Legal Counsel, Transactions

Company description 

Export Finance Australia (EFA) is the government’s export credit agency. 

We provide financial expertise and solutions to drive sustainable growth that benefits Australia and our partners. Through our loans, guarantees, bonds and insurance options we enable small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), corporates and governments to take on export-related opportunities, and support infrastructure development in the Pacific region and beyond. 

Our primary purpose is to facilitate and encourage Australian export trade and overseas infrastructure development that delivers benefits to Australia. We function along commercial lines and partner with banks to provide finance in the ‘market gap’ when the private sector is unable to. We have a strong sense of purpose by supporting Australian companies to achieve export success. We also have a role in providing finance on our Commercial Account (CA) and our National Interest Account (NIA) for the Australian Government, to support financing transactions that are in Australia’s national interest. 

The Legal Counsel, Transactions is a legal role responsible for providing accurate, timely, cost effective and commercial expert legal advice and guidance in relation to EFA’s SME financing transactions. This includes responsibility for preparing, negotiating and settling transaction documents for export finance transactions (such as loans, guarantees and bonds), corporate and business finance, new product development and risk transfer activities (including participation agreements and reinsurance). This is a key business partnership role that will see you play a critical role in providing expert legal guidance and partnering with our business.

Your new role

Location: Sydney
Role Type: Full-time, Permanent

Position description 

• Independently provide transactional support on EFA’s SME financing transactions to identify and mitigate legal risks, with the guidance of the Senior Legal Counsel, Transactions and/or Deputy General Counsel and in cooperation with internal stakeholders as part of a ‘deal team’ for both the NIA financing transactions and commercial account financing transactions, including:
• Advising on, and collaborating closely with: 
• • internal  stakeholders  including  EFA’s  SME  Lending,  Business  Financing  (BF), Portfolio  Relationship  (PR),  Portfolio  Management  (PM)  and  Credit  (where appropriate); and
  • external legal advisers, on various matters including deal structuring, security considerations, compliance with internal requirements, and opportunities and strategies to mitigate legal risks.
• Advising on EFA’s obligations and powers under applicable law and Ministerial guidance.
• Preparing, negotiating, and settling documents and attending to closing arrangements for EFA’s financing transactions.
• Ensuring the relevant approvals are obtained to EFA’s entry into transaction documents and reviewing (as appropriate with external legal counsel) legal conditions precedent to EFA going on risk.
• Instructing and liaising with foreign and domestic external lawyers and ensuring external counsel provide timely and cost-effective legal services to EFA.Preparation and presentation of advice to employees  at all levels on EFA’s rights and obligations under relevant laws and documentation.
• Compliance:

• • Comply with and implement applicable EFA governance, risk frameworks, policies and procedures; and

About you

• At least 5 years post qualification in-house experience in a large financial institution/corporate or top/mid-tier law firm banking and finance law.
• General business or commercial financing experience as well as transactional legal skills.
• A skilled communicator with sound judgement, able to consult with accuracy, commercial acumen, and diplomacy to provide quality service to senior business partners and maintain strong networks to enhance the customer experience and stakeholder relationships.
• Excellent technical legal skills, including drafting and negotiation (with strong attention to detail) of finance documents, general commercial agreements, legal opinions, legal advice and communications with legal counsel acting for other parties.
• Ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.
• Current practicing certificate as a solicitor in NSW or another Australian jurisdiction.

Desirable

• Exposure to restructuring or in solvency work
• Familarity or experience with the Unfair Contract Terms regulatory framework
• Experience in statutory interpretation

Even if you haven’t ticked every box but this role resonates with you, don't rule yourself out just yet, we'd love to hear from you!

Our benefits and culture

We are small enough to have an impact, BIG enough to make a world of difference and it starts with our people.

We support flexible working and pride ourselves in fostering a culturally diverse, honest, collaborative and supportive team environment. We are proud to be certified as a Great Place to Work for the fourth year (including 2024, 2023, 2022 and 2020), recognised on the 2023 AFR BOSS Best Places to Work list, as one of Australia’s Best Workplaces for Women 2022 and 2025, and the Australian HR Awards 2021 Employer of Choice (NFP & Public Sector).

In line with our commitment to our people, we have a comprehensive array of benefits available to our employees:

• Generous leave provisions (e.g. Annual Wellbeing day) and leave purchase opportunities
• 18 weeks of paid parental leave for primary caregivers
• Thorough induction onboarding program
• Health and Wellbeing initiatives
• Gender affirmation leave
• Income Protection Insurance
• Community volunteering and donation matching programs
• and many more!

Our headquarters is based in Sydney CBD, and we have a national presence across Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.

Eligibility

Australian Citizenship - To be eligible to apply for this position, applicants must hold Australian Citizenship at the time of application.

Security Clearance - To be eligible to apply for this position, applicants must be able to obtain and maintain a Baseline security clearance.

How to apply

Applications close: Monday 5 May 2025.  

Interviews will occur in parallel, so please apply ASAP.
Enquiries: Careers@exportfinance.gov.au      
  
To apply, please email your CV to Careers@exportfinance.gov.au      

By choosing to apply, you agree to the recruitment privacy policy.

We invite and welcome applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people from diverse cultural backgrounds, people with disability and members of the LGBTQIA+ community. 

If you are a candidate with a disability, let us know how we can provide you with additional support.

About us

Export Finance Australia is Australia’s export credit agency.  

We provide finance to support Australian export trade and overseas infrastructure development across the Pacific and Indo-Pacific. Through our loans, bonds and guarantees, we support businesses – from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to large corporates – foreign governments and infrastructure projects, to take on the world. 

Working with banks, other government agencies and our partners, together we are helping drive international success for Australian businesses.

The reason our people join us, stay with us and grow with us is because they wholeheartedly believe in our purpose. They can see the impact we create for our customers.

For more information about us, please refer to our website here. 

Applications from recruitment agencies will not be considered on this occasion.