• Reports To: Legal Director
• Direct Reports: Nil
• Full Time/Part Time: 12-month contract on a full-time basis, Commencing mid-July 2023
• Location: Sydney
• Salary: $75,000 to $95,000 plus superannuation plus a generous 5 weeks annual leave entitlement

Job Purpose:

Working with the Legal Director as part of the legal policy team, this role will primarily produce Equality Australia’s legal policy analysis and written materials, while also providing legal policy input on our communications content and support our engagement and work with affected community members, stakeholders, media, politicians and government.

You will significantly contribute to the legal policy work of the organisation to help achieve positive legal and social change for LGBTIQ+ people.

Position Responsibilities

• Working with the Legal Director to identify and respond to key LGBTIQ+ legal and policy issues, including conducting legal and policy research and analysis to develop submissions, briefing notes, research reports and other publications such as fact sheets;
• Supporting the Legal Director with Equality Australia’s strategic litigation and political engagement work, including relationships with pro bono legal partners;
• Supporting the Equality Australia engagement team with legal and policy review of media and communications outputs, such as mail-outs, press releases and other content;
• Supporting the Legal Director and broader team with Equality Australia’s work and engagement with community members, stakeholders, media, politicians and government, and managing data and record keeping regarding the same;
• Working with secondees, interns and volunteers on legal policy projects;
• Working with other staff to assist with seminars and events, publications and marketing, and fundraising activities; and
• Undertaking administrative tasks as required in a small team.

Essential criteria

The key skills and experience required for this role are:

• Commitment to advancing LGBTIQ+ rights and equality
• Admitted to practice as a lawyer in Australia with 2-4 years of experience working in a legal and/or legal policy setting
• Strong legal research and policy analysis skills, with a flair for producing accessible, succinct and legally accurate written work product fit for its intended audience
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to develop relationships of trust and confidence with diverse stakeholders
• Highly organised with an ability to work efficiently and effectively, sometimes under pressure, and autonomously in small teams
• Excellent attention to detail
• Excellent team player, able to take direction from others, and also eager to learn, display initiative and take on new responsibilities.

Desirable experience

• Litigation experience
• Experience in political advocacy or campaigning for legal change
• Knowledge of human rights, anti-discrimination, health and/or public law, or LGBTIQ+ legal policy issues
• High level proficiency in the Microsoft Office suite of products, including Word, Excel and Powerpoint.

This is a 12-month full time contract covering for a staff member who is on a leave of absence to undertake study.