Heads of Legal and Enforcement
- Three VPS 7 Opportunities Three ongoing, full time roles

Salary:
VPS 7 $193,946
- $263,771 per annum + 12% superannuation

Location:
664 Collins Street, Docklands VIC 3008 About the Organisation EPA works to prevent and reduce the harmful effect of pollution and waste on Victoria's environment and people. We work with community, industry and businesses. As the needs of Victorians change, we must be equipped to adapt and respond to a range of factors. We are a workplace committed to new ways of working. EPA celebrates diversity of people and lifestyles, and offers a wide range of practical options to support both your work and personal life. The EPA Experience
• See the impact in the communities we live in: at EPA you see your work first-hand
• Range of internal working groups, networks and volunteering opportunities
• On-the-job training for a wide range of environmental roles
• Flexible start and finish times, as well as compressed work week options

About the role
s: EPA is establishing a new senior leadership team for its Legal and Enforcement Division and is seeking outstanding leaders for three Head of function roles. Together, the roles will lead the Division’s three core legal and enforcement domains: Regulatory Advice and Litigation; Corporate Legal, Information Access and Governance; and Prosecutions and Civil Enforcement. Reporting to the General Counsel and Executive Director, Legal and Enforcement, each Head will set the strategic direction for their domain, align its work with EPA’s strategic and regulatory priorities, and provide authoritative advice on complex, sensitive and high-impact matters. These are highly strategic roles requiring thought leadership, sound judgement and a sophisticated understanding of how regulators operate within Victoria’s statutory, governmental and justice systems. While each Head is accountable for leading a distinct domain, the three roles will work as a cohesive senior leadership team. Collectively, they will shape the Division’s strategy, culture and service model; bring an integrated view to legal risk and regulatory outcomes; and ensure EPA receives coordinated, consistent and high-quality legal and enforcement services. The opportunities Head of Regulatory Advice & Litigation Lead the function that integrates front-end regulatory advice with the management of complex merits review, judicial review and other regulatory litigation, supporting robust statutory decision-making and the effective use of EPA’s regulatory tools.
• Provide strategic leadership for legal advice on permissions, notices, orders and other regulatory tools, and for regulatory litigation in courts and tribunals.
• Oversee complex, sensitive and novel matters, including test cases, appeals and judicial review, and develop strategies that protect EPA’s statutory objectives and clarify the law.
• Provide high-level strategic advice to the General Counsel, senior leaders and statutory decision-makers on the interpretation of the Setting Protection Act 2017, interaction with planning and other regulatory regimes, and the litigation and governance implications of major regulatory initiatives.




• Provide high-level strategic advice to the General Counsel & Executive Director, Legal & Enforcement, the CEO, EPA executive, statutory decision-makers on the interpretation of the Environment Protection Act 2017, interaction with planning and other regulatory regimes, and the litigation and governance implications of major regulatory initiatives.
• Strengthen policies, guidance and legal review frameworks that support proportionate, procedurally fair and defensible regulatory decision-making.
• Build strong partnerships with statutory decision-makers, operational regulators, policy teams, government agencies and other regulators to identify emerging issues and resolve disputes early. Head of Corporate Legal, Information Access & Governance Lead EPA’s corporate, governance and information law function, overseeing legal strategy and services across public law, freedom of information, privacy, commercial matters and corporate risk.
• Set the strategic direction for corporate legal, governance and information access services, ensuring they support EPA’s statutory objectives and organisational priorities.
• Oversee EPA’s obligations relating to freedom of information, privacy and data protection, delegations and instruments, commercial matters, including administration of the Container Deposit Scheme and broader corporate enterprise affairs.
• Design and implement legal governance frameworks, policies and systems that strengthen accountable decision-making and manage legal, commercial and reputational risk.
• Provide authoritative advice to the General Counsel, EPA Executive and Board, and build influential relationships with central agencies, oversight bodies and other regulators. Head of Prosecutions and Civil Enforcement Lead EPA’s prosecutions and civil enforcement legal function, overseeing the strategy, commencement and conduct of criminal and civil regulatory litigation to deliver risk-based, evidence-led enforcement outcomes.
• Provide strategic leadership for criminal prosecutions, civil enforcement proceedings and related court orders under environment protection and associated laws.
• Lead EPA’s enforcement litigation strategy, including decision-making frameworks for commencing proceedings and the management of complex, sensitive or precedent-setting matters.
• Oversee expert legal support to investigations, including advice on statutory powers, evidence and brief preparation, while strengthening investigative and litigation capability.
• Build confidence in EPA’s enforcement approach through influential relationships with investigators, courts, prosecuting authorities, government departments and other regulators.
• Provide authoritative advice to the General Counsel, EPA Executive and Board on matters related to civil and prosecutorial enforcement. Across all three roles, you will:
• Contribute as a member of the Legal and Enforcement Senior Leadership Team,



setting divisional strategy and ensuring cohesive delivery across legal advice, litigation, investigations, prosecutions, civil enforcement and governance.
• Translate EPA’s strategic priorities and regulatory approach into clear domain strategies, priorities, service standards and measurable outcomes.
• Provide thought leadership and authoritative advice to the General Counsel and Executive Director, senior executives, the Board and statutory decision-makers on issues of significant legal, regulatory, operational and reputational consequence.
• Lead senior legal teams, build capability and an accountable and inclusive culture, and manage resources, budgets and external legal providers to achieve value and impact.
• Develop trusted internal and external relationships and represent EPA with credibility across government, the regulatory community, the justice system, industry and community stakeholders.
• Identify emerging legal and regulatory trends, shape innovative and practical responses, and promote consistent, principled and defensible decision-making across EPA. Skills and experience
• Admission as an Australian legal practitioner, with substantial post-admission experience and the ability to obtain and maintain a Victorian practising certificate.
• Demonstrated senior leadership experience in a regulator, statutory authority, government legal function or similarly complex public sector environment.
• Highly developed strategic and conceptual capability, with a record of setting direction, exercising sound judgement and leading through complexity, ambiguity and scrutiny.
• A sophisticated understanding of how regulators regulate in Victoria, including the interaction between legislation, policy, regulatory operations, administrative decision-making, enforcement and the justice system.
• Deep expertise relevant to one or more of the three domains, supported by the ability to provide authoritative advice in complex, sensitive and high-profile matters.
• Exceptional stakeholder engagement, negotiation and influencing skills, with the ability to build trust and align diverse internal and external interests.
• Proven ability to lead high-performing professional teams, manage resources and external providers, and build a collaborative, values-based culture focused on continuous improvement. To see the full position descriptions:
• Head of Regulatory Advice & Litigation
• Head of Corporate Legal, Information Access & Governance
• Head of Prosecutions and Civil Enforcement

How to apply
Click the “Apply” button to submit your application. Applications close on 17 November 2026 at 11:59PM. Applicants should submit:
• Cover letter addressing your relevant experience, motivations and suitability for the role or roles for which you wish to be considered.
• Resume, including contact details for two referees. Your cover letter must clearly identify which of the three roles you are applying for. You may apply for more than one role; if so, please identify each role and explain your relevant experience and suitability across the nominated domains. For any enquiries relating to these roles, please contact [email protected].

📌 Heads of Legal and Enforcement (Australia)
🏢 Environment Protection Authority Victoria
📍 Australia