the role requires substantial technical expertise, including the ability to provide timely, well written and accurate legal advice across Commercial and governance matters including in relation to procurement and contracts, intellectual property, leasing and operational and financial governance.

The Legal Team Leader Corporate – Freedom of Information – Commercial, Governance and Information is expected to: 

• supervise a diverse team including FOI practitioners with different levels of experience;
• manage the team’s workflow and priorities to align with Chief Counsel Portfolio (CCP), AFP Legal and AFP priorities;
• conduct, and/or manage/supervise complex FOI matters with minimal supervision;
• represent the AFP in high level discussions and negotiations with external stakeholders;
• actively progress legislative, governance and policy development;
• actively contribute to, encourage and influence the team’s contribution to, knowledge and information management initiatives; and
• collaborate with Coordinators, General Counsels and Chief Counsel to achieve CCP objectives and support the broader organisation strategic direction;
• make decisions under the FOI Act and Privacy Act.

The Legal Team Leader Corporate – Freedom of Information – Commercial, Governance and Information is expected to demonstrate:

• advanced technical knowledge and experience in the application of the FOI, Privacy and Archives Act (including exemptions) in processing of significant and complex requests
• the ability to mentor, guide and train less senior and less experienced FOI officers
• experience supervising a busy and effective team of FOI officers
• the ability to deal with more complex matters with minimal supervision
• excellent time management skills and the ability to prioritise tasks and meet statutory deadlines
• the ability to focus and work in a busy team environment, demonstrating initiative and resilience
• strong communication skills
• attention to detail and a high level of accuracy
• a professional approach and the ability to work collaboratively as part of a high performing team. 

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.

Desirable Requirements

The following skills and/or experience would be highly regarded:

• minimum AFP Band level 7 (equivalent to APS EL1).
• minimum of 5 years experience processing requests under the FOI and Privacy Acts.
• experience managing a team of people.

Additional Information

• This role is located in Canberra and applicants are expected to be based in Canberra.

Selection Criteria

• achieve results
• communicates with influence
• contributes to strategic thinking
• cultivates productive working relationships
• shows personal drive and integrity

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 - Adam Anastasi,

Contact Officer Phone: 51269979, ​

Contact Officer Email: Adam.Anastasi@afp.gov.au

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

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

www.afp.gov.au