Legal Team Leader - AFP Legal Corporate - Commercial Law Team

Job Details

EMPLOYMENT TYPE - Temporary Full time for a period of 12 months with the possibility of a 12 month extension

LOCATION - ACT; QLD; SA; VIC

AFP BAND & SALARY - Band 08 ($132,185.00 - $143,883.00) plus additional remuneration of $14,000 per annum + 15.4% Super

JOB REFERENCE NUMBER - 16304

This advertisement is to fill current vacancies and create a merit list for future ongoing or non-ongoing vacancies arising over the next 12 months.

Did you know?

The mission of the Australian Federal Police is to provide dynamic and effective law enforcement to the people of Australia. It provides policing throughout Australia in relation to the prevention and detection of crimes against the Commonwealth, its laws and integrity, and community police services to the Community of the ACT.

Working for the AFP provides you with a diverse and rewarding career. Whether you immerse yourself in a position on the frontline, or provide critical operational or professional support, the work you do makes a big impact on the people of Australia.

We’re committed to looking after you, with some of the best benefits and conditions in the industry – including (but not limited to):

• Six weeks (30 days) of paid annual leave per year + additional paid Christmas stand down
• 4 extra days of mandatory rest leave per year
• 18 days of paid personal leave per year
• Generous superannuation of 15.4%
• 18 weeks paid Parental Leave for Primary Caregiver (and 14 weeks for Secondary Caregiver) + additional unpaid leave entitlements for up until 24 months from the child’s date of birth or placement
• Generous salaries and incremental salary progression governed by the AFP Enterprise Agreement
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements that support work-life balance
• Health & wellbeing services – with a focus on early intervention, education and prevention
• Access to ongoing training and professional development opportunities
• Eligible employees may access up to 90 minutes of ‘Wellness in Worktime’ per week for approved activities that support physical and mental wellbeing

What is the role?

An exciting opportunity is available for an experienced and dynamic senior lawyer to join the AFP in a key strategic role responsible for the leadership of the AFP’s high-performing commercial law team.

As the Commercial Law Principal Lawyer / Senior Team Leader you will provide, and lead your team to provide, high-quality commercial law advice and services. This includes preparing and negotiating high-value strategically important contracts with vendors, and intergovernmental arrangements. You will lead your team to advise on a vast and varied property portfolio, negotiate contracts and end-user licence agreements with Tier 1 ICT vendors as well as to further enhance AFP template agreements.

Reporting directly to the Deputy General Counsel Commercial, you will work under the strategic direction of the General Counsel Corporate and the Deputy General Counsel Commercial. You will be responsible for the leadership and management of the Commercial Law Team. You will require an in depth understanding of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act, and the ability to develop a detailed understanding of the AFP, its legislation and governance arrangements including the AFP Code of Conduct and the AFP Governance Instruments.

You will be committed to continuous improvement and proactively finding solutions.

What will you do?

The role of the Commercial Law Principal Lawyer / Senior Team Leader in AFP Legal requires strong legal technical expertise and leadership skills. You will lead a team of approximately 5 high performing lawyers to provide timely, well-written and accurate legal advice across a range of diverse and interesting commercial legal matters. This includes advising on significant and cutting-edge ICT projects, procurement of operational capabilities and equipment, property and leasing deals, intellectual property issues and delegation arrangements and the Legal Services Directions.

The Commercial Law Principal Lawyer / Senior Team Leader is expected to:

• Conduct and/or supervise complex legal matters with minimal supervision.
• Represent the AFP in high level discussions and negotiations with external stakeholders and work closely with business areas to foster strong collaboration and ensure legal support is tailored to operational needs.
• Lead and supervise a diverse team of high performing lawyers with varying levels of experience, including by setting clear expectations, coordinating advice requests, monitoring progress and second counselling legal work to meet the required priorities.
• Proactively manage the team’s workflow and priorities to align with AFP priorities.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement and growth to strive for excellence.
• Collaborate with Deputy General Counsels, General Counsels, Chief Counsel and the AFP Legal Practice Management Team to achieve CCP objectives and support the broader organisation strategic direction.

Essential Requirements

• You must be an Australian Citizen at the time of application.
• A Negative Vetting 1 (Secret) security clearance or the ability to obtain one.
• Tertiary qualifications in Law.
• A practising certificate as an Australian Legal Practitioner (or the ability to obtain a practising certificate).
• A strong understanding of Commonwealth legal obligations.
• Experience in managing a team of legal practitioners.
• High-quality practice management skills.
• Significant (5+ years) Post Admission Experience (in government and / or the private sector) including at least 2 years contemporary and relevant experience in commercial law.

Additional Information

• This role is, and applicants are expected to be based, in Canberra, Adelaide, Brisbane or Melbourne. Interstate applicants must be willing to relocate at their own cost. Applicants should nominate the location(s) from which they are willing to perform the role.
• The Commercial Law Team Leader (Band 8) salary is $132,185 - $143,883 plus additional remuneration of $14,000 per annum Legal Team Leader allowance, plus 15.4% superannuation.

Selection Criteria

• Achieve results
• Communicates with influence
• Contributes to strategic thinking
• Cultivates productive working relationships
• Shows personal drive and integrity
• Technical knowledge and skills

Application

Please submit the following documents via our Jobs portal prior to the closing date and time:

• Resume/CV - This will form the basis for determining your suitability against the position requirements and give the panel a clear outline of your current knowledge and qualifications along with previous experiences. Please include your work history, responsibilities and achievements.
• Applicant pitch (maximum two pages). Ensure your pitch tells us why you are the best fit for the role, with examples that demonstrate your capabilities addressing the selection criteria, role requirements and work level standards for the role.

Only complete applications will be considered. Please review and ensure the uploaded documents are correct for this application after submitting your application.

Employment Suitability

Should you successfully progress from the application stage all applicants must:

• Complete an Employment Suitability Questionnaire (ESQ) and provide a traffic history check and proof of Australian citizenship. This aids in the assessment of your character and your ability to comply with the AFP's professional standards both in an official and private capacity. Please review our AFP Character Standards to ensure that you meet our requirements before you submit your application. Applicants will not receive feedback if they are unsuccessful at this gateway.
• Have your fingerprints taken if an offer of employment is made.
• Undertake mandatory drug testing for illicit drugs. This sample could include; urine, saliva or hair.
• Satisfactorily undertake a security clearance to the level specified for the position.

Recruitment Process

Applicants who have demonstrated their suitability for employment through their resume and application, may be asked to complete additional assessments or activities to determine suitability for the role. This may also include a formal interview. Using the relevant AFP work level standards as a guide, you may be asked a range of questions to demonstrate your skills and abilities. These could include behavioural based scenario questions. Read our guides for applicants to find out how to prepare for your interview.

A written scenario question may be used at interview as part of the assessment of applicants.

Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion

We’re all individuals and we love that. At the AFP we value the different perspectives, approaches and lived experiences of our people, and recognise that our collective intelligence and diversity is what makes us stronger. As such, we encourage applications from people from all walks of life, including people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, First Nations people, women, the LGBTQIA+ community and people with disability.

Contacts and Closing Information

Contact Officer: Anna MacFarlane

Contact Officer Phone: +61251263614 ​

Contact Officer Email: Legal-Advisor@afp.gov.au

Applications Close: 11:59pm (AEST) 29/11/2026

To view our other employment opportunities, please visit our career site.

www.afp.gov.au