Senior Legal Counsel - Native Title, Cultural Heritage and Environment

At Powerlink, every possibility starts with you

We believe life’s about possibilities. And so is the future. That’s why we need you.

Powerlink is seeking an experienced Senior Legal Counsel to join our Community, Land & Approvals legal team at a pivotal time for major infrastructure delivery in Queensland.

We’re working at the heart of Queensland’s energy transformation. Now more than ever, we need people who want to help us deliver a world-class energy future and ensure we continue to navigate through this once in a generation energy challenge. 

We believe every employee deserves the opportunity to enjoy a work-life balance that enhances their overall wellbeing and performance through inclusive and supportive benefits.

A career that matters and lasts

As a Senior Legal Counsel you’ll help us connect a more sustainable energy future for more than five million Queenslanders and 241,000 businesses. Your work with us is about every light turned on, every community connected, and every future made possible. 

This role provides senior specialist legal advice on environmental approvals, EPBC Act matters, Native Title and Cultural Heritage, community engagement and property for some of the State’s most significant energy projects.

This is a specialist, in-house, Senior Legal Counsel role in Powerlink’s Community, Land & Approvals (CLA) legal team to be our internal legal expert in:

• up-lifting our environmental approval capability in an increasing complex environment
• supporting our capability to respond to the EPBC Act reform, and
• increasing our internal capability to support Native Title and Cultural Heritage engagement obligations across major projects.

You will play a critical role in managing approval risk, supporting legislative reform readiness, engaging with regulators and First Nations stakeholders, and strengthening Powerlink’s in house legal capability.

This is a rare opportunity for a senior environment and approvals lawyer who wants to work closely with the business, influence outcomes early and help shape how major projects are delivered in a complex regulatory landscape.

Ask us about:

• Flexible, hybrid and remote working options
• Work and family life balance arrangements, incl. 9 day fortnight or part time work arrangements available
• A competitive salary starting from $219,000 + 14.75 % Super for a 10-day fortnight
• Career development
• Health & wellbeing programs
• Leave offerings (including 14 weeks paid parental leave – at full or half pay, plus additional leave purchasing)
• Inclusive workplace facilities
• Free undercover secure parking, with access to onsite charging stations for electric vehicles

The opportunity:

As a Senior Legal Counsel, you’ll play a pivotal role in shaping legal strategy and enabling business success across Powerlink. You will:

• Lead legal advice on environmental approvals for major infrastructure projects, conditions management and compliance.
• Provide senior specialist advice on Native Title and Cultural Heritage matters, including agreement-making, compliance frameworks and relationship-based engagement models.
• Support EPBC Act reform readiness, including:
  • policy engagement and interpretation
  • management of legacy approvals and transitional risk
  • redesign of internal legal and assurance processes
• Act as a senior escalation point for high-risk approvals, regulator interactions and First Nations engagement.
• Work closely with internal stakeholders including Environment, Connections & Development, Indigenous Partnerships, Major Projects.
• Contribute to capability uplift, mentoring and knowledge transfer within the CLA legal team.

The people you'll join:

This role offers the opportunity to work with alongside an experienced in-house legal team and further develop your specialisation in Native Title, Cultural Heritage and Environmental advice and approvals. You will work closely with leaders across Powerlink, providing proactive, commercially focused legal advice that shapes strategic decisions across the organisation.

Based in our Virginia office in Brisbane, you’ll join a forward-thinking Legal team within Powerlink’s Finance Governance and Supply Division—an environment where your expertise will be valued and your impact felt. Reporting to the Lead Legal Counsel – Community, Land & Approvals, you’ll collaborate with passionate legal professionals who are trusted advisors across the business and work in a collaborative, values driven in-house environment. 

This is a team that thrives on solving complex challenges, shaping strategic outcomes, and driving innovation in legal service delivery. You’ll be empowered to grow, contribute meaningfully, and help influence the future of energy in Queensland.

What you'll bring:

Significant Post Admission Experience with deep specialist experience in one or more of the following:

• Native Title and Cultural Heritage
• Planning and Environment
• Property not required but desirable

Demonstrated experience advising on major infrastructure or energy projects, ideally within government, utilities or regulated environments.

Proven ability to manage high risk approvals and regulator / external stakeholder engagement in complex, evolving legislative settings. 

Ideally you will have additional knowledge and/ or experience in:

• EPBC Act and secondary environment approvals, experience in and knowledge of EPBC reform or significant legislative transition.
• Supporting First Nations engagement, agreement making or Indigenous stakeholder frameworks.
• Prior in-house or infrastructure experience or strong exposure to advising those environments.

Essential qualifications:

• Qualified Australian Legal Practitioner with significant post-admission experience
• Current Queensland Law Society practising certificate

Strong stakeholder management skills are also crucial for effective collaboration with various parties involved.

Find your possibility today:

To kick start your career at Powerlink, apply by clicking the button above, attaching your resume and cover letter on our careers page before midnight on Tuesday, 7 April, 2026. Please be aware our recruitment team will commence the review process during this period. 
 

To discuss any adjustment requirements or for more information on the role, contact Klaas van Noord at klaas.vannoord@powerlink.com.au.

You are welcome here.

You are welcome here at Powerlink, regardless of sex, race, culture, sexual orientation, disability or gender identity.

As part of our Reconciliation Action Plan, we’re committed to building long-term employment opportunities for First Nations peoples. We strongly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

As a Veteran Employment Supporter, we highly value the skills Veterans bring. Let us know if you're a Veteran for tailored support.

Successful applicants will undergo necessary pre-employment checks. As part of our commitment to maintaining a positive candidate experience, we pledge to provide a timely response to all applicants.

Powerlink acknowledges the Traditional Owners and their custodianship of the skies, lands, and waters of Queensland and in particular, the lands on which we operate.