Senior Legal Counsel in Newcastle

Enjoy flexibility that works for you, with the opportunity to explore 1-2 WFH days, flexible start/finish times, 9-day fortnights, compressed hours, or part-time because we recognise that great people can make a meaningful difference in ways that work for them. Make an impact beyond the legal profession by applying your expertise to complex, meaningful matters that influence organisational decisions and support over 50,000 South Australians each year. Be valued for your expertise and judgement as a trusted adviser to senior leaders, with the autonomy to influence decisions and contribute to a collaborative, purpose-driven organisation. Enjoy a competitive senior remuneration package, generous salary packaging benefits and the opportunity to make your income go further while doing work that matters.

As Senior Legal Counsel, you'll have the autonomy to lead significant legal matters, work directly with senior leaders and provide strategic advice across employment and industrial relations, commercial matters, property and disputes. You'll be trusted to influence decisions, navigate important legal challenges and contribute to outcomes that extend well beyond the legal function. 50,000 lives and counting. That's how many South Australians our people support each year. As one of the state's leading not-for-profits, we're making a meaningful impact at scale. From foster care to aged care and everything in between, our services are as diverse as the people and communities we serve – and we're growing our reach for the future. It takes a special kind of person to work in this sector. Someone with genuine compassion and care. Could that be you? Apply for the Senior Legal Counsel role and bring your expertise to an organisation where your advice helps shape decisions, strengthen services and make a lasting difference across South Australia.

Why this role?

• Meaningful legal work, without billable hour targets: Apply your expertise across a broad and varied legal portfolio, with the opportunity to lead significant matters and contribute to decisions that shape the organisation.
• Autonomy and professional influence: Take ownership of important legal matters, exercise your judgement and be recognised for the experience and perspective you bring.
• Direct access to senior leaders: Build trusted relationships with executives and senior stakeholders, providing strategic, commercially sound advice that influences organisational decisions.

What you’ll do

As Senior Legal Counsel, you'll be a trusted adviser to senior leaders across AnglicareSA, providing strategic, commercially informed legal advice that supports important organisational decisions. Reporting to the Head of Legal Services, you'll enjoy genuine autonomy and take ownership of significant legal matters across employment and industrial relations, commercial agreements, property, investigations, disputes and regulatory obligations. You'll bring more than technical expertise. Your ability to see the bigger picture, anticipate risks and provide practical solutions will be highly valued. You'll also share your knowledge, mentor colleagues and contribute to strengthening legal capability across the organisation.

You’ll be trusted to make a valuable impact by:

• Taking the lead on significant employment and industrial relations matters, including enterprise bargaining, workforce changes, workplace investigations, disputes and the interpretation of legislation and industrial instruments.
• Providing strategic and commercially focused legal advice to senior executives and leaders across commercial agreements, property, regulatory obligations, workers compensation and organisational risk.
• Managing high-impact legal matters with autonomy, including negotiations, investigations, litigation and tribunal proceedings, using your expertise and judgement to achieve practical and sustainable outcomes.
• Building trusted relationships with senior leaders, anticipating legal risks, influencing key decisions and providing clear, practical advice that balances legal requirements with organisational priorities.
• Sharing your expertise and developing others through mentoring, knowledge sharing, legislative updates and education that builds confidence and strengthens legal capability across AnglicareSA.

What you’ll bring

To thrive in this role, you will have:

• Tertiary qualification in Law, admission to the Supreme Court of South Australia and a current unrestricted SA Practising Certificate, or the ability to obtain one upon commencement.
• At least 5 years' post-admission experience, preferably within an in-house legal team, major NFP, government environment or private practice advising commercial and employment law clients.
• Demonstrated ability to manage a diverse legal practice and independently manage complex matters and competing priorities.
• Strong legal research, drafting, negotiation and analytical skills, with the ability to communicate complex issues clearly to a range of stakeholders.
• Strong commercial judgement with the ability to balance legal, operational and reputational risk.

We would also love you to have:

• Experience within an in-house legal team, government, a large not-for-profit organisation or private practice advising corporate clients.
• Broader expertise across commercial agreements, property, workers compensation, intellectual property or regulatory compliance.
• Experience managing litigation, disputes or proceedings before courts and tribunals, including the Fair Work Commission.
• Exposure to highly regulated sectors such as aged care, disability, housing, health or community services.
• Experience mentoring legal professionals or contributing to organisational legal strategy and capability development.

Why AnglicareSA?

Your contribution here matters. We want you to see your impact every day, and we want you to feel valued for it. Here’s what you can expect in your career at AnglicareSA:

• So many lives, right here in SA: Our ripple effect starts with you. Whatever your role, you’ll help find a way forward for the communities you live in and care about. That’s something to be proud of.
• So many ways, for our clients and you: We support those in need in so many ways. For you, that means real opportunity to gain new knowledge and experiences and to explore the many pathways a career in our sector can take.
• So much compassion, and a place to belong: At AnglicareSA, you’ll never feel alone. You’ll lean on and learn from genuine people driven to do good, and you’ll build relationships that last a lifetime.

More to enjoy:

• Make your pay go further with salary packaging options, including novated leasing, plus savings on health insurance, motor vehicles, opticians, pharmacy and gym memberships.
• Find a better balance with flexible work options, including working from home, part-time work, compressed working weeks and flexible working hours for some roles.
• Grow your skills and career with learning programs, professional development pathways, and education assistance.
• Live and work well with our employee wellbeing program, confidential employee assistance program, chaplaincy services, domestic and family violence support, and more.
• Put your family first with paid parental leave (including superannuation), personal leave to care for family members and additional unpaid leave for caring responsibilities.

Our impact starts with you. Join AnglicareSA, and help us change lives and communities.