Legal Counsel

About the College
 
The Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM) is a not-for-profit organisation responsible for the training, assessment and continuing professional development of emergency physicians as well as the advancement of professional standards in emergency medicine in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. 
 
We are a specialist medical College of over 130 employees driven by a strong purpose, positive environment, and a CEO and Executive Leadership team who are dedicated to upholding our commitment to supporting our membership base, staff and core values of Equity, Respect, Integrity, and Collaboration.
 

What's on Offer

ACEM offers excellent staff benefits including:

• Working for an organisation with a genuine purpose
• Flexible, part-time work arrangements within a hybrid work environment
• 16 Weeks Paid Parental Leave
• Access to Member Advantage – discounts across travel, dining, shopping, and health and wellbeing
• Health and wellbeing initiatives
• Option to work 9 days in a fortnight and be paid for 10 (pro rata)
• Active corporate social responsibility
• Convenient location close to Flagstaff Gardens and public transport

The Position

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced legal professional to join the College as Legal Counsel, within the Finance, Governance and Risk Department. Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, you will act as the College's principal internal legal advisor, providing strategic and operational legal advice across governance, commercial contracts, corporate compliance, employment and regulatory matters.
Working closely with the Executive, Board, managers and project teams, you will strengthen organisational governance, develop contemporary legal frameworks, oversee contract management practices, and proactively identify emerging legal risks and opportunities. This role operates with a high degree of autonomy and professional judgement, and is expected to provide practical, commercially focused advice without requiring day-to-day legal supervision.
This is a broad and influential role combining legal advisory, governance and contract management responsibilities. Responsibilities include:

• Providing timely, practical and risk-based legal advice to the Executive, Board and management, including on complaints, reconsiderations, reviews and appeals.
• Interpreting legislation and regulatory obligations impacting the College across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.
• Working collaboratively with the Executive to ensure compliance obligations are embedded into operational practice.
• Supporting procurement activities and vendor negotiations.

This is a hybrid role based in our Melbourne office, with the working pattern (0.6 – 0.8 FTE) negotiable for the right candidate. 

Skills and Attributes

This role will suit a experienced legal professional who can operate autonomously and provide pragmatic, trusted advice in a busy, member-based environment. We're looking for someone who:

• Holds a Bachelor of Laws and a current Australian or New Zealand practising certificate (or eligibility to hold one), with admission as a legal practitioner.
• Brings post-admission experience providing legal advice across multiple disciplines, including governance and corporate law.
• Has demonstrated commercial contract drafting and negotiation experience.
• Can provide pragmatic legal advice to senior executives and Boards, balancing legal risk with organisational outcomes.
• Has a strong understanding of regulatory compliance and risk management.
• Brings excellent written communication and drafting skills, with exceptional judgement and discretion.
• Has experience working within a not-for-profit, member-based organisation, regulator, university or health environment (desirable).

To Apply

For a full Position Description, please visit our website: www.acem.org.au → Work with Us → Opportunities at ACEM.

To be considered, you must have the right to work in Australia. Your application should include a cover letter addressing the key selection criteria and a resume.

For further information about the position, please contact People, Culture and Experience via recruitment@acem.org.au.

Application Disclaimer: Please note that we only advertise vacancies on the following platforms: ACEM.org.au, acem.elmotalent.com.au/careers, Seek, EthicalJobs, and Do Good Jobs. To ensure your application is considered, please apply only through the platforms listed above.

ACEM acknowledges and pays respect to the Traditional Custodians of the lands across Australia on which our members live and work, and to their Elders, past and present. We pay respect to the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Custodians of the unceded land on which ACEM's office stands.

ACEM acknowledges Māori as tangata whenua and Treaty of Waitangi partners in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Everyone is welcome: ACEM is dedicated to fostering a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment that welcomes people with all physical and cognitive abilities and all neuroprocessing patterns, as well as individuals from all racial, ethnic, linguistic and national backgrounds, and with all sexualities, gender identities, ages, religions and educational and socioeconomic statuses.