Vacancy Details

Position:

Organisation Unit:

Location:

Package:

Tenure:

Closing:

Synopsis:

Role Purpose

The General Counsel is a pivotal leadership role responsible for overseeing legal and procurement functions across the Museum. The role plays a critical role in providing strategic legal advice, managing legal risks, and ensuring that the Museum operates within legal and regulatory frameworks. The General Counsel is part of a small team advising on a broad range of legal matters, fostering collaborative relationships with internal stakeholders to support the Museum's mission and objectives. The legal services function resides within the broader Governance and Legal team managed by the Head of Governance.

Key Accountabilities

- Provide strategic legal advice and guidance to senior management, executive leadership, and other business units on a range of legal issues, including procurement and commercial matters, intellectual property, privacy, freedom of information, governance and compliance.

- Manage legal risks and disputes by identifying potential risks, developing risk mitigation strategies and providing proactive legal solutions to protect the Museum's interests.

- Oversee the procurement advisory function, ensuring that appropriate templates, guidance and training are offered to staff to facilitate compliance with the Commonwealth Procurement Rules and best practice

- Liaise with external legal advisers and government agencies on legal matters affecting the Museum's operations, representing the Museum's interests effectively.

- Keep abreast of legislative changes, legal developments, and industry best practices to advise on emerging legal issues relevant to the Museum's operations.





- Develop practical legal awareness training and guidance material for use by Museum staff.

- Provide leadership, guidance, and mentorship to staff, fostering a culture of innovation, teamwork and excellence.

- Foster a culture of legal compliance, ethical conduct, and risk awareness across the Museum through training, awareness programs and stakeholder engagement.

Skills, experience and qualifications

Essential:

- A recognised legal qualification and admitted as a legal practitioner in the ACT or another Australian jurisdiction.

- Extensive experience in managing legal functions and providing sound legal advice within a complex organisation.

- Proven leadership and people management skills.

- Sound judgment, integrity, and ethical conduct, with a commitment to upholding the highest standards of legal compliance and governance.

- Strong knowledge of legislation, regulations, and standards applicable to the Museum's operations, including administrative law, intellectual property and privacy law.

- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to convey complex legal concepts in clear and concise terms to a diverse audience.

- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify legal risks and provide pragmatic solutions.

Desirable:

- Experience working within a small agency or organisational environment or similar environment.





- Experience in the Commonwealth government or broader government and/or not-for-profit sectors, including a working understanding of Corporate Commonwealth Entity (CCE) and Commonwealth Procurement Rules prescribed entity arrangements.

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply for this vacancy, applicants must:

- be an Australian citizen

- undergo a number of pre-employment checks, including a police record check

- hold or be eligible to hold a security clearance at the level specified in the position description.

The National Museum of Australia is an equal employment opportunity workplace. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and those from culturally diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply for roles at the Museum.

RecruitAbility applies to this vacancy. Under RecruitAbility you will be invited to participate in further assessment activity for the vacancy if you choose to apply under RecruitAbility; declare you have a disability; and meet the minimum requirements for the position.

The National Museum of Australia is committed to ensuring a child-safe and child-friendly environment. All employees are expected to demonstrate a commitment to, and support for, these principles, in theory and practice.

To Apply

Applicants must include a 2 page pitch addressing their suitability for the role against the essential and desirable Skills, Experience and Qualifications defined in the position description with their application.

Visit https://www.nma.gov.au/about/employment and apply online.

Applications close 11:59pm, Tuesday 03 November 2026.

Reasonable adjustments are available throughout the recruitment process. If you require, or would like to discuss reasonable adjustments, please contact the Contact Officer for this position.

📌 General Counsel (Áncash)
🏢 The National Museum of Australia
📍 Áncash