Chief General Counsel
Job no: 493840
Work type: Full Time
Location: Head Office, Canberra
Classification: Senior Executive Service Band 1
The Role
The Chief General Counsel (CGC) is responsible for providing strategic legal leadership and advice to Defence Housing Australia, supporting sound decision-making, governance, and risk management across the organisation. The CGC leads the legal function, overseeing the delivery of high-quality legal services, including the effective use of external counsel, and ensures compliance with legislative, regulatory, and whole-of-government requirements. The role supports the Executive in managing legal and commercial risk, contributes to strategic initiatives and complex matters, and promotes a strong culture of integrity, accountability, and legal risk awareness. DHA Legal Services delivers advice that is independent, timely, practical, simple, and assists DHA to achieve its strategic objectives.
All SES roles represent the Australian Public Service (APS) and government externally to stakeholders and are characterised by a high level of accountability for outcomes. How outcomes are delivered is equally as important as the outcome. The Secretaries’ Charter of Leadership Behaviours sets out the behaviours Secretaries expect of themselves and SES, and want to see in leaders at all levels of the APS. The Charter focuses on behaviours that support modern systems leadership within the construct of the APS Values and Code of Conduct. These behaviours build on the Integrated Leadership System and APS Leadership Capability Framework.
Everyday Activities
Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, and in alignment with DHA’s strategic objectives, the role encompasses both strategic leadership responsibilities and specialist legal functions.
Key activities include:
- Provide strategic leadership as an active and influential member of the DHA Executive Leadership Team, contributing to whole of organisation strategy, governance and priority setting.
- Serve as chief legal advisor on all major business transactions, including acquisitions and divestitures.
- Judge the merits of major court cases filed against or on behalf of DHA, work with the appropriate executive(s) to define a strategic defence and approve settlement of disputes where warranted.
- Assume ultimate responsibility for ensuring that DHA conducts its business in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
- Structure and manage DHA internal legal function and staff.
- Oversee the selection, retention, management and evaluation of all external counsel.
- Advise on legal aspects of DHA’s customer service model, including assessing and advising on current and future business structures and legal issues and advise on constitutional and administrative law issues.
- Participate in the definition and development of corporate policies, procedures and programs and provide continuing counsel and guidance on legal matters and on legal implications of all matters.
- Collegiate leadership and stewardship of the Legal Services function while overseeing the legal program to deliver high quality outcomes for DHA.
- Represent DHA on high-level cross agency working groups, committees, and other forums.
- Represent DHA at Senate Estimates, providing clear, evidenced-based insights and demonstrating transparent, accountable stewardship.
- Contribute to and promote DHA-wide initiatives beyond the branch work program, for example, through organisational committees and championship roles.
- Proactive engagement to build and maintain productive relationships with key Commonwealth, State/Territory and non-government stakeholders in politically sensitive environments.
- Engage with the Managing Director, Senior Executives and the DHA’s Board to identify and pursue legal strategies that support achievement of DHA’s strategic objectives and position DHA to meet future needs.
- Modelling and adhere to the Legal Practice standards.
Qualifications and Experience Requirements
The Chief General Counsel will have broad commercial legal experience, including litigation, and knowledge and understanding of dealing with regulatory bodies. You will be familiar with corporate control and risk and a familiarity with constitutional, administrative and privacy law. You will also have:
- A Bachelor’s degree in law and an unrestricted practicing certificate in the ACT or competent jurisdiction.
- Extensive legal experience of ten or more years.
- Excellent communication skills and be able to negotiate persuasively;
- The ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships;
- Demonstrated ability to shape strategic thinking and achieve results;
- Experience working on matters of corporate governance and with a board of directors;
- An understanding of constitutional law involving Commonwealth and State matters;
- Experience managing lawyers, building in house capability and experience with cost-effective management of external legal resources;
- Experience in directing strategy and managing litigation cases;
- Knowledge of State based residential tenancy laws and Commonwealth Government Business Enterprise Guidelines; and
- Strong leadership and problem-solving skills/analysis and exemplify personal drive and integrity
- Strong results focused delivery approach, ability to solve problems and make decisions quickly and achieve outcomes across both operational and financial ecosystems.
- Extensive experience in managing the development and implementation of programs and approaches to work in a complex, sensitive, and operationally diverse environment.
- Ability to drive broad transformational change while managing organisational risks.
- Outstanding leadership skills in a geographically dispersed context, including driving high performance and capability of a multidisciplinary team.
- Excellent stakeholder relationship skills and experience in engaging with internal and external stakeholders at all levels to explore opportunities and solve complex problems, with ability to represent DHA at a range of forums.
- Demonstrated conceptual thinking skills and a strategic perspective with ability to manage competing demands and work to tight deadlines while exercising sound judgement.
- Ability to communicate effectively with all audiences, be articulate and persuasive and capable of guiding negotiations to a point of resolution in a facilitative way.
- Active commitment to the APS Code of conduct, values, and employment principles with a high level of integrity.
Essential Capabilities
Shapes strategic thinking:
- Focusses strategically.
- Inspires a sense of purpose and strategic direction.
- Harnesses information and opportunities.
- Shows judgement, intelligence and common sense.
Achieves results:
- Builds organisational capability and responsiveness.
- Marshals professional expertise.
- Steers and implements change and deals with uncertainty.
- Ensures closure and delivers on intended results.
- Manages information and records.
- Engages with technology.
Cultivates productive working relationships:
- Nurtures internal and external relationships.
- Facilitates cooperation and partnerships.
- Values individual differences and diversity.
- Guides, mentors and develops people.
Displays personal drive and integrity:
- Demonstrates public service professionalism and probity.
- Exemplifies the ‘DRIVE’ Secretaries' Charter of Leadership Behaviours.
- Promotes, manages and upholds the APS Values, Code of Conduct and Employment Principles, including Stewardship.
- Engages with risk and shows personal courage.
- Commits to action.
- Displays resilience.
- Demonstrates self-awareness and commitment to personal development.
Communicates with influence:
- Communicates clearly and with influence.
- Listens, understands and adapts to the audience.
- Negotiates persuasively.
Technical Proficiency:
- Demonstrated capacity to focus on business improvement and organisational sustainability.
- Demonstrated capacity to lead and drive transformational change to achieve strategic objectives.
- Demonstrated strategic leadership in the delivery of property services.
Eligibility Requirements
Employment with DHA is subject to the following conditions:
- Australian Citizenship.
- Security Clearance: The occupant of this position must obtain and retain an AGSVA security clearance to the specified level.
- Probation: A probation period will apply to any new ongoing engagement to the Australian Public Service.
How to apply
Applications must be submitted through Beaumont&Beaumont’s online recruitment system: www.beaumontandbeaumont.com.au/11654
Your application should include:
- A written pitch of up to 1000 words which outlines your skills and experience and how they align to the advertised role
- An up-to-date CV
Before applying, please review the Candidate Information Pack and selection criteria. If you have further questions after reviewing the materials or if you need assistance with the application process, please contact Beaumont&Beaumont on (02) 6126 4500 or via DHA@beaumontandbeaumont.com.au
All enquiries will be kept in strict confidence.
Please note, applications close 11:30 PM AEDT Sunday 1 March 2026.
View Candidate Pack
Advertised: AUS Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close: AUS Eastern Daylight Time
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