Management Consultant, Legal – Office for Safeguarding, Diocese of Parramatta
About the Role:
The primary purpose of the Management Consultant, Legal role is to develop the legal aspects of the Diocesan responsibility to embed Safeguarding culture and relevant legislative obligations.
This specialist role requires synthesising a variety of existing and new processes in partnership with a variety of stakeholders of the Diocese, including other agencies (CCSS, CEDP and CDPSL).
This role will be critical in assisting stakeholders to assess problems with bespoke support responses.
The role will be critical to the Diocesan community in ensuring legal aspects of safeguarding are met.
The Management Consultant, Legal will be required to work in collaboration with the training and education team, to ensure a holistic approach to safeguarding.
The role reports to the Diocesan Head of Safeguarding.
Job Specific Responsibilities
The Management Consultant, Legal is accountable to the Diocesan Head of Safeguarding for the following:
Relationships
- Work collaboratively with the Diocesan Head of Safeguarding and other senior leaders and all clergy across the Diocese;
- Work collaboratively with the Special Counsel to the Bishop;
- Work collaboratively with the Manager for Safeguarding (CEDP), the Manager for Safeguarding (CCSS), Manager for Safeguarding (CDPSL);
- Work collaboratively with external stakeholders including; police, legal representatives, survivors of child sexual abuse;
- Provide advice in relation to information exchange, complaints and investigations processes to all agencies and all Chancery as required;
- Support effective planning and sound management in the areas of Diocesan legal, complaints, investigations and information exchange across the Diocese;
- Maintain effective relationships with relevant external authorities, e.g. National Redress Scheme, police, law firms; and
- Develop projects and services that are innovative and responsive to the needs of the Diocese in relation to legal, complaints, investigations and information exchange.
Accountability
- Foster effective and clear relationships with the Diocesan Head of Safeguarding, Special Counsel to the Bishop, Manager for Safeguarding (CEDP), the Manager for Safeguarding (CCSS), Manager for Safeguarding (CDPSL) and relevant parish/ministry representatives in ensuring a consistent approach to legal, complaints, investigations and information exchange across Diocesan agencies, ministries and parishes in alignment with the Diocesan Office for Safeguarding Charter (Charter);
- Facilitate and support cross-Diocesan integration in any matters relating to legal, complaints, investigation and information exchange;
- Manage the legal, complaints, investigations and information exchange operations that fall into the remit of the Office for Safeguarding; and
- Brief and advise the Diocesan Head of Safeguarding on Legal, complaints, investigations and information exchange matters, including legislative and policy changes.
Specialist Operations
- Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders with the objective to embed safeguarding culture as it relates to legal obligations, across the Diocesan community, including developing strategies and plans;
- Discuss gaps and needs with stakeholders in relation to their legal obligations. This will require analysing and evaluating current systems and structures;
- Supporting the Diocesan agencies to achieve more efficient processes for their information exchange, complaints and investigations work; and
- With the implementation of safeguarding standards and a forthcoming accreditation in relation to safeguarding in the Diocese, review and revise operating procedures, processes and approaches relating to all legal aspects of safeguarding, in order to be compliant with contemporary requirements.
Legal & Information Exchange
- Support the Diocesan Head of Safeguarding to ensure effective legal, complaints operations across the Diocese by providing advice, support and initiatives to agencies and all chancery as required;
- As a Model Litigant, conduct timely and precise responses to information exchange requests;
- Collaborate with the Special Counsel to the Bishop regarding all civil litigation matters;
- Make police reports as necessary;
- Manage all legal work related to complaints and investigations with regard to:
- Greater Sydney Agreement;
- GIPA;
- Chapter 16A;
- APP12;
- Effecting and/or responding to instruments enabling information exchange to occur (e.g. warrants, GIPA requests and subpoena);
- NRS;
- Integrity in the Service of the Church;
- Integrity in Ministry;
- Relevant Canon Law, e.g. Vos Estis Lux Mundi;
- Towards Healing;
- National Catholic Professional Standards;
- State Child Safe Standards.
- Provide ongoing monitoring and feedback of the effectiveness of systems for managing legal, complaints, investigations and information exchange for ongoing review and improvement;
- Financial forecasting and management of budget for NRS, external consultants and investigators; and
- Review and analyse statistical information from all agencies and the Chancery to inform continuous quality improvement for the Diocese in relation to legal, complaints, investigations and information exchange.
