About the opportunity
The Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR) is seeking an experienced Senior Legal Counsel - Corporate to take ownership of a broad and varied corporate legal portfolio, providing trusted advice across corporate and commercial matters, governance, legislative compliance, public law and policy.
This is a newly created position offering genuine autonomy and the opportunity to shape ONRSR’s corporate legal capability. You will become a key legal adviser to stakeholders across the organisation, translating complex legal and regulatory issues into clear, practical advice that supports sound decision-making.
Rather than specialising in one narrow area of law, you will work across a diverse portfolio of matters, from contracts and procurement through to legislative interpretation, governance frameworks, FOI, privacy and legislative reform.
About you - your impact and contribution
Key responsibilities:
- Provide expert legal advice on governance and complex and sensitive corporate matters, including key ONRSR projects and initiatives.
- Act as a strategic partner to the organisation, aligning legal advice with ONRSR’s strategic objectives while maintaining regulatory integrity.
- Provide legal support, including the drafting of and review of contracts, procurement, commercial documents and other agreements.
- Provide legal support on and ensure compliance with information, privacy and data management frameworks, work health and safety legislation, whistleblowing, Freedom of Information (FOI) and other related matters.
- Monitor legislation and regulatory changes, assessing their impact on ONRSR and advising accordingly.
- Provide advice regarding legislative reform and update the legislative compliance register.
- Identify, predict and respond to legal and regulatory risks that arise, informing impacted Executives.
- Contribute to the development, review and maintenance of policies and procedures to ensure alignment with relevant legislation and standards applying to ONRSR.
- Participate in and provide legal leadership on specialist projects involving complex legal issues.
- Maintain and update legal precedents, templates and databases, incorporating legislative and case law developments.
- Assist with responses to FOI requests, privacy matters, and broader governance compliance obligations.
- Support internal review processes related to regulatory decisions, including accreditation outcomes, notices, and other statutory determinations.
- Proactively engage with key leaders in Corporate Services and develop collaborative consultation models that streamline the obtaining and receiving of legal advice.
We are looking for a lawyer with broad corporate legal capability who combines strong technical skills with commercial judgement, curiosity and a practical approach.
You will bring:
- A tertiary qualification in law and admission to practise as an Australian Legal Practitioner.
- Proven success and experience within a corporate, government, regulatory or similarly complex legal environment.
- Strong corporate and commercial legal experience, including contract drafting, review and negotiation.
- Experience across procurement, corporate governance and legislative compliance.
- Strong legislative interpretation skills, with the ability to research unfamiliar or complex areas and form a clear legal position.
- Experience across public and administrative law, FOI, privacy, WHS and broader compliance matters.
- Experience within government, a regulator or a highly regulated sector such as infrastructure, utilities, transport or energy will be highly regarded.
- Exposure to policy development or legislative reform would be advantageous.
- Excellent legal writing and communication skills, with the ability to make complex legal issues understandable and practical for non-lawyers.
Our Organisation and Culture
The Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR) has the responsibility for regulatory oversight of rail safety throughout Australia. As an independent regulatory authority, ONRSR pursues safe railways for Australia by encouraging safe rail operations, enforcing national compliance with the Rail Safety National Law and promoting and improving rail safety across the country.
Be part of a values-led organisation with a strong commitment to its Culture Blueprint - the foundation for our purposeful, diverse and inclusive workplace and a key contributor to how we achieve our vision of Safe Railways for all Australians.