Legal Counsel

Legal Counsel

Permanent

Melbourne

About us

Established in 1840, we are Australia’s first wellbeing company, delivering health, wealth and care services for our members and the community.

As a social enterprise, we’re motivated by our purpose to positively impact the wellbeing of millions. We reinvest profits to deliver products and services sustainably that matter most to our members, customers and the Australian community.

For us, Real Wellbeing encompasses the whole experience of life. It’s about feeling supported in your health, connected with your community and empowered to live life on your terms.

About the Opportunity:

As Legal Counsel Community Living, you’ll work closely with the Head of Legal and broader Governance team to provide high-quality, practical and commercially focused legal advice across Australian Unity’s Residential Aged Care and Retirement Communities businesses.

This is a broad in-house opportunity where you’ll partner with senior leaders and key stakeholders across regulatory, operational, transactional, property and compliance matters. Your advice will help the business manage legal risk, achieve its commercial objectives and continue delivering positive outcomes for residents, customers and their families.

What you’ll do:

• Commercial legal advice: Provide timely, independent and commercially focused advice across a broad range of matters affecting our Residential Aged Care and Retirement Communities businesses.
• Contracts and transactions: Draft, review and negotiate commercial agreements, including services, consultancy, procurement, supply, technology, leasing and joint venture agreements.
• Property and development matters: Support acquisitions, disposals, leasing arrangements, redevelopment and refurbishment projects, property management matters and construction-related issues.

• Regulatory and compliance support: Advise on legislative, regulatory, governance and compliance requirements and support the business in responding to regulatory complaints, enquiries and investigations.
• Risk and dispute management: Manage claims, disputes and litigation to achieve practical and effective outcomes, including instructing and managing external legal advisers when required.
• Stakeholder partnership: Build trusted relationships with senior leaders and operational teams, helping them balance legal risk with business objectives and make well-informed decisions.

About You:

You’re a commercially minded lawyer who enjoys working closely with the business and turning complex legal issues into clear, practical advice. With at least three to five or more years of relevant experience gained in private practice, an in-house legal team or a combination of both, you’re confident drafting and negotiating commercial agreements, managing competing priorities and engaging with senior leaders, regulators, external advisers and commercial counterparties.

You’ll hold tertiary qualifications in law, be admitted as a legal practitioner in an Australian state or territory and maintain a current practising certificate. You bring sound judgement, strong communication skills and an understanding of how legislative, regulatory and compliance requirements affect business operations. Most importantly, you’re collaborative, adaptable and solutions-focused, with the initiative to work independently and the enthusiasm to contribute to a dynamic team. Experience in retirement living or the property sector would be beneficial.

Why Join Us?

You will enjoy a range of great employee benefits and rewards including:

• Competitive salary + bonus program
• Enjoy additional yearly Well-Being and Community leave days
• 14-weeks paid parental leave, with equal benefit for both parents
• Employee Referral Program
• Employee Assistance Program – support and assistance for you and your partner at those times in life when you need it most
• Maxxia Rewards - a great range of discounts and benefits at selected retail outlets, department stores, attractions, travel, cinemas, restaurants.
• Discounts across the Australian Unity business including Private Health Insurance, General Insurance + more!
• Access Flare benefits including everyday discounts, premium perks, salary packaging options and wellbeing support

For further benefits visit: https://www.australianunity.com.au/careers/culture

Australian Unity is an Equal Opportunity employer and we encourage applications from all members of the community, including people of Aboriginal and Torres strait Islander descent, culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and, mature aged people.