Job Legal, Policy and Complaints Officer, The Rocks

Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 1 and Division 2)

Total package: $109,125 – $116,620 per annum, including 15.4% superannuation

(Base salary $94,563 – $105,910 plus 15.4% superannuation)

Position Overview

The Legal, Policy and Complaints Officer is part of a discrete team assisting the Deputy Principal Registrar of the FCFCOA and will also work closely with the staff assisting the Chief Justice and Chief Executive Officer and Principal Registrar (CEO/PR) of the FCFCOA. The Deputy Principal Registrar is responsible for assisting the Chief Justice and the CEO/PR in the management of the business and administrative affairs of the FCFCOA.

The Legal, Policy and Complaints Officer supports the Chief Justice, CEO/PR, the Deputy Principal Registrar and other senior members of the National Operations team on key legal and policy projects with a focus on managing complaint and feedback processes, development of procedural and policy documents, preparing complex correspondence and reports, and data and trend analysis.

This role has a wide-range of tasks and responsibilities across the Courts and all areas of the Courts’ jurisdiction. The person appointed to this position will be someone who is excellent at prioritising work, is highly motivated and organised, and possesses strong communication skills. The successful candidate will also be able to work under pressure in a high-volume environment.

Some limited travel may be required.

The Legal, Policy and Complaints Officer is responsible for assisting the Deputy Principal Registrar and national operations team with the administration of the Courts by undertaking a range of duties, including:

• providing high level legal, policy and administrative support to the DPR and national operations team including in support of case management and project initiatives;
• providing high level support and coordination of:
  • the Courts’ complaint processes including close analysis of complaints and escalation where necessary, policy and procedure development, data reporting and analysis;
  • the Courts’ feedback processes including policy and procedure development, data reporting and analysis; and
  • requests made under the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) including search coordination as well as decision-making under the FOI Act;
• undertaking legal and policy research and analysis, including to assist with policy development, case management processes and training material;
• assisting with the preparation, drafting and coordination of complex correspondence, presentations, conference papers and reports, including submissions or information to or for Judges, Registrars, Court Child Experts, Government and/or Parliament;
• providing regular data reporting and analysis to the Chief Justice, CEO/PR, Deputy Principal Registrar and Senior Executives and monitoring the distribution of data and reports to other staff as required;
• handling sensitive material and information, including in relation to complaints, on behalf of the Chief Justice, CEO and Principal Registrar, Deputy Principal Registrar and other key National Operations staff;
• responding to enquiries from litigants, legal representatives and stakeholders arising from complaint and feedback and FOI processes;
• communicating effectively with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders; and
• other duties as required.

Mandatory Qualifications

Completion of a legal degree or in final year of studies.

Competencies and Experience

• Experience working in a professional environment, such as a Court, law firm or Commonwealth, State or Territory public service.
• Knowledge of family law, general federal law and the Federal courts system.
• Familiarity with the principles of public sector governance and accountability.

Selection Criteria

1. Demonstrated high-level organisational skills, including attention to detail, excellent time-management skills, the ability to set and manage competing priorities, multitask, work effectively under pressure and apply planning and problem-solving skills.
2. Professional discretion, including tact and diplomacy, and an understanding of how to handle sensitive information with a high level of confidentiality and discretion.
3. Strong coordination skills and the demonstrated ability and initiative to develop processes and procedures and oversee their implementation across teams.
4. Strong oral and written communication and liaison skills; the ability to communicate with people at all levels.
5. Well-developed legal and policy research, analysis and drafting skills, including the ability to research primary and secondary legal material and prepare complex correspondence.
6. The ability to work autonomously and as part of a team.
7. Demonstrated experience and understanding, or ability to acquire such knowledge quickly, of the Family Law Act 1975, the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia Act 2021, Court Rules and Regulations; and the jurisdiction and practices and procedures of the FCFCOA (Division 1) and the FCFCOA (Division 2).
8. Demonstrated proficiency with technology, including the use of electronic legal resources and Microsoft applications, and the ability to learn and use the Court’s case management systems and technology.
9. A demonstrated understanding and commitment to the application of the Australian Public Service (APS) Values, to abide by the APS Code of Conduct and the ability to comply with the principles of Workplace Diversity and Occupational Health and Safety.

How to apply

To apply, please complete the application form on the Court’s careers portal. If you have any issues with applying, please email ***********@fedcourt.gov.au.

To be considered you will be required to submit a one-page response outlining your suitability for this position having regards to the selection criteria and duties of the position which are described in the position description (maximum word limit 500). Please ensure this document is attached before submitting your application.

Eligibility

Employment with the Courts are subject to the conditions prescribed in the Public Service Act 1999, and the following:

• Australian citizenship – the successful applicant must hold Australian citizenship.
• Security and character clearance – the successful applicant must satisfy a Police Records Check and may also be required to complete security clearances during the course of their employment.
• Successful applicants engaged into the APS will be subject to a probation period.

Interested applicants who have received a redundancy benefit from an APS agency are welcome to apply but cannot be engaged until their redundancy benefit period has expired.

Diversity and inclusion

The Courts are committed to supporting an inclusive and diverse workforce and welcomes and encourages applications from people with disability, First Nations people, LGBTIQA+ people, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, mature age workers and young workers. The Courts are committed to supporting an inter-generational workforce, gender equity and families.

The Courts will provide reasonable adjustments for candidates to participate equitably in the recruitment process and discuss workplace adjustments to fulfil the inherent requirements of the role.

The Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia Act 2021 (FCFCOA Act), which came into effect on 1 September 2021, merged the Family Court of Australia and the Federal Circuit Court of Australia into a unified court system known as the FCFCOA. The FCFCOA (Division 1) is a superior court that handles the most complex family law cases and serves as the appellate court for family law matters. It operates nationwide, except in Western Australia. The FCFCOA (Division 2), a federal court, shares jurisdiction over family law and child support with Division 1, but also handles general federal law matters, such as administrative law, bankruptcy, intellectual property, and migration law. The Federal Court of Australia entity engages employees under the Public Service Act 1999 to support the Federal Court, the FCFCOA (Divisions 1 and 2), and the National Native Title Tribunal. Established by the 2016 Courts Administration Legislation Amendment Act, each court retains its own identity and judicial independence. FCFCOA employees are covered by the Federal Court Enterprise Agreement 2024–2027.