Senior Legal Counsel

Support key retail banking outcomes for customers and communities

Build your career with opportunities to your skills and contribute to key initiatives

Enjoy a workplace that supports flexibility and sustainable ways of working

About the role

As our Senior Legal Counsel, you’ll be a go-to advisor for our retail banking business, bringing practical advice and commercially focused solutions to day-to-day legal engagement and stepping into significant project work across formal integration, operational integration and transformation programs.

Reporting to the Head of Legal (Banking), you’ll run complex matters with senior-level autonomy in a collaborative team environment. You’ll keep work moving by communicating early, sharing crisp updates, and partnering with senior stakeholders to support clear, workable solutions.

What you’ll be doing:

Partnering with senior retail banking stakeholders (and external counsel where required) to support business initiatives and manage legal risk

Supporting formal integration, operational integration and transformation programs, providing embedded legal advice to project teams

Building trusted relationships with internal stakeholders, external legal providers and industry representatives

Providing advice across retail banking matters including regulatory interpretation, product development, distribution, customer communications and operational issues

Leading key legal team initiatives, optimisation and uplift to enhance the operations and profile of the legal team

Preparing and delivering clear, practical training to business units on key legal and regulatory obligations and contributing to high-quality papers and updates for committees and senior leaders, clearly articulating risks, options and recommendations

Monitoring changes in the external environment (law, regulation and industry practice) and proactively identifying emerging legal risks and opportunities

About you

You are a clear and commercially minded communicator, able to translate complex legal issues into clear, practical advice for a diverse range of stakeholders. With a collaborative, adaptable and solutions-focused approach, you build strong relationships and thrive in a fast-paced environment while managing competing priorities.

We also seek :

Significant experience in retail banking, gained in private practice or senior in-house roles

Excellent technical legal, negotiation and analytical skills

Proven ability to build relationships and influence stakeholders across the business

Comfortable operating in a dynamic, fast-paced environment with competing priorities

Qualifications & Memberships

Admitted to practise as a solicitor in an Australian jurisdiction

Bachelor of Laws (LLB) or Juris Doctor (JD) (or equivalent)

Holds a current Australian practising certificate

Who are we?

People First Bank is powered by People's Choice and Heritage Bank. With over 720,000 members and 1,900 employees, we are committed to creating a better future for our members and the communities we serve. We have dual head offices in Toowoomba and Adelaide, and 95 branches across South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory, trading under brands: People First Bank, Heritage Bank and People's Choice.

Putting ‘People First’ starts with our team members and we are committed to creating an outstanding working environment where you feel supported, can continue to develop and are proud advocates of our members and our business.

Benefits of working for us

Alongside meaningful work and a supportive team, we offer a range of benefits designed to help you do great work, without sacrificing balance:

Access to tools, support and development that help you perform at your best (without relying on this role as a ‘growth’ position)

A dedicated Employee Assistance Program for you and your family to access in times of need

Paid volunteering days and access to a diverse range of community and charitable initiatives

If this sounds like the kind of role where you’ll thrive, we’d love to hear from you. Click ‘Apply’ and submit your application, including a short cover letter and your current resume.

Our diversity makes us stronger. We are committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and culturally safe workplace and welcome requests for reasonable adjustments to ensure all candidates can participate fairly and confidently in our selection process.