Investigations & Complaint Handling
- Manage and coordinate effective systems, policies and protocols in relation to safeguarding and professional standards including:
- Overseeing the management and investigation of child protection or adult boundary violation allegations made against those engaged in ministry (clergy, paid staff and volunteers);
- Liaising with the Diocesan Head of Safeguarding on complaints relating to clergy and professional standards matters as required;
- Maintaining appropriate and accurate centralised records in the approved space for all Diocesan safeguarding investigations including hard copies, electronic copies and databases;
- Identification of serious risk and recommendations for risk minimisation.
- Manage the Investigations Panel, including creation of relevant resources, comprising external investigators and CEDP, CCSS and CDPSL representatives; and
- Create resources and support materials for the Investigations Panel, Healing and Support team and broader Diocesan stakeholder.
Compliance:
- Manage a robust records management system for highly confidential legal and other Safeguarding matters;
- Using TriLine and RM Workspace, create a legal database in line with audit and accreditation requirements of State Law and the National Catholic Safeguarding Standards;
- Support the Diocesan Head of Safeguarding, Special Counsel to the Bishop, Manager for Safeguarding (CEDP), Manager for Safeguarding (CCSS), Manager for Safeguarding (CDPSL) and agencies so they are compliant with the provisions of civil, criminal and church laws in relation to legal, complaints, investigations and information exchange; and
- Engage with external authorities as required such as Office of the Children’s Guardian, NSW Ombudsman, NSW Police as well as Church organisations such as Orders, Parishes and Schools.
Risk Management:
- In cooperation with the Diocesan Head of Safeguarding and Diocesan Risk and Assurance team support the reporting system for identification and management of risk in relation to legal, complaints, investigations and information exchange within the Diocese;
- Implement systems that facilitate the auditing of legal, complaints, investigations and information exchange processes within the Office for Safeguarding;
- Support and brief the Bishop, Vicar General and Diocesan Head of Safeguarding in relation to sensitive high-risk personnel matters; and
- Undertake risk assessments and safety plans as required.
Success Profile
Qualifications
- Bachelor Degree (or higher) in law;
- WWCC and National Criminal History Record Check (NCHRC) clearance required.
Knowledge
- A thorough understanding of the Catholic Church, its mission and its unique challenges and opportunities;
- Thorough knowledge of common law and legislation that impacts Diocesan clergy, employees and volunteers including the safeguarding and professional standards regulatory framework;
- Thorough knowledge of legislative requirements in relation to all aspects of the legal, information exchange, complaints and investigations;
- High-level skills in contemporary computer applications including Microsoft Office suite;
- Excellent organisational skills and the ability to reprioritise and reorganise priorities;
- Excellent word processing, telephone and diary management skills; and
- Excellent record management skills.
Experience
- Experience in project management, specialist support and implementation of projects;
- Experience of at least 5 years as a lawyer in an applicable agency (or relevant experience);
- Experience managing the legal aspects of a project with multiple stakeholders;
- Experiencing working collaboratively and advising senior leadership;
- Experience working with minimal supervision while remaining a team player;
- Well-developed relational and rapport-building skills;
- Experience in engaging with persons affected by abuse;
- Significant commitment to client services and accountability for their performance;
- Demonstrated focus on outcomes and emphasis on exceeding customer/client expectations; and
- Substantial time management and organisational skills with the ability to work to tight deadlines and deliver under pressure.
Attributes
It is desirable that the Management Consultant, Legal has the following attributes:
- Ability to manage projects requiring change to culture;
- Strong legal knowledge relevant to this role;
- Ability to work independently and show leadership to support others;
- Capacity to learn new information quickly and lead by creating systems and processes;
- Sound interpersonal skills;
- Ability to work under pressure with high workloads in an ordered and efficient manner;
- Demonstrated commitment to service and a willingness to be accountable for performance;
- Ability to operate with discretion and maintain strict confidentiality;
- Ability to perform under significant work pressure;
- Ability to work collaboratively and consultatively across a wide spectrum of stakeholders; and
- A personal sense of warmth and welcoming.
Join our team!
All suitably qualified and experienced candidates will be considered. Diocese of Parramatta will also consider sponsoring applicants under the Temporary Skill Shortage 482 Visa Sponsor Program. Salary range will be between $90,000 and $110,000.
If you would like more information, a copy of the full job description or to have a confidential chat, please email Ms. Deeanne Martin on parracatholicjobs@parracatholic.org.
