Legal Counsel

Newcastle, Newcastle, Maitland & Hunter NSW

Generalists - In-house (Legal)

Full time

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Port of Newcastle is more than a port. It exists to build Australia’s prosperity with responsible, integrated and innovative supply chain solutions. 

With trade worth approximately $71 billion to the national economy each year, Port of Newcastle enables Australian businesses to successfully compete in international markets. 

The port currently handles 4,697 ship movements and 166 million tonnes of cargo annually. With a deepwater shipping channel operating at 50% of its capacity, significant port land available and enviable access to national rail and road infrastructure, Port of Newcastle is positioned to further underpin the future prosperity of the Hunter, NSW and Australia. 

As custodians of the region’s critical asset, Port of Newcastle is diversifying its trade as it strives to create a safe, sustainable and environmentally and socially responsible future. Behind every ship movement, every tonne of cargo, are the people that keep the port operating. Our people are the engine room of our port. Port of Newcastle’s values influence how we develop our strategy, how we measure performance, how we treat our colleagues and how we approach our work at PON.

The Opportunity: 

 We are looking for a Legal Counsel to join our highly competent Legal team. The successful candidate will assist in PON's day-to-day legal, regulatory, compliance and risk management activities. The role reports to the Senior Manager Legal, providing advice and input against critical timelines, as well as playing a role in implementing PON’s legal and commercial strategy. This is a great opportunity for someone who loves managing legal risks as well as being involved in larger collaborative projects relating to strategic initiatives and diversification.

What you will bring: 

To be effective in this role, you will have tertiary qualifications in Law, with at least 3 years of post-admission experience. Excellent communication skills are essential, particularly when giving legal advice, producing documents and interacting with external advisors. Your focus on proactively identifying and managing legal risks in line with best practice will be appreciated. Experience in negotiation, risk management and policy development in some or all of the following areas is key: 

• Corporate and commercial law
• Construction Projects and Infrastructure
• Disputes and Litigation
• Property and planning
• Cyber and IT
• Competition and consumer law
• Governance
• Transport, logistics and security
• WHS

What We Offer: 

Port of Newcastle provides many benefits for our valued employees, a few of which are:

• Competitive salary, reviewed annually 
• Agile work environment 
• Focus on professional growth 
• 26 week paid Parental Leave for primary carers 
• Workplace giving program – supporting employees in giving back to the Newcastle community 
• Work180 endorsement – PON is recognised as a top 101 employer for women in 2024 
• Opportunity to be involved in the development of PON’s Reconciliation Action Plan (Innovate stage) 

How to Apply:

Introduce yourself by submitting your cover letter and resume, outlining your relevant experience, qualifications and why you would like to join our team. If you have any questions about the role, please contact P&C Business Partner, Lisa Moore at lisa.moore@portofnewcastle.com.au

The Port of Newcastle is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and are committed to maintaining an inclusive environment for all employees.

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