• Location: Sydney CBD
• Term: ongoing
• Full-time – 37.5 hours per week
• Remuneration: SCHADS Level 4: FTE $74-80k + 10% super + 17.5% Annual Leave Loading
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are particularly encouraged to apply
• Reporting to: Managing Lawyer, Safe Climate – Gas & Commercial

Environmental Defenders Office (EDO) is the largest environmental legal centre in the Australia-Pacific, dedicated to protecting our climate, communities and shared environment by providing access to justice, running ground-breaking litigation and leading law reform advocacy.

As the region’s legal experts in our field, we aim to be a brave, unified, and focused team, committed to inclusion and excellence in all that we do. We strive to be a diverse and inclusive workplace supporting a highly skilled, engaged, and effective team, where everyone can feel that they belong.

The opportunity

As EDO enters an exciting period of growth, we have an opportunity for an experienced legal administrator to join the team.

In this role you will be an integral member of the Safe Climate Team, and under the direction of the Managing Lawyer – Safe Climate – Gas & Commercial, will play a key role in ensuring the effective and efficient management of advice and litigation files.

Your days will be varied - from preparing and managing legal documents, and ensuring legal databases are kept up-to-date, to supporting the legal volunteer program, and assisting with more general administrative support needed in the Sydney office.

Candidate Profile

We are looking for a skilled legal administrator, with a commitment to attention to detail and accuracy, who can problem solve and work on their own initiative. You will need to be enthusiastic, and flexible, with a high level of computer competency, and ideally have familiarity with court processes and legal document management systems.

At a personal level you will be comfortable working with diverse communities, and a team player, working collaboratively in a distributed team environment.

YOU ARE:

• An experienced legal administrator or have similar administrative experience in a busy office environment.
• Passionate. About environmental justice and about the environment.
• A people person. You have the confidence to liaise with clients, barristers, and others.
• Motivated. You’ve got get up and go. You’re going to take ownership of this new role and truly make a difference.

SELECTION CRITERIA:

Essential:

• Experience in legal administration or similar administrative role in a busy office
• Ability and confidence to communicate well with a variety of people
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Excellent interpersonal, organisational and time management skills
• Demonstrated ability to use initiative and problem-solving skills in the workplace
• High level of computer competence, including Microsoft 365 environment
• Demonstrated Database and digital client file management skills (CLASS, LEAP or similar)

Desirable:

• Demonstrated experience in assisting in administration of court and/or tribunal work, familiarity with court processes, including court filing, file management and assembly of legal briefs
• Experience with volunteer programs or supervising volunteers

Personal qualities:

• Highly motivated, attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to work in a collaborative and distributed team environment.
• Commitment to EDO’s values and interest in our work protecting Australia’s environment through the law.

OUR CULTURE AND BENEFITS

• We care deeply about creating a workplace where our team members feel valued, respected and empowered. We are committed to providing equal opportunity regardless of gender identity, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or life stage.
• The chance to be part of the largest environmental legal practice in the Australia-Pacific.
• A very flexible and family-friendly workplace.
• Option to work from home and the office.
• Paid Parental Leave.
• 15 Days Personal/carer’s leave.
• Extra leave over the Christmas period.
• Access to EAP.
• Ongoing professional development opportunities.
• EDO proudly has a JEDI (Justice, Equality, Diversity, Inclusion), and a Mental Health Ambassador Committee, and is developing a First Nations Indigenous Peoples Program with the aid of indigenous-led consultancies.

OUR VALUES:

Commitment – We are committed to; a united organisation, to each other, to collaboration, to justice, to our communities and to creating a world where nature thrives.

Diversity – We are respectful of and welcome diversity of staff, volunteers, offices, environmental regions, communities, stakeholders.

Integrity – We work effectively, efficiently, strategically, professionally, and ethically; “justice is in our nature”.

Vision – We lead change and environmental empowerment using innovation, creativity, and courage.

All offers of employment are subject to satisfactory background checks including a National Police Check, disclosure of previous or current disciplinary action, referee checks, proof of eligibility to work in Australia and qualification checks.

EDO welcome applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, workers of all ages, people with disabilities and people who identify as LGBTQIA+.

A position description is attached.