Title:  Senior Lawyer, Commercial Contracts

About Us

The Department of Transport and Planning oversees key planning, transport and land use policy decisions and management 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.

People, Legal and Governance is a Group within Department of Transport and Planning, and provides business enabling people, legal and corporate services functions, to drive a high-performance culture; timely and accessible legal advice and services; and to support integrated operations and portfolio wide programs.

The Operations and Commercial Branch of DTP Legal provides advice and support to divisions of the Department and portfolio agencies, in relation to commercial disputes, commercial negotiations, contract management, transport operations, public private partnerships, transport franchises, commercial projects and the integration of the Big Build assets back into our transport network. The Branch comprises a large team of lawyers with expertise in commercial and contract law, commercial negotiation, dispute management, and laws associated with multi modal transport operations, rolling stock, large scale procurement, precinct development and property transactions.

About the Role 
Full time - Ongoing 

Reporting to the Senior Legal Counsel, Commercial Contracts, this is a rare opportunity for a commercially minded private practice, in-house or Government lawyer with an interest in major infrastructure to contribute to projects that shape our State.

As Senior Lawyer, Commercial Contracts you’ll work closely with the Senior Legal Counsel and Principal Lawyers to provide expert legal and strategic advice on all aspects of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) managed by the Commercial Advisory Group—including the West Gate Tunnel, CityLink, EastLink, Peninsula Link, Western Roads Upgrade, Southern Cross Station, and more.

Working with a range of stakeholders across legal, commercial and technical disciplines, you’ll play a key role in supporting the Department to achieve its strategic objectives. You’ll tackle high-value, high-stakes issues in a collaborative and purpose-driven team environment to deliver high impact outcomes that benefit all Victorians.

 To access the Position Description, please click here.

Position Outcomes

• work closely with the Senior Legal Counsel and Principal Lawyers to deliver high-quality, commercially focused legal advice on a broad range of issues related to major infrastructure PPPs—spanning contract interpretation and management, construction, land-related matters, dispute resolution and general commercial law matters.
• Critically analyse issues and deploy problem-solving skills to assist the State to realise value for money for significant infrastructure investments.
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with a wide range of internal stakeholders and represent the Department externally (as required)
• Support the effective and efficient management of external legal advisors to ensure advice and services provided are of a high standard, optimise business outcomes and reflect value for money.
• Draft and review a variety of legal documents, including contracts, contract variations, formal correspondence, Ministerial briefs, and Cabinet submissions, ensuring clarity and strategic alignment.

Key Selection Criteria

The DTP is seeking a skilled professional with strong critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, capable of delivering effective solutions while navigating complex business contexts. The role requires resilience, adaptability, and the ability to influence and collaborate across teams, with a solid understanding of organisational and political dynamics. Applicants should also have applied legal expertise, including providing sound legal advice and drafting legally effective documents with minimal guidance. 

Qualifications and Experience:
Mandatory 

• Admitted as a lawyer in Victoria and eligible to hold a Victorian practising certificate (mandatory)

Desirable 

• Experience in private practice or in-house with a broad range of commercial agreements, PPPs or major infrastructure would be viewed favourably (desirable).

What we offer
•    Flexible working arrangements with a hybrid working model focused on collaboration and teamwork
•    Meaningful work making Victorian communities more accessible and liveable 
•    Professional growth and development opportunities across the department and the wider Victorian Public Services
•    Optimal work-life balance initiatives including flexible working arrangements
•    Opportunity to work across multiple urban and suburban hubs
•    We prioritise the development of a safe and inclusive culture

Culture Value
We are an equal opportunity employer, embracing a diverse range of applicants such as veterans, and people who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, LGBTQIA community members, individuals with disabilities and/or health conditions, as well as those from varied faith and cultural backgrounds. At our department, we prioritize the development of a safe, inclusive, and high-performance culture through shared actions and behaviours that align with our strategy and direction. This empowers our employees to effectively contribute to our goals.

How to Apply

Non-DTP Employees (Including VPS outside of DTP)

Create an account by clicking the ‘Apply’ button and follow the prompts. For help, click here for Quick Reference Guide.

Applications close at 11:59 PM on Wednesday 03 December 2025.

Please include a resume and cover letter. All applications must be submitted through the online portal. We’re unable to consider email or manual applications.

For more information, contact, Martin John, Senior Legal Counsel, Commercial Contracts via martin.john@transport.vic.gov.au or on 0424 578 272

Preferred applicants will need to complete a police check and other pre-employment checks. Your information will be treated confidentially.

If you require additional adjustments across the recruitment process or accessible formats of this ad, please contact us by phone or email.