Managing Lawyer, Child Protection

About this role

• Full time or part time ongoing position
• Salary range: $127,334 - $150,485 (pro rata) plus super plus salary packaging
• Up to $15,900 in salary packaging and hybrid WFH & office model

About the role
You will support the Program Manager in the operational service design and leadership of the Child Protection program, ensuring effective child protection legal service delivery by both VLA and practice partners in metropolitan areas. The role involves significant engagement with colleagues across VLA and with external stakeholders including but not limited to private practitioners, Community Legal Centres, Aboriginal legal services, the Children's Court and the Child Protection Litigation Office of Department of Families, Fairness and Housing.  

This role will also involve providing leadership and management to a team of lawyers and administrative staff delivering services in the Family Division of the Melbourne, Moorabbin and Wyndham Children's Courts.

This role is based at our Melbourne CBD office on Wurundjeri Country with regular travel to Melbourne, Moorabbin and Wyndham Children's Courts.

About you
As our ideal candidate, you will possess:

• Experience in successfully developing, managing and motivating a high performing team and fostering a cooperative and supportive team environment.
• Extensive knowledge and practice experience in child protection and intervention order matters in the Children's Court, including advocacy on behalf of parents and/or young people in complex matters.
• Demonstrated ability to manage service delivery operations, including experience with service guidelines, rostering, liaison with service delivery partners and the understanding and use of data and reports to manage operations and identify ongoing improvements.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with an ability to influence and negotiate, to engage and build collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

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
To be considered for this role, please submit your current resume and a cover letter addressing the following key selection criteria:

KSC 1 – Demonstrated people management and leadership capabilities including proven experience in successfully developing, managing and motivating a high performing team and fostering a cooperative and supportive team environment.

KSC 3 - Demonstrated ability to manage service delivery operations, including experience with service guidelines, rostering, liaison with service delivery partners and the understanding and use of data and reports to manage operations and identify ongoing improvements.

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 Heidi Deason, Program Manager – Children's Law on (03) 5055 4010 or recruitment@vla.vic.gov.au.

No agency applications will be accepted.

Applications close by 11.59pm on Wednesday 26 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.