We are seeking a Principal Lawyer for our Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane office locations. Full-time and part-time hours are available. Successful applicants will be required to work part of the week out of one of the advertised office locations, and may also work some of the time from home. Offers will be based on candidate performance and operational requirements.
About the OFWO
The Office of the Fair Work Ombudsman (OFWO) is an independent statutory office established by the Fair Work Act **** (Fair Work Act). Our functions outline the responsibilities we have as set by the Fair Work Act **** to achieve our purpose:
provide education, assistance, advice and guidance to employers, employees, regulated workers, regulated businesses, persons in a road transport contractual chain, outworkers, outworker entities and organisations
promote and monitor compliance with workplace laws
inquire into and investigate breaches of the Fair Work Act
take appropriate enforcement action
perform our statutory functions efficiently, effectively, economically and ethically.
What our employees say about us
We are one of the most engaged and high performing agencies in Australia; consistently scoring above average on employee engagement and wellbeing when surveyed against other APS agencies.
What we offer you
We provide a diverse, inclusive and supportive work environment with access to:
Great training and development opportunities
Generous leave and versatile working arrangements
Our Employee Assistance Program (EAP), a free counselling service for you and your family
Rewards and recognition initiatives.
We Value Diversity
OFWO has been accredited as a Breastfeeding Friendly Workplace since ****. We are also members of the Australian Disability Network and Pride in Diversity. We encourage and welcome applications from First Nations people, people with disability, LGBTQIA+ people, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and mature age people.
To be eligible for employment with the OFWO you must be an Australian citizen.
The successful candidate must hold a current Australian Government Security Clearance (AGSVA) or be willing to undergo and obtain a Baseline security clearance.
A range of other conditions may be required depending on the role you are applying for.
About the Team




The Legal Advice Team in the Legal and Specialist Advice Branch is a team of specialist lawyers working closely with internal and external stakeholders to provide strategic legal advice on complex workplace relations issues, workplace relations framework and legal policy issues, and review of workplace relations educational materials outside of the FWO's compliance and enforcement functions. We also provide or obtain legal advice on a wide range of other matters, including general, corporate and commercial matters, and public sector law issues such as freedom of information and privacy.
Typical Duties
In partnership with another Principal Lawyer as a co-leader of the Legal Advice Team, you will have the opportunity to:
lead, mentor and manage a team of lawyers to deliver efficient, effective, independent and professional legal services that support operational and Agency goals;
provide or settle high-quality, practical and strategic oral and written advice focused on complex workplace relations legal and framework issues;
provide or obtain high-quality and practical advice on other areas of law, such as commercial, corporate and public sector law
review and settle high-quality legal reviews of advice and education materials including web content, templates, guides and other workplace relations educational materials
triage and manage the legal advice functions, including by engaging external legal providers and managing legal spend;
develop and maintain strong relationships with a broad cross-section of colleagues in the Agency and external stakeholders;
working with other members of the Legal and Policy Group's senior leadership team to contribute to the achievement of the Agency's strategic goals and priorities.
What we are looking for
We are seeking an exceptional lawyer with strong legal, strategic, leadership and management skills who is adaptable, proactive and committed to achieving fairness in Australian workplaces.



You must possess a strong and demonstrated ability to manage people and to autonomously lead a legal team that delivers high-quality, practical and strategic legal advice and support to a broad range of client areas.
You will have a proven track‐record of achieving results within short timeframes and under pressure. You must be skilled in legal and persuasive writing with a demonstrated ability to identify and manage risk, including legal and strategic risks.
You will have strong leadership and managerial skills to mentor and develop lawyers in your team, and foster a culture of high performance, cohesion, openness and innovation to deliver exceptional legal services to the Agency and in which team members feel valued, engaged and motivated.
You must communicate and consult effectively, with demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with a broad cross-section of internal and external stakeholders.
You must have a minimum of 7 years of relevant post-admission experience.
You must possess significant experience in providing practical advice on complex workplace relations issues. Experience working in a regulatory context, advising on public sector law, and conducting corporate and commercial advice and transactional work will be highly regarded.
You must hold a Law degree from an Australian university (or overseas equivalent qualification) and have been admitted, or be eligible for admission, to the Supreme court in your State or Territory and the High Court of Australia. You must also hold or be eligible to hold a valid practising certificate without a supervised legal practice condition in Australia.
RecruitAbility Scheme applies to this vacancy
Under the RecruitAbility scheme you will be progressed to further assessment if you declare you have a disability (according to definition below), opt into the scheme, and meet the minimum requirements for the position.
The RecruitAbility scheme disability definition is 'a limitation, restriction or impairment, which has lasted, or is likely to last, for at least 6 months and restricts everyday activities'. This also includes episodic conditions. For more information visit: .
More Information
Working with us and tips on applying, visit fairwork.gov.au/about-us/careers
OFWO's purpose and functions, visit fairwork.gov.au/about-us/our-role-and-purpose
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📌 Principal Lawyer – Legal Advice Team (Melbourne)
🏢 The Fair Work Ombudsman
📍 Melbourne