Jobs
Assistant Parliamentary Counsel Grade 3 – Office of Parliamentary Counsel
📌 Vacancy Fact Sheet
- Reference Number: VN-0770471
- Agency: Office of Parliamentary Counsel
- Job Title: Assistant Parliamentary Counsel Grade 3
- Position Number: Several
- Classification: Executive Level 2
- Closing Date: Sunday 19 July 2026
- Job Type: Full-Time, Ongoing;Non-Ongoing
- Location: Canberra ACT
- Future Merit Locations: Various locations – ACT
- Salary: $146,231 – $176,049
- Office Arrangement: Flexible (Hybrid)
About Office of Parliamentary Counsel
The Office of Parliamentary Counsel (OPC) is a small Commonwealth government agency which provides clear, effective and
accessible Commonwealth law for all Australians. We do this by drafting Bills for the Commonwealth government, and a significant
proportion of Commonwealth legislative instruments. We also provide comprehensive, free access to Commonwealth legislation
through the Federal Register of Legislation website, preparing compilations of Commonwealth legislation, and registering
Commonwealth Acts and instruments on behalf of more than 70 agencies.
Duties
- In this role, you will:
- (a) Assist the Senior Executive Service team leader and, under their general oversight, assume
- progressively higher levels of independent responsibility for carrying out the following tasks:
- providing legislative drafting services;
- organising planning and logistics of legislative projects;
- maintaining effective working relations with members of the drafting team, instructors, other
- OPC staff and other relevant parts of the government, parliament and public service.
- (b) Develop legislative problem solving, drafting, interpersonal, supervisory and project leadership
- skills, and judgment, through on-the-job training and also participation in formal training via
- (courses, seminars etc).
- (c) Carry out or participate in such product development (e.g plain English) or operations support .
- (e.g. IT development, participation in office committees and reviews, Legislation Process Course
- presentations) as may be assigned, or such other duties relevant to the service provided by OPC
- as may be assigned.
- Key Capabilities
- 1. Analytical skills
- Highly developed analytical skills that would enable a person to provide legislative drafting
- services.
- 2. Creativity and problem-solving skills
- The ability to provide many practical ideas and approaches as solutions to problems and possible
- improvements to situations by which a drafter is able to provide legislative drafting services.
- 3. Communication skills
- (a) Written
- (i) Highly developed written communication skills that would enable a person to provide legislative
- drafting services;
- (ii) Attention to detail that includes a sound knowledge of English grammar, usage, spelling and
- punctuation, and very few errors in documents.
- (b) Other
- Highly developed oral communication skills. A mix of empathy, assertiveness, conflict resolution
- skills, enthusiasm and interest by which a drafter is able to sustain effective working relations with
- other people.
- 4. Judgment
- Demonstrated ability to use sound judgment when confronted with difficult or subtle choices and to
- employ good technique in deciding or acting.
- 5. Team and project skills
- Highly developed organisational skills that include working to agreed deadlines, managing
- workload, setting priorities and goals, and skills to ensure that work proceeds efficiently. A mix of
- well-directed energy and willingness to work in a participatory role by which a drafter is able to
- assist the Senior Executive Service (SES) team leader in legislative projects and contribute to
- team outcomes. Ability to take substantial responsibility for the project management of legislative
- drafting projects.
- 6. Drafting experience and legal knowledge
- Either:
- Substantial experience in drafting legislation; or
- Substantial experience providing advice on, instructing on, or working with, Commonwealth
- or State or Territory legislation, and the development potential to take substantial
- responsibility for the drafting of legislative projects.
- Very good knowledge of constitutional law, or the ability to quickly acquire very good knowledge of
- constitutional law, and other areas of law relevant to the drafting of legislation.
- 7. Development potential
- A combination of learning skills (including willingness to learn), other skills, attributes and
- knowledge that demonstrates a strong potential to maintain and further develop the person’s
- abilities to provide high level legislative drafting services and drafting leadership.
- 8. Legal qualifications
- Either:
- admission as a legal practitioner of the High Court or the Supreme Court of an Australian
- State or Territory; or
- a degree in laws from an Australian tertiary institution (or a comparable overseas
- qualification which, in the opinion of First Parliamentary Counsel, is appropriate to the duties
- of the position).
- Note that if you are not admitted, we will require you to become admitted within a reasonable
- period.
Eligibility / Notes
- To be eligible for the role, you must:
- be an Australian Citizen;
- be able to obtain and maintain an Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA)
- clearance to Baseline status.
- hold a degree in law from an Australian tertiary institution or a recognised overseas
- qualification. To advance in OPC you must be admitted as a practitioner (however
- described) of the High Court or the Supreme Court of an Australian State or Territory.
How to Apply
Position Contact Meredith Leigh, First Parliamentary Counsel, 0261201421
Agency Recruitment Site https://www.opc.gov.au/careers
Applicants to vacancies notified in all formats of the electronic Public Service Gazette should be aware:
that the names of successful applicants will also be notified in all formats of the electronic Public Service Gazette
applicants found suitable may be offered similar employment opportunities by other Australian Public Service agencies
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