Solicitor (Level 5)

Employment Status Full Time

Classification SCHADS Level 5

Reports To Working Women’s Centre Principal Solicitor

Location Hobart, Launceston or Burnie

POSITION OBJECTIVE

Women’s Legal Service Tasmania, in partnership with Worker Assist, offers a gendered, employment specialist Working

Women’s Centre service for women in Tasmania, providing comprehensive employment advice, representation, advocacy, and

support across the state.

Under the supervision of the Principal Solicitor, the Solicitor will provide services that assist women seeking assistance with

employment matters to navigate the legal system through the Working Women’s Centre.

The Working Women’s Centre focuses on providing culturally appropriate and trauma-informed advice, advocacy and

representation for clients seeking assistance with employment law matters, including timely and on-the-spot assistance for

clients who have experienced workplace sexual harassment and other workplace issues.

The Solicitor will provide advice and support through face-to-face and telephone client interactions, as well as providing

liaison between the client, other Working Women’s Centre staff and Worker Assist Tasmania to best meet client needs, and

to assist in securing sustainable outcomes for clients.

The Solicitor will also have a role in providing community education and training in relation to workplace issues to the

community and the sector, participation in drafting law reform submissions, and contributing to the development of Working

Women’s Centre resources and reports.

Some intrastate travel may be required from time to time. A full-time employee, the normal hours of work will be 38 hours

per week, between 9:00am and 5:06pm, inclusive of a 30-minute lunch break.

KEY ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES

Legal Services

• Provide high-quality legal advice, casework, and representation to clients in both State and Federal jurisdictions,

including the Office of the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner, TASCAT, the Australian Human Rights Commission,

the Fair Work Commission and Federal Court, ensuring efficient and appropriate legal advice and assistance is

provided through the service delivery program.

• Provide an integrated and holistic client service, working with social workers and financial counsellors to address

both legal and non-legal needs of clients.

• Assist to develop and co-deliver community legal education activities and resources, training and outreach programs

in line with the work of the Working Women’s Centre, working collaboratively with Women’s Legal Service

Tasmania and Worker Assist Tasmania to deliver these services.

Organisational Responsibilities

• Carry out the responsibilities of the position in accordance with the position description, the Working Women’s

Centre funding requirements and the overarching vision, mission and values, policies and procedures and Strategic

Plan of Women’s Legal Service Tasmania.

• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, including financial counsellors and social workers, to provide holistic client

services. Participate in regular case management meetings and contribute to team knowledge sharing.

• As part of a dynamic but small team, be flexible and adaptable to the needs of the Working Women’s Centre to support

the work of the program.

• Contribute to organisational reporting, including reports to the Board, funders and other organisations.

• Be responsible for your own administrative work. The administration team provides some administrative support,

however the nature of funding for community legal services does not enable full administrative support.

• Demonstrate the competencies in accordance with Women’s Legal Service Tasmania’s Core Competency Model. For

reference, the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services (SCHADS) Award competencies for Level 5 are

listed within this document.

KEY ROLE COMPETENCIES

Universal Competencies

Collaborative Approach

• Takes time to listen to and understand the perspectives of others.

• Uses language that demonstrates respect for colleagues and stakeholders at all times.

• Helps others consider new perspectives.

• Treats constructive feedback as a developmental opportunity.

Diverse and Inclusive

• Displays a willingness to engage with all people in a non-judgmental or non-discriminatory way.

• Ensures own conduct aligns with the values of Women’s Legal Service Tasmania.

• Identifies and challenges behaviours that contravene the values of Women’s Legal Service Tasmania.

Efficient and Contemporary

• Sets priorities, plans outcomes and organises work, and establishes the most appropriate ways to deliver a program.

• Provides reports on progress of program activities, including recommendations.

• Actively completes planning, study or research for particular projects, service design or implementation of

procedures and presentation.

Healthy Workplace

• Practices self-care for good mental health and wellbeing.

• Recognises the significance of policy and procedures that guide workplace behaviours.

Quality Practices

• Displays motivation to engage in quality improvement projects and processes.

• Improves practices, increasing effectiveness and achieving efficiency and actively supports the application of sound

quality practices.

Organisational Culture

• Actively engages in supervision and professional development opportunities.

• Establishes, builds and sustains effective relationships with colleagues and stakeholders.

• Acknowledges others’ skills and expertise, encourages and contributes to the sharing of knowledge, and creates

learning opportunities for others.

Client Related Competencies

Evidence based best practice

• Has an understanding of trauma and its impact across the lifespan.

• Identifies important issues for clients (e.g. mental, physical, social, occupational and spiritual needs) and collaborate

with other team members at Women’s Legal Service Tasmania to integrate support.

• Delivers a variety of appropriate interventions demonstrating a high level of knowledge and expertise.

Client focused

• Establishes, builds and sustains effective relationships with clients and their supports.

• Seeks to understand service needs from the client’s perspective and ensures that the client’s standards are met.

• Seeks to understand how the client relates to their own culture/s and community and, where relevant, how the

client relates to the culture of their family.

Knowledge and application

• Provides care and support to clients within the boundaries prescribed by law and professional, national and local

requirements, and codes of ethical practice.

• Engages in reflective practice.

• Demonstrates an extensive knowledge of resources and services for information and referral of clients.

Outcome evaluation

• Invites and involves clients in providing feedback on services and in service planning.

• Demonstrates program effectiveness with data.

SELECTION CRITERIA TO BE ADDRESSED IN AN APPLICATION

Essential

1. Admission as a Solicitor in the Supreme Court of Tasmania or other Australian jurisdiction, and the High Court of

Australia. Demonstrated experience, preferably in areas such as workplace relations, crisis intervention, advocacy

for women's rights, or similar roles will be favourable.

2. Demonstrated knowledge of laws relevant to women in the workplace, including but not limited to employment

rights, workers' compensation, discrimination, and sexual harassment and the ability to advocate, negotiate and

liaise effectively on a client’s behalf in a non-judgemental manner, including an ability to develop effective

strategies to support clients and address their needs in a trauma informed way.

3. Excellent verbal communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage effectively with diverse groups,

including working collaboratively within a team environment, supporting colleagues and contributing to a positive

workplace culture.

4. High level written communication skills, including the ability to maintain accurate and complete client files in

accordance with Women’s Legal Service Tasmania procedures, and the ability to draft complex reports, collating

statistics to demonstrate program effectiveness and case studies highlighting client outcomes.

5. Well-developed organisational and time management skills and ability to set priorities and monitor workflow.

6. High level computer and system skills, including Microsoft Office suite, word processing, spreadsheets, databases,

email and calendars, and competence in Apple computers preferred.

7. Ability to work within and positively advance the mission and values of Women’s Legal Service Tasmania, including

a commitment to the social justice, equity, and empowerment of women, with an ability to drive innovation and

continuous improvement in service delivery.

8. Hold a current Tasmanian Working with Vulnerable People (WWVP) Employment registration, and current and

clear National Police Check (no more than twelve months old) or ability to obtain.

Desirable

1. Some knowledge of integrated and trauma-informed practice, as well as a familiarity and understanding of the role

and challenges faced by the community services sector.

2. Demonstrated success in developing and maintaining community networks.

3. Full driver’s license.

4. Prepared to travel intrastate as required.