Associate Director, Family Law

About this role

• Full time ongoing position
• Salary range: $170,181 - $186,421 plus super plus salary packaging
• Up to $15,900 in salary packaging and hybrid WFH & office model

About the role
This role will report to the Director of Family Violence and Family Law and provide leadership of VLA's state-wide Commonwealth family law services by developing strategic objectives aligned with VLA's organisational priorities. These services include Independent Children's Lawyers representing children on a best interests' basis in parenting disputes and assistance to parents and parties in family law parenting and property disputes and in child support and maintenance matters.  

You will also, provide strategic advice on legal and policy issues, law reform proposals and service planning relating to Commonwealth family law. This will support the development and implementation of policies and initiatives to improve family law service delivery.

This role is based at our Melbourne CBD office on Wurundjeri Country.

About you
As our ideal candidate, you will possess:

• Proven leadership in the public or legal sector, with a track record of setting strategic priorities, managing risks, and making informed decisions.   
• Strong management experience, including team leadership, change management, budget oversight, and accountability for priority activities.   
• Expertise in developing, implementing, and evaluating impactful initiatives to enhance services and outcomes.   
• Comprehensive knowledge of the Commonwealth family law system and a thorough understanding of the Victorian legal assistance sector.  
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to influence, negotiate, and build collaborative relationships with diverse stakeholders, including people with lived experience of the family law system.  
• Committed to social justice principles, with a deep understanding of issues affecting First Nations peoples in the justice system. 

Don't meet every requirement? At VLA, we understand that your work and life experiences can be just as valuable. If you're excited about this role but your CV doesn't align perfectly with our job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or one of our many other opportunities.

About Victoria Legal Aid
We offer legal representation, family dispute resolution and non-legal advocacy to those who need it most. With over 1400 staff employed in 16 offices across Victoria, we help people with their legal problems by providing information, advice and education with a focus on the prevention and early resolution of legal problems.

Our clients come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds and foster a work culture that's inclusive as well as diverse. Your unique ideas and perspectives are valued so that we best represent the people we serve.

Employee benefits

• Focus on work-life balance including flexible working arrangements
• Hybrid work from home & office model
• Training and professional development opportunities
• Excellent salary packaging options including General Expenses up to $15,900, Meals & Entertainment up to $2,650 and Novated Leasing
• Opportunity to join Myki Commuter Club(and salary package the cost)
• Supportive team environment in modern offices (including free gym and end-of-trip facilities at our CBD office)
• Access to discounted Private Health Insurance

How to apply
Applicants are not required to address each key selection criteria individually. Instead, please provide a covering letter and CV outlining your relevant skills, experience and qualifications and how these align with the key selection criteria in the position description.

If you require adjustments to the recruitment and selection process or need an alternative format to any of the application material, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our team.

For further information, please review the attached position description or contact Eila Pourasgheri, Director – Family Violence and Family Law on (03) 9269 0173 or recruitment@vla.vic.gov.au.

No agency applications will be accepted.

Applications close by 11.59pm on Sunday 9 November 2025.

Other relevant information
It is a requirement that staff attend for office-based days at their primary work location. In line with this requirement, interstate applications will be considered only where the candidate is able and willing to relocate to Victoria, unless part of a border community.

VLA is committed to putting the safety and wellbeing of children first.