Applications close at 11:30pm AEDT on Sunday, 1 March 2026. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is seeking skilled legal professionals at the EL1 and EL2 level for Legal Specialists roles to work across multiple legal roles in the Legal Division and Trade Law and Economic Security Division. If you are a motivated, passionate, and talented officer seeking to further your career, we want to hear from you. In the role of Assistant Director (Legal) , you will use your legal skills to inform Government decisions and provide strategic legal advice on issues that contribute to the development and implementation of DFAT's foreign, trade and development policy and its global corporate management functions. These roles will see you negotiate, advise, and litigate on a diverse range of high profile international, trade, investment, and domestic law issues. Upon commencement of employment, Assistant Director (Legal) roles require you to have a law degree (or equivalent), from a recognised Australian tertiary education provider, or a degree from an overseas tertiary education provider recognised for admission to practice in Australia. You must be admitted to practice law in an Australian jurisdiction. In the role of Director (Legal) , you will use your legal skills to inform Government decisions and provide strategic legal advice on issues that contribute to the development and implementation of DFAT's foreign, trade and development policy and its global corporate management functions. These roles will see you negotiate, advise, and litigate on a diverse range of high profile international, trade, investment, and domestic law issues. Upon commencement of employment, Director (Legal) roles require you to have a law degree (or equivalent), from a recognised Australian tertiary education provider, or a degree from an overseas tertiary education provider recognised for admission to practice in Australia. You must be admitted to practice law in an Australian jurisdiction. We offer a great team environment with a constant stream of interesting and rewarding work across the breadth of the Government's agenda. We also offer flexible work arrangements, including part-time hours. The initial vacancies to be filled from this process are based in Canberra. This process may be used to fill roles in other locations in Australia and overseas. For further information, please refer to the Applicant Information Pack on the DFAT Careers website. The key duties of the position include Your duties and responsibilities will be aligned to the relevant APS Work Level Standards . Executive Level 1: You will undertake one or more of the following tasks with limited direction: provide strategic legal and policy advice to senior management and portfolio Ministers, contributing to and supporting the Government and/or DFAT's strategic objectives; influencing and developing legal strategies and priorities in support of agency objectives based on high level decision-making and judgement; identifying and managing risk, in the context of more complex activities and issues, including potentially litigation and dispute resolution processes. management of, and liaison with key stakeholders including other government agencies and international counterparts and, in certain roles, support international negotiations, and strengthen the multilateral system and bilateral relationships; and supervise or mentor junior officers. Executive Level 2: You will undertake one or more of the following tasks with limited direction: provide strategic legal and policy advice to senior management and portfolio Ministers, contributing to and supporting the Government and/or DFAT's strategic objectives; influencing and developing legal strategies and priorities in support of agency objectives based on high level decision-making and judgement; identifying and managing risk, in the context of more complex activities and issues, including potentially litigation and dispute resolution processes. management of, and liaison with key stakeholders including other government agencies and international counterparts and, in certain roles, support international negotiations, and strengthen the multilateral system and bilateral relationships; and lead, manage and mentor a team.
