Senior Legal Counsel – Institutional Transactions - Perth

Export Finance Australia (EFA) is the government’s export credit agency. For more than 60 years, we have proudly helped hundreds of small, medium and large Australian businesses take on global opportunities. Our purpose is to support Australian export trade and overseas infrastructure development that delivers benefits to Australia.

We provide financial expertise and solutions to drive sustainable growth. Through our loans, bonds, guarantees and project and structured finance solutions we enable small and medium-sized enterprises, corporates and governments to take on export-related opportunities. We also support infrastructure development in the Pacific region and beyond. 

The Government has announced the establishment of the Critical Minerals Strategic Reserve (the Reserve). The Reserve will be led by the Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR) and EFA will be responsible for the financial and commercial functions of the Reserve via the NIA. In addition to EFA’s existing mandate and products noted above, EFA may be required to buy, sell, provide price guarantees (via contracts for difference, forward arrangements or other structured products), direct offtakes or stockpile the relevant critical minerals that Government have identified for the Reserve (antimony, gallium and rare earth elements). The Government has introduced legislation this year to provide EFA with the ‘toolkit’ it needs to deliver on the commercial and financial aims of the Reserve. 

The Senior Legal Counsel, Transactions is a senior legal role responsible for providing expert legal advice and guidance in relation to EFA’s institutional transactions, with a focus predominantly on transactions related to the Reserve (Transactions).  This includes responsibility for advising on EFA’s mandate to enter into Tranactions, assisting with the negotiation and settlement of transaction documents and their ongoing management, and liaising with key internal and external stakeholders. The role may encompass assistance with new product development and risk transfer activities (including participation agreements, reinsurance, and the Reserve ‘toolkit’).

Your new role

Location: Perth
Role Type: Full-time, Permanent

About you

• Legal advice: Provide expert legal advice on Transactions, including compliance with the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation Act 1991 (Cth) (EFIC Act) and other applicable Commonwealth government laws and regulations, Ministerial directions, and international instruments.
• Transactional support: Collaborate with the Institutional business units to structure, negotiate and review documentation for Transactions, ensuring alignment with EFA’s mandate and objectives.
• Legal risk management:
  • Assist in identifying, assessing and mitigating legal risks associated with Transactions, providing recommendations and implementing legal risk