• Reports To: CEO
• Ongoing full-time role commencing June 2024
• Location: Sydney (Open to other locations for the right candidate)
• Salary: $150,000 - $170,000 + superannuation (dependent upon skills and experience)

The Legal Director plays a pivotal role in achieving Equality Australia’s vision of a fair and equal Australia for LGBTIQ+ people, their families and communities. Reporting to the CEO, you will work with a dynamic team to create and protect legal and social change, ensuring LGBTIQ+ people are treated equally and with dignity and respect.

You and your team will work closely with the Engagement team to deliver a number of concurrent strategic campaigns and provide the legal and policy work that is the backbone of our campaigns. You will run strategic litigation where appropriate and oversee Equality Australia’s law reform agenda. You will lead our engagement with policy processes at a Commonwealth and state/territory level to advance LGBTIQ+ equality and rights.

The role leads key activities to proactively engage with key audiences, including various government agencies and bodies, the LGBTIQ+ community, law firms, stakeholders, and decision makers. The role is also responsible for supporting the CEO to undertake strategic leadership and representation, supporting the Engagement Director to undertake public facing campaigns, and working with CEO and Development & Partnerships team to build and maintain relationships that attract resources and strengthen the capability of Equality Australia.

You are an experienced leader with a strong commitment to human rights, a strong strategic thinker suited to a collaborative and fast paced work environment.

ABOUT EQUALITY AUSTRALIA

Equality Australia is a leading national LGBTIQ+ organisation built from the successful campaign for marriage equality. Equality Australia is a registered charity with a primary office in Sydney, and team members also working in the ACT and Melbourne.

Equality Australia’s team of 13 FTE staff/contractors has a shared commitment to creating a fair and inclusive Australia for LGBTIQ+ people, their families, and their communities. Our mission is to create and protect positive legal and social change to ensure LGBTIQ+ people are treated equally and with dignity and respect.

Our strategic plan (2023 to 2026) outlines our strategic objectives and initiatives including transforming laws, policies and practices through legal and policy research and strategic legal action – the two key areas led by the Legal Director. The Legal Director also oversees Equality Australia’s work to enhance Australia’s role in foreign policy supporting LGBTIQ+ people in the region and beyond. This is an exciting opportunity to lead transformational change as part of a dynamic, flexible and agile team where you will make a real impact on the lives of LGBTIQ+ people.

ABOUT THE ROLE

Operating in a fast-paced and fluid environment, the position will suit an individual who is proactive, responsive and adaptable to change, is outcome-focussed and seeks challenges that enable them to find solutions in a creative and collaborative way. The position requires demonstrated leadership, a creative and curious mindset, experience working collaboratively with stakeholders, and an ability to lead a small team to deliver strategic outcomes.

Reporting to the CEO, the Legal Director will:

• identify key legal and policy priority issues impacting on LGBTIQ+ populations and work with the CEO, Engagement Director and other team members to develop advocacy and campaigning strategies to tackle them, including legal action where appropriate;
• lead the Legal & Policy Team (currently made up of a legal policy advisor, foreign policy advisor, and ad hoc legal secondees, and contractors) including recruitment of staff, responsibility for setting and monitoring progress against strategic and operational priorities and managing the workflow, professional development, and well-being of team members;
• coordinate and undertake advocacy, research, and education on LGBTIQ+ rights priority issues including conducting legal and policy analysis, drafting submissions, briefing notes, research reports and other publications;
• work with the CEO and Engagement Director on political engagement including leading political engagement on certain issues or campaigns, developing political strategies, preparing briefings and materials and meeting with decision makers;
• work with the Engagement Director to engage in media and communications advocacy in print, radio, online and television media and review communications outputs such as EDMs and videos;
• identify opportunities for protecting and advancing LGBTIQ+ rights through strategic litigation where appropriate and coordinate legal action in partnership with pro bono legal teams;
• work with the CEO and Engagement Director to develop and maintain strong networks with Australian and global civil society organisations, contributing, and in some instances leading, sector-wide efforts to advance LGBTIQ+ rights;
• as a member of the ECT, you will be responsible for scanning the environment and informing organisation-wide responses; establishing organisational direction and priorities; coordinating work across the organisation and allocating resources across teams;
• support the CEO, Development and Partnerships Manager, and Engagement Director in fundraising activities as required (for example, speaking at events, meeting with donors, assisting in drafting or reviewing of grant applications and acquittal reports as required);
• play an active role in ongoing risk management within the organisation including responsibility for developing and implementing controls for relevant key risks;
• work with other staff to assist with seminars and events, publications and marketing; and
• undertake some administrative tasks as required in a small team.

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

The following skills and experience are essential:

• Admission to legal practice in Australia with at least 7 years’ post-admission legal experience, including a current unrestricted practicing certificate or ability to obtain one;
• Extensive experience and ability in legal and/or campaign advocacy, whether through litigation and/or engagement with political and government processes;
• Excellent legal and policy analysis and research skills and the ability to think strategically and devise plans to achieve legal policy solutions to LGBTIQ+ human rights issues;
• Leadership and management skills, including a demonstrated ability to manage to tight deadlines a small team that works well with others, and identify and manage organisational risks and oversee spending of relevant expenditure;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience in writing clearly and persuasively for different audiences and presenting information in a clear and concise manner; and
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work well and respectfully with others, including colleagues, stakeholders, decision makers and donors.

DESIRABLE CRITERIA

Having at least some of the following skills and experience would be seen favourably:

• Experience in LGBTIQ+ or broader human rights, anti-discrimination, administrative or health-related areas of law;
• Experience in undertaking strategic litigation;
• Experience working with or appearing in media (e.g. press, TV);
• Knowledge of parliamentary process;
• Experience writing submissions, meeting MPs or with parliamentary inquiries;
• Experience with international human rights law or processes and/or foreign policy;
• Experience in organisational and/or legal management or oversight, including in reviewing documents, providing advice on managing risk or financial oversight;
• Experience in working with people who have suffered discrimination or trauma; and/or
• Experience as a senior officer or director of an organisation.

For more details please contact Ymania Brown [email protected] using the subject line: Legal Director enquiry via EthicalJobs.

Click "Apply Now" to submit your application. 

Equality Australia promotes diversity and inclusion, and we encourage applications from individuals of diverse backgrounds, including LGBTIQ+ communities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from culturally diverse backgrounds, people with disabilities, and people of faith.