SPD Legal Counsel – Corporate Services

Looking to work for a purpose? Want better work life balance? Love all things legal and supporting the work of the Church? Then this role could be for you!

The South Pacific Division (SPD) of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is seeking expressions of interest from qualified and experienced legal professionals to support the work of the Church in this full-time internal legal counsel role.

Working within Corporate Services, this newly established role will progressively provide a range of legal advice and specific legal services to SPD leadership, departments, and services as well as denominational offices within Australia. The SPD Legal Counsel will also act as the Privacy Officer for the South Pacific Division.

Reporting to the Corporate Services Secretary, this role will be responsible for establishing the legal arm of Corporate Services by providing high quality legal advisory services and overseeing any external legal services as and when appropriate. Additionally, this position will play a key role in delivering training and promotion of corporate governance and related matters to SPD leadership. As the legal counsel, you will be adept at monitoring and understanding targeted legislation, assisting in developing policies that align with legislative compliance, and providing general guidance to a non-legal audience.

Corporate Services is an advisory service provided by the South Pacific Division to all church field offices in the South Pacific region in relation to country specific regulatory matters and legal obligations. In addition it cares for certain specific day-to-day real and intellectual property transactions in a trustee capacity for all entities of the church, as well as formally liaising and reporting to government charity regulators, including monitoring compliance.

Selection Criteria:

Essential

• Practising baptised member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church with a strong commitment to the teachings, values, beliefs and mission of the Church.
• Recognised legal qualifications such as a Bachelor of Law or similar.
• Admitted to practice law in New South Wales (or a relevant jurisdiction within Australia).
• Minimum of 7 years post qualified legal experience.
• Maintain membership with relevant professional bodies.
• Experience and exceptional skill in negotiating and leading commercial contract drafting and reviews.
• Excellent time management and organisational skills with a proven ability to meet outcomes and competing deadlines.
• Commercial acumen with an ability to grasp and apply legal solutions to the needs of the client base.
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills.
• Well-developed people skills with a strong ability to influence and build effective relationships across all levels.
• Understanding and familiarity with a range of legislation as it relates to the not-for-profit sector.
• Proficiency in office based computer software.
• Ability to work autonomously and as part of a team to accomplish mutual goals and strategies.

Preferred

• Post graduate and/or industry certifications.
• In house or seconded experience within a not-for-profit sector.
• Previous experience in cross jurisdictional matters and managing external counsel.
• Basic understanding of the Seventh-day Adventist Church structure and its management throughout the SPD.
• Current passport and Australian drivers’ license and willing and able to travel.

For more information, please contact John Stilinovic on 02 9847 3383 or email [email protected]. For a full job description please email [email protected].

To apply please email [email protected] your cover letter addressing the selection criteria, resume, 3 work-related referees, and the contact details of your Adventist Church pastor.

Only those who hold current Australian work rights will be considered for this position.

The appointing body reserves the right to fill this position at its discretion and close applications once an appointment is made.