General Counsel and Executive Director Legal

• Lead EPA's legal function


• Independent statutory environmental regulator


• Protect Victorians through sound regulatory law

About the organisation

Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) is the state's environmental regulator, established to prevent and reduce the harmful effects of pollution and waste on Victorian communities and ecosystems. With a strong legislative mandate, EPA partners with government, industry and the community to protect the environment and human health. This organisation is values-led and committed to delivering lasting impact for all Victorians.

About the role

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the General Counsel and Executive Director, Legal (GC) is EPA's most senior legal counsel and leads the Legal Division, comprising the Legal Practice Unit, Investigations Support and Prosecutions Unit, and Civil Litigation and Advice Unit. The role carries responsibility for implementing EPA's legal operating model - embedding role clarity, accountabilities and consistent ways of working across the regulatory value chain. This includes leading a managed rebalance of previously outsourced legal work and uplifting internal capability across the division. The GC provides authoritative advice on complex, high-profile and politically sensitive matters spanning administrative law, statutory interpretation, enforcement, prosecutions, civil litigation, privacy and freedom of information. The role serves as a trusted advisor to the CEO, Executive Leadership Team, Board and Ministerial stakeholders, operating with independence, discretion and sound judgement in a demanding public sector environment.

About you

You are admitted to practise as an Australian legal practitioner and hold - or are eligible to hold - a current Victorian practising certificate. Your background includes substantial senior or executive legal leadership in a complex statutory, regulatory or public sector environment, at General Counsel, or equivalent level. You have led multidisciplinary legal functions through meaningful reform, including service delivery transformation, capability uplift and the implementation of sustainable operating models. Your technical depth spans administrative law, regulatory decision-making, investigations, prosecutions and civil litigation, and you are comfortable advising at the most senior levels of an organisation under conditions of urgency, ambiguity and political sensitivity. Your judgement, integrity and professional independence are beyond question, and you bring the resilience to lead a team through significant organisational change.

How to apply

This role is being managed by Andrew Richards - SHK Asia Pacific - please use this link to apply: GENERAL COUNSEL & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, LEGAL job in Government & Public Policy in Melbourne 

For more information, please review the Candidate Candidate Brief, then click ‘apply now’ above to submit your CV/resume and a concise cover letter. Direct and third-party applications will be forwarded to SHK. Closes 20 July.