Legal Operations Manager

Organisation:
Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action

Reference:
VG/MAY

The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) takes a community-centred approach engaging communities and key stakeholders in decisions and policies that affect them.

The Legal and Legislation Division (LLD) is a critical partner to DEECA's policy groups responsible for designing and delivering services and programs.

LLD is seeking a parental leave cover (7 months) for the role of Legal Operations Manager. This is a strategic managerial position, requiring an experienced, senior Legal Operations candidate. Alternatively, a senior manager with a change and transformation, project management, business process improvement or digital transformation background with demonstrated experience in the legal industry/working with in-house teams would be considered. An excellent development opportunity for someone seeking hands-on, in-house experience, or to build upon existing managerial and portfolio management skills.

This is an exciting time for the Division and a unique opportunity to make a tangible contribution to a dynamic team that is progressing important work for the Department, and Victorian community more broadly, as it prioritises what matters and optimises its capacity.

About the job

Reporting to the Director, Legal, the role will be required to progress and manage the Legal Operations Strategic Roadmap across the Division, with a focus on:

• Being a critical trusted partner, advisor and enabler of the Legal and Legislation Division;
  fostering strong partnerships, continuing to embed Legal Operations as a core part of the division;
  being a subject matter expert in bets practice operational and process efficiency who can quickly understand client needs and challenges, and is sought out for advice and support.
• Progressing key projects within the Legal Operations Strategic Roadmap;
  Identifying, designing and implementing process improvement and fit-for-purpose technology initiatives related to reporting, matter management, intake and triage, knowledge management and business intelligence, and collaborating with business stakeholders where relevant (e.G. Finance, Procurement), working with these stakeholders to embed solutions.
• Contribute to the Division's culture of continuous improvement by leading and supporting through change and creating a team environment encouraging innovation.

The role will be responsible for:

• Transformation - Be cutting edge and future focused, transforming the way the division works by delivering and embedding improvement, innovation and best practice.
• Delivery - Drive practice management activities and core deliverables under the Legal Operations Strategic Roadmap, including leading the triaging and allocation of new work received, and the development and streamlining of innovative, automated systems, processes and reporting tools.
• Optimising &
  Enabling - Enable and drive legal operations performance by optimising people, resources, processes and technology.

About you:

• A leader who brings energy and enthusiasm to lead practice management, with demonstrated focus on problem solving, efficient project delivery and commitment to implementing innovative solutions and continuous improvement mechanisms.
• Strong interpersonal skills including the ability to influence and quickly build rapport, trust and sustain effective relationships with senior and executive level stakeholders.
• Demonstrated experience in business partnering, project delivery, change management and team management
• Track record of successfully delivering tangible business outcomes as a result of critically evaluating problems from multiple perspectives and delivering effective solutions.
• Create an environment where innovation and creativity are fostered and rewarded with the ability to deliver and embed improvements and transition them to business as usual.
• People development and team management experience essential.

Specialist/Technical Expertise/Qualifications

• A bachelor's degree majoring in business, commerce or law combined with extensive experience in legal operations or legal practice management within a legal or regulatory environment such as a law firm, in-house practice, technology vendor or consultancy OR in business operations and transformation with demonstrated experience within the Legal industry required.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience using the full suite of Microsoft 365 tools.
• Demonstrated project management skills/qualifications and ability to lead and oversee a project portfolio. Experience and /or formal project management qualifications in Lean, Six Sigma, Agile, and/or similar continuous improvement and project management methodologies required.
• Experience supporting change/transformation initiatives, including opportunity framing, process design and documentation required.
• A high level of proficiency in a case or matter management system will be highly regarded.

This is a fixed term position available for a period of 7 months. The work location for this position is Melbourne CBD with hybrid work arrangements available.

To be considered for this position, applicants are encouraged to submit a resume and cover letter (no longer than 2 pages) summarising their skills and relevant experience.

For further information please refer to the attached position description.

Applications close at midnight on Sunday, 19 May 2024.

Preferred candidates will be required to undertake pre-employment screening, including a Declaration and Consent form and a National Police Check.

To be eligible for appointment to this role, applicants will possess corresponding work rights for the advertised employment period. Appointment to an ongoing position is only available to an Australian/New Zealand citizen or an Australian Permanent Resident.

A Diverse, Inclusive and Flexible Workplace

DEECA welcomes applicants from a diverse range of backgrounds and we focus on the essential requirements of the job and being consistent and fair in our treatment of all applicants. We also understand that a balanced life is important to our employees. Talk to us about our flexible options such as working some days from home, starting early or late, working part time, job sharing or accessing paid or unpaid leave.