About the role:

This is an exciting opportunity to progress your career and obtain valuable experience working as a Supervising Lawyer with the Legal Services Department (LSD) at Victoria Police. 

Victoria Police's Legal Services Department is continuing to enhance its expertise in the prosecution of sexual offences across Victoria.  Victoria Police is seeking to continue supporting the growing cohort of Police Lawyers (including VPS staff) with enthusiastic, skilled and dedicated leaders to support the delivery of prosecution services across the State in the area of sexual offending prosecutions.  In addition, and importantly, there is an increased focus on the provision of high level, specialised advice at the pre-charge stage.

This role is located in the Prosecutions Courts Branch, reporting to the Managing Principal Lawyer of the Specialist Sexual Offences Prosecution Unit. The role offers the opportunity to provide legal supervision, professional development, mentoring & support to teams of highly valued Police Lawyers with a focus on augmenting the experience of members deployed across metropolitan and regional Prosecutions Courts Branch units.

The role will require you to contribute to the development and implementation of processes and policies that underpin the services delivered by Prosecutions in the area of sexual offence training and advocacy. As a Supervising Lawyer, you will mentor and train Police Lawyers in the provision of advice and prosecution of a range of sexual offences.

You will also be required to provide data and statistical reports regarding compliance and processes, whilst also reporting on the performance and professional development needs of your designated work unit.  

The role will require you to develop and maintain collaborative internal relationships as well as work with external stakeholders across agencies, as part of a broad network that will ensure cooperative and proactive approaches to addressing community harm.

Victoria Police is a professional, diverse and flexible workforce that continues to lead the way in victim centric support, whilst striving to prevent and reduce community harm.

Victoria Police is a contemporary and agile workplace and supports flexible working arrangements.

Your duties will include:

• Providing high level pre charge legal advice to frontline members in respect of sexual offences.
• Providing legal supervision, mentoring and professional development to Police Lawyers across the Legal Services Department.
• Developing, engaging with and maintaining professional working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Reviewing and maintaining oversight of the services delivered by the Specialist Sexual Offences Prosecution Unit, as directed.
• Developing and implementing processes and practices to support the prosecution of matters managed by the Unit.
• Developing and delivering training sessions for Police Lawyers and Victoria Police members assigned to prosecuting and case managing sexual offence prosecutions, as required.
• As required, appearing in Court on behalf of the Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police, in matters involving sexual offences such as the Sex Offence List in the Magistrates Court.

As the successful applicant, you will have:

• Admission to practice as an Australian Lawyer (Unrestricted Practising Certificate).
• Ability to work in a team, in a developing and emerging work environment.
• High level of resilience and emotional intelligence.
• High level understanding and experience in criminal law practice, specifically in the area of sexual offences
• Strong working knowledge of relevant legislation including significant historical developments
• Some degree of advocacy experience
• Experience in coaching, mentoring and developing Lawyers to undertake legal work, and
• A current and valid Drivers' Licence.

Requirements and relevant information:

• One (1) x full-time, fixed term (until 24 February 2026) position available.
• The salary range for a VPS5 role is $109,730 - $132,764 (covering salary ranges VPSG 5.1 and VPSG 5.2).  Although it is standard practice for selected candidates to commence at the base of the salary range, genuine consideration will be given to a commencement salary within the available range that is commensurate with the successful candidate's knowledge, skills and experiences. This will be subject to negotiations with the Hiring Manager in the course of the selection process and may include the provision of evidence of a higher income and/or supporting documentation (as required).
• This position is located at Prosecutions Courts Branch Headquarters, located at 456 Lonsdale St, Melbourne.
• Applicants must be an Australian Citizen, Permanent Resident or hold a valid work permit or visa.
• The successful applicant will be required to undergo pre-employment checks which may include fingerprint checks and misconduct screening.
• As a member of the Legal Services Department you will be located, on selection, at a specific office within a Division for a particular advertised opportunity. However, given occasional legal service demand issues you may be required at times to undertake varied work within the Department.  This supports the Departments commitment to a flexible and deployable legal workforce and professional development opportunities in a range of legal domains.

Your application must include:

• Resume
• Cover Letter
• Completed application form – the word document (2. Application form) for you to complete and attach to your submission, is attached to the job advertisement.
• A copy of your unrestricted practicing certificate

Applications close midnight, Wednesday 18 September 2024.

Please Note: All applications will need to be submitted through one of the following platforms; Jobs and Skills Exchange (JSE) website, Victorian Government careers website (Careers.vic) or Seek. Applications will not be accepted via other platforms or email.

Current Victorian Government employees must apply via Jobs and Skills Exchange (JSE). 

For further information, please contact: Jacky Verkade on 0484 337 865 or jacquelyn.verkade@police.vic.gov.au. No recruitment agencies please.

We welcome applications from people with disability and aim to support an inclusive recruitment experience. If you require a copy of this advertisement and attached documentation in an accessible format or would like to discuss an access requirement/reasonable adjustment for the recruitment process (including an alternate method of submission of the application), please contact VPS Recruitment via email VPSRECRUITMENT@police.vic.gov.au or on (03) 8335 8082.

About Us:

Victoria Police has a dedicated workforce of more than 22,000 employees consisting of police, protective services officers, police custody officers, and public service staff. Each employee plays a vital role in providing the 24/7, 365 days a year emergency response and public safety capability the organisation delivers to its community. As a Victoria Police employee, you have a dedication and commitment to community safety. 

Having a workforce that reflects the community we serve is important to Victoria Police. We want to attract and retain people of all genders, ages, religions, disability, sexual orientation, family and caring responsibilities, and cultures including people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage. If you are interested in a position, we encourage you to apply as we celebrate the benefit that diversity brings to our employees, our services, and our community.

Find out what it is like working as a Victorian Public Servant for Victoria Police: https://www.police.vic.gov.au/vps