13 Oct
|
Sungrow
|
Sydney
About the Role
We are seeking a commercially minded Legal & Compliance Officer to support the company’s legal, compliance and operational activities in Australia. Working closely with the Compliance Manager and key business teams, the role will provide practical legal support across commercial contracts, competition and consumer law, customer matters, and internal compliance frameworks.
The ideal candidate will have at least 2 years’ post-admission legal experience, strong commercial drafting skills and a current Australian practising certificate, with an interest in developing broader in-house experience in the renewable energy sector.
Key Responsibilities
1. Commercial Contract Review and Legal Support
Review, draft and negotiate a range of commercial agreements, including:
- Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs);
- direct sales and supply contracts;
- Long-Term Service Agreements (LTSAs);
- distribution and reseller agreements;
- service and consultancy agreements;
- customer and supplier agreements; and
- other commercial arrangements arising from the company’s Australian operations.
Provide commercially focused legal advice across business functions, identify and mitigate legal and commercial risks, and maintain contract templates, standard clauses and internal contracting guidelines.
2. External Legal Counsel Management
Support the Compliance Manager in engaging and managing external legal counsel.
Responsibilities include
- preparing instructions and background materials for external counsel;
- obtaining and reviewing legal fee proposals;
- coordinating legal advice and external legal workstreams;
- tracking external legal spend;
- reviewing external legal advice and translating it into practical internal actions; and
- maintaining appropriate records of legal advice and external counsel engagements.
3. Competition, Consumer Law and Customer Complaints
Provide legal and compliance support to the direct sales and distribution businesses on Australian competition and consumer law matters, including issues arising under:
- the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth);
- the Australian Consumer Law;
- ACCC requirements and guidance; and
- applicable Fair Trading requirements.
Advise on legal and compliance issues relating to:
- distributor and reseller arrangements;
- pricing, discounts and rebate structures;
- channel management;
- sales promotions and marketing practices;
- customer representations;
- product and warranty matters;
- customer complaints and disputes; and
- escalation of potential regulatory or consumer law risks.
Assist with the management and resolution of customer complaints,
including matters that may involve Fair Trading bodies, consumer tribunals or external legal advisers.
4. Operational Legal Support
Provide day-to-day legal support for the company’s Australian operations, including:
- office, warehouse and other commercial leases;
- employment-related legal matters;
- recruitment and onboarding issues;
- employment contracts and workplace policies;
- probation, performance management, redeployment and termination processes;
- supplier and contractor arrangements;
- operational disputes; and
- other general corporate and commercial matters.
Work closely with HR, Finance, Operations and management to provide practical legal guidance on business activities.
5. Compliance Framework and SOP Development
Assist with the development, implementation and maintenance of the company’s Australian compliance framework.
Responsibilities include
- drafting and updating compliance policies and procedures;
- developing and maintaining SOPs for direct sales and distribution activities;
- supporting the implementation of compliance controls;
- identifying compliance risks and recommending mitigation measures;
- maintaining compliance registers and internal records;
- monitoring implementation of compliance requirements across business teams; and
- supporting periodic compliance reviews and internal audits.
6. Key Compliance Programs
Support the development and ongoing implementation of compliance programs relating to:
- competition and consumer law;
- anti-bribery and anti-corruption;
- contemporary slavery;
- conflicts of interest;
- gifts and hospitality;
- whistleblower requirements;
- privacy and data protection;
- sanctions and trade compliance, where applicable;
- marketing and customer communications; and
- other legal and regulatory requirements relevant to the Australian business.
Assist with reviewing global or headquarters policies and adapting them for Australian legal and regulatory requirements.
7. Compliance Training
Develop and deliver practical compliance training to business teams.
Training topics may include
- competition law and ACCC compliance;
- Australian Consumer Law;
- anti-bribery and anti-corruption;
- modern slavery;
- contract management;
- conflicts of interest;
- customer complaint handling;
- sales and distribution compliance; and
- internal compliance policies and escalation requirements.
Prepare training materials, guidance notes, FAQs and practical compliance tools for employees.
8. Contract Management
Support the development and maintenance of the company’s contract management framework.
Responsibilities include
- maintaining contract records and contract registers;
- supporting appropriate contract approval and execution processes;
- monitoring key contractual obligations, expiry dates and renewal dates;
- maintaining standard templates and approved clauses;
- supporting document filing and record retention;
- improving contract review and approval workflows; and
- supporting implementation and use of contract management systems.
9. Legal and Compliance Monitoring
- Monitor relevant Australian legal and regulatory developments that may affect the business.
- Provide concise updates to the Compliance Manager and relevant business stakeholders and assist with implementation of required changes.
- Escalate material legal, regulatory and compliance risks to the Compliance Manager in a timely manner.
Requirements
- Bachelor of Laws, Juris Doctor or equivalent recognised legal qualification.
- Admitted to practise as a lawyer in an Australian jurisdiction.
- Minimum 2 years of post-admission legal practice experience.
- Current Australian practising certificate.
- Experience in commercial contract review, drafting and negotiation.
- Good understanding of Australian commercial law, contract law and Australian Consumer Law.
- Strong legal research, drafting and analytical skills.
- Ability to provide practical, commercially focused legal advice rather than purely technical legal analysis.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- High level of attention to detail and ability to manage multiple matters simultaneously.
- Ability to work independently while appropriately escalating material legal and compliance risks.
Highly Desirable
- Previous in-house legal or compliance experience.
- Experience supporting sales, distribution, manufacturing, technology, energy or renewable energy businesses.
- Experience with competition law, ACCC compliance or distribution arrangements.
- Experience handling customer complaints or consumer law disputes.
- Experience in employment law and general corporate operational matters.
- Experience developing compliance policies, SOPs, compliance training or internal compliance programs.
- Experience managing external legal counsel.
- Experience with contract management systems or legal operations.
📌 Legal & Compliance Officer (Sydney)
🏢 Sungrow
📍 Sydney