About the role:

This is an exciting opportunity to progress your career and obtain experience working as a Senior Police Lawyer in the Courts and Specialist Prosecutions Division of the Victoria Police Legal Services Department (LSD). Our vision is to be a centre of prosecutorial and legal excellence, with people who are recognised as being fair, just and valued partners in the Victorian justice system.

Victoria Police's LSD provides legal services and advice to support policing, courts, and the Victorian Community. The LSD is led by an Executive Director (who is also the organisation's General Counsel) and employs over 800 staff spread across four divisions – the Office of the Executive Director; the Legal Practice Division (incorporating the Civil Law Division); the Courts and Specialist Prosecutions Division; and the Legal Business Operations Division.

The Courts and Specialist Prosecutions Division is currently enhancing its advocacy response to meet the expansion of court networks and specialist jurisdictions across Victoria. We are therefore seeking enthusiastic, skilled, and dedicated Senior Police Lawyers to meet this demand. Alongside sworn police prosecutors, Senior Police Lawyers appear in a range of criminal prosecutions and family violence intervention order applications in both the Magistrates' and Children's Courts.

This position sits within the Shepparton Prosecutions Unit, with the successful candidate will be required to appear as a criminal law solicitor advocate primarily in the Children's court jurisdiction and other summary jurisdiction courts as directed.

To be successful in this role, you will need to demonstrate an ability to appear as a court advocate and manage competing priorities effectively, with a sound understanding of the Victorian criminal justice system.

Victoria Police is a contemporary and agile workplace and supports flexible working arrangements.

Your duties will include:

• Day-to-day support of police lawyers within your designated work area.
• Developing and managing junior lawyers and offering support and mentoring as required.
• Preparing, conducting, and appearing as a solicitor advocate on behalf of Victoria Police in the Magistrates' and Children's Courts and/or Drug Courts as directed.
• Provision of legal advice in areas of skill and knowledge, including the drafting of court submissions.
• Working with internal and external stakeholders across agencies to ensure cooperative and proactive approaches to addressing community harm.
• Establishing and maintaining productive working relationships with legal representatives and court staff.
• Providing support and assistance to Principal and Supervising Lawyers in the management of more complex cases heard in the County Court and other jurisdictions. You may also be required to provide professional guidance to Legal Support Officers as directed by senior managers.

As the successful applicant, you will:

• Be admitted to practice as an Australian Lawyer.
• Have an Australian Practising Certificate or be immediately eligible to apply for one.
• Have the ability to work in a team and in a developing and emerging work environment.
• Have a high level of resilience and emotional intelligence.
• High level understanding and experience as a court advocate
• Have sound knowledge and understanding of the Victorian criminal justice system and a commitment to keeping abreast of changing trends, policies and legislation.
• Experience in coaching, mentoring and developing junior lawyers
• A current and valid Victorian Driver Licence.

Requirements and relevant information:

• One (1) x full-time, fixed term position until 30 June 2024.
• The salary range for a VPS4 role is $91,418 to $103,725 p.a. plus superannuation. Although it is standard practice for selected candidates to commence at the base of the salary range, genuine consideration will be given to a commencement salary within the available range that is commensurate with the successful candidate's knowledge, skills and experiences. This will be subject to negotiations with the Hiring Manager in the course of the selection process and may include the provision of evidence of a higher income and/or supporting documentation (as required).
• As a member of the Courts and Specialist Prosecutions Division of the Legal Services Department you will be located, on selection, at a specific office for a particular advertised opportunity. The primary location for these positions is North-East Prosecutions Group, based at Shepparton Prosecutions Unit(155 Welsford Street, Shepparton).  However, given occasional legal service demand issues you may be required at times to undertake varied work within the Department. This promotes professional development opportunities in a range of legal domains and supports the Department's commitment to a flexible and deployable legal workforce.
• This position may require you to work outside normal hours.
• Applicants must be an Australian Citizen, Permanent Resident or hold a valid work permit or visa.
• The successful applicant will be required to undergo pre-employment checks which may include fingerprint checks and misconduct screening.

Your application must include:

• A Cover letter (no more than 1 page)
• Resume
• Completed application form – the word document (2. VPS Application Form) for you to complete and attach to your submission, is attached to the job advertisement. 
• A copy of your current Australian Practising Certificate

Applications close midnight, Monday 4 December 2023.

Please Note: All applications will need to be submitted through one of the following platforms: Jobs and Skills Exchange (JSE) website, Victorian Government careers website (Careers.vic) or Seek. Applications will not be accepted via other platforms or email.

Current Victorian Government employees must apply via Jobs and Skills Exchange (JSE). 

For further information, please contact: Senior Sergeant Ross Fifoot on 0417 163 939 or ross.fifoot@police.vic.gov.au. No recruitment agencies please.

If you have a disability/medical condition and require a copy of this advertisement and attached documentation in an accessible format or would like to discuss an access requirements/reasonable adjustment for the recruitment process, please contact VPS Recruitment via email VPSRECRUITMENT@police.vic.gov.au or on (03) 8533 1440.

About Us:

Victoria Police has a dedicated workforce of more than 22,000 employees consisting of police, protective services officers, police custody officers, and public service staff. Each employee plays a vital role in providing the 24/7, 365 days a year emergency response and public safety capability the organisation delivers to its community. As a Victoria Police employee, you have a dedication and commitment to community safety. 

Having a workforce that reflects the community we serve is important to Victoria Police. We want to attract and retain people of all genders, ages, religions, disability, sexual orientation, family and caring responsibilities, and cultures including people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage. If you are interested in a position, we encourage you to apply as we celebrate the benefit that diversity brings to our employees, our services, and our community.

Find out what it is like working as a Victorian Public Servant for Victoria Police: https://www.police.vic.gov.au/vps