Legal 1 Broadband - Senior Lawyer and Lawyer - Dispute Resolution and Compliance Section

The Legal 1 role is responsible for providing high-quality legal advice and assistance on complex and sensitive matters relevant to the work of the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing’s Health Products Regulation Group (HPRG). You will manage and help resolve a diverse range of legal and related issues, contributing to effective regulatory decision-making and the achievement of departmental objectives.

The HPRG includes the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), Office of Drug Control (ODC), Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR), and Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme (AICIS).

Key responsibilities:

• Dispute resolution and litigation:
  • Managing or assisting with civil penalty proceedings, in the Federal Court (including related interlocutory applications);
  • Managing or assisting with judicial review proceedings in the Federal Court;
  • Preparation of the Minister’s response to Administrative Review Tribunal applications and, depending on seniority, appearing for the Minister before the Tribunal; and
  • Advising on and reviewing criminal briefs to the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions.
• Compliance and enforcement:
  • Advising on a range of administrative decisions, for example: requests for information, the imposition of conditions, cancellation of marketing authorisation and the recall of goods;
  • Advising on a range of other compliance and enforcement options including, for example: infringement notices, enforceable undertakings and advertising directions;
  • Advice on search, seizure and forfeiture powers (including under warrant); and
  • Advising on sensitive law enforcement issues and interactions with State and Territory law enforcement, Australian Border Force and the Australian Federal Police.
• Other:
  • Assisting senior decision makers in responding to claims under the Scheme for Compensation for Detriment caused by Defective Administration;
  • Processing, or assistance with processing, subpoenas (from time to time);
  • Managing debt recovery; and
  • Responding to notices from other governments or government authorities

Key capabilities - Executive Level 1 Senior Lawyer:

• Demonstrated ability to quickly acquire and apply a comprehensive understanding of HPRG-administered legislation, associated legislative frameworks, and relevant government policies.
• Proven capability to undertake complex legal work with a high degree of professionalism, judgement and autonomy, while operating under the strategic guidance of a Principal Lawyer (Executive Level 2).
• Well-developed legal analysis, strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to resolve complex issues and deliver high-quality, client-focused outcomes.
• Demonstrated experience in dispute resolution, compliance and enforcement matters, including managing risk and providing practical legal advice.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise competing demands, manage a substantial workload, meet deadlines and deliver outcomes in a fast-paced environment.
• Proven ability to lead teams, supervise complex projects and foster a collaborative, inclusive and high-performing workplace culture.
• Excellent oral and written communication, stakeholder engagement and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence, negotiate and build effective working relationships.
• Demonstrated ability to coach, mentor and develop junior lawyers and peers, while effectively managing relationships and expectations at senior levels.
• High level of attention to detail and the ability to quickly absorb, analyse and apply complex technical, legal and scientific information.
• Demonstrated supervisory and leadership experience, including responsibility for guiding, supporting and developing staff, ideally gained over four to more years in a relevant legal environment.

Desirable experience:

• Administrative law expertise, and/or
• Experience working in a regulatory environment and/or providing legal advice on compliance, enforcement, regulatory investigations, and associated risk management matters.

Key capabilities - APS Level 6 Lawyer:

• Demonstrated ability to quickly develop and apply a very good understanding of relevant legislation, regulatory frameworks and government policies, including the ability to interpret and apply legislative requirements to complex legal matters.
• Proven ability to undertake complex legal work under the guidance of senior lawyers, exercising sound judgement and delivering accurate, practical and risk-based legal advice.
• Strong legal research, analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify issues, assess risks and develop effective solutions to increasingly complex matters.
• Ability to manage a varied and often competing workload, set priorities, meet deadlines and deliver high-quality outcomes in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated capacity to work with a reasonable degree of autonomy, while effectively seeking guidance, responding to feedback and contributing to team objectives.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear legal advice, engage effectively with stakeholders and build productive working relationships.
• Ability to exercise initiative, adapt to changing priorities and contribute positively to a collaborative, inclusive and high-performing workplace culture.
• Demonstrated stakeholder management skills and the ability to influence and manage relationships effectively, including communicating with senior decision-makers.
• High level of attention to detail and ability to absorb, analyse and apply complex legal, technical and, where relevant, scientific information.
• Demonstrated supervisory experience, including responsibility for supporting junior staff over two or more years in a relevant legal environment.  

Desirable experience:

• Administrative law expertise, and/or
• Experience working in a regulatory environment and/or providing legal advice on compliance, enforcement, regulatory investigations, and associated risk management matters.

• To be eligible for employment with the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, applicants must be an Australian citizen at the time an offer of employment is made.
• An applicant’s suitability for employment with Health will also be assessed through a variety of pre-employment check processes, such as:
  • Satisfactory completion of a criminal history check, and where relevant, a Working with Children and Vulnerable People Check,
  • Completion of a medical declaration and pre-employment medical (where required),
  • Providing evidence of qualifications (where required), and
  • Obtaining and maintaining a security clearance at the required level.
• For this role applicants must be able to obtain and maintain a Baseline security clearance or hold a current security clearance at an appropriate level.
• To be eligible for role, applicants must hold a formal qualification in Bachelor of Laws (LLB), admission to an Australian court and eligibility to hold a government practising certificate. 

• Applications close Monday 14 September 2026 at 11:30pm AEST.
• Applicants are asked to quote reference number 26-RLSDIV-31732 to assist when making an enquiry.
• This recruitment process is being used to fill both ongoing and non-ongoing positions. Non-ongoing positions will be offered on a specified term basis for an initial period of up to 12 months with the possibility of being extended (this will not exceed a total of 24 months in the same or similar role). 

The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing is focused on achieving better health and wellbeing for all Australians. If you would like to join our team, and can meet our job requirements, we invite you to apply for a position with us to build better health, better care and better quality for all Australians. The department is committed to providing an inclusive and diverse workplace where the experiences, skills and perspectives of all individuals are valued. We actively encourage applications from diverse backgrounds and cultures, so we can better represent the community we serve. The department welcomes applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disability, mature age people, people who identify as LGBTI+, and people with parenting and/or caring responsibilities.