Auriga Group is a safe, focused, customer centric, and dedicated team of Marine and Aviation professionals located across Australia. Auriga Group is made up of three operating divisions, including Auriga Pilots, Auriga Marine and Auriga Aviation, providing operational services across 20 locations nationally. Auriga's people are at the heart of everything the Group does, and it prides itself on delivering reliable, high-quality services through a culture that values professionalism, teamwork, and operational excellence.
About the Role
Auriga Group is seeking an experienced and commercially astute General Counsel. Reporting directly to the CEO and working closely with the Board, this pivotal leadership role is responsible for delivering strategic legal advice, governance oversight and enterprise risk management across the Group.
As the principal legal adviser to the Board, CEO and Executive team, you will provide pragmatic, solutions-focused guidance that supports business objectives while effectively managing legal and regulatory risk. This is a unique opportunity to influence key business decisions, support strategic growth initiatives and build a high-performing legal function within a dynamic and evolving organisation.
Key Responsibilities
Legal Strategy, Risk Management & Corporate Governance
- Serve as the principal legal adviser to the Board, CEO and Executive Leadership Team
- Develop, implement and maintain the Group's legal risk management framework and legal risk register
- Provide commercially focused legal advice to support strategic and operational decision-making
- Oversee corporate governance, directors' duties and regulatory compliance obligations
- Identify emerging legal and regulatory risks and develop practical mitigation strategies
- Lead the organisation's legal response to emerging compliance areas, including data governance, privacy, cyber incidents, AI and technology governance
Commercial Contracts & Strategic Transactions
- Lead the negotiation, drafting and review of commercial, customer, supplier and corporate agreements
- Support major tenders, procurement activities and strategic commercial negotiations
- Advise on contract risk allocation, indemnities and liability exposure
- Provide legal leadership on mergers, acquisitions, divestments and corporate restructures
- Develop contract governance processes, templates and self-service legal resources
Litigation, Claims & External Counsel Management
- Manage litigation, disputes, regulatory proceedings and significant claims
- Develop dispute resolution strategies focused on achieving commercially sound outcomes
- Engage and manage external legal advisers and specialist consultants
- Oversee insurance-related legal matters and recoveries, and manage legal expenditure and external counsel budgets
Employment, Industrial Relations & Compliance
- Provide legal guidance on employment law, industrial relations and workplace investigations
- Support HR on disciplinary matters, employee disputes and employment terminations
- Advise on Fair Work obligations, employment agreements and workplace policies
- Oversee privacy, whistleblower and compliance frameworks across the Group
Essential Requirements
- Minimum 10 years' post-admission experience
- Significant in-house legal experience and/or top-tier or mid-tier private practice experience
- Strong commercial negotiation and influencing skills
- Exceptional analytical, problem-solving and decision-making capabilities
- Advanced contract drafting and legal writing skills
- Outstanding stakeholder management and executive communication skills
- Proven experience managing complex commercial contracts, litigation and employment matters, and advising Boards and senior executives
- Strong strategic thinking and commercial acumen
- Experience within infrastructure, industrial, aviation, marine, transport or similarly regulated sectors will be highly regarded
- Bachelor of Laws (LLB) or Juris Doctor, and admission as a Solicitor in Australia
How to Apply
Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and suitable candidates may be contacted prior to the closing date. The position will remain open until successfully filled.