Title:  Principal Lawyer

About Us 

The Department of Transport and Planning oversees key planning, transport and land use policy decisions across the State. A life-cycle approach to planning, building, connecting and sustaining communities means our people can come together to; improve services, deliver sustainable projects, focus on customer engagement, streamline regulatory approval pathways, facilitate community consultation and better realise local economic opportunities for more liveable communities across Victoria. 

We create thriving places and connected communities. We bring together transport, planning, land use, precinct and policy functions in a single department to deliver the best outcomes for Victorians. Together with our portfolio agencies, we are responsible for planning, building, operating and maintaining Victoria’s transport, planning and land services for use by all. We foster a safe, inclusive and constructive place to work.

About the Division

DTP Legal is a Division within People, Legal and Governance, and is responsible for the provision of legal, legislative, commercial and information access advice and support to the Ministers, Secretary and Department in the achievement of the transport, land use and planning system vision, objectives and decision-making principles. The Public Law and Information Access Branch is the first point of contact in DTP Legal for requests for access to information, privacy advice, the conduct of litigation and provision of legal advice on a range of public law matters.

The Public Law and Information Access Branch provides advice and support to divisions of the Department and portfolio agencies, with a particular focus on litigation, inquiries, interpretation of legislation, administrative decision-making, privacy and information access. The Branch comprises a large team of lawyers and other professionals with expertise in public law matters, planning and land use legal issues, legal matters relating to First Peoples, privacy and information access.

About the Role 

This is a fixed term VPS 6 role till the end of December 2026.

The Principal Lawyer plays a key role in delivering high-quality legal services in public and administrative law, with a strong focus on town planning (including activity centre and structure planning), environmental assessment, heritage, and land acquisition and compensation matters. Sitting within one of our Public Law teams and reporting to a Director, Public Law, this role provides strategic, authoritative legal advice across a range of complex issues. The Principal Lawyer also oversees litigation and supports the Department’s response to inquiries and investigations, ensuring risks are well-managed and aligned with legislative obligations.

This position is also a leadership role within DTP Legal, responsible for supervising and mentoring junior lawyers and contributing to the ongoing development of legal expertise across the branch. The Principal Lawyer works collaboratively with colleagues and stakeholders to ensure the delivery of timely, pragmatic legal advice that supports the Department’s transport and planning objectives. This role requires strong engagement skills, the ability to work in a complex legislative environment (including application of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and Heritage Act 2017), and a commitment to modelling a safe, inclusive, and values-aligned workplace culture.

To provide greater insight into the role the position description can be found here 

Qualifications and role specific requirements 

• An Australian lawyer, within the meaning of the Legal Profession Uniform Law (Victoria), holding or eligible to hold an Australian practising certificate.
• Demonstrated capability (at least 5 years post-admission experience) in providing legal advice and litigation management on complex matters in one or more of the following key practice areas: administrative law and statutory interpretation, litigation and dispute resolution, planning and environment law, heritage, legislation development.

Pre-employment checks and employment conditions  

All new appointments to the department will be subject to a National Criminal Records Check, Misconduct Screening, and a Qualification Check where there is a requirement for a mandatory qualification. Information provided to the Department of Transport and Planning will be treated in the strictest confidence consistent with the requirements of the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014. 

Applicants must be an Australian Citizen, Permanent Resident or hold a valid work permit or visa necessary for the nature of the position. 

Recipients of Victorian Public Service (VPS) voluntary departure packages should note that re-employment restrictions apply. 

Non-VPS applicants will be subject to a probation period of six months. 

How to apply 

Click the ‘Apply’ button to be redirected to our recruitment platform, where you may need to create an account to submit your application. 
If you encounter any issues, refer to our Quick Reference Guide for step-by-step instructions. 

Applications close at 11.59pm on 20th August 2025. For further information about the role please contact Alanna Vivian, Director Legal via Alanna.vivian@transport.vic.gov.au  or Brent Hollingworth, Director Legal via Brent.hollingworth@transport.vic.gov.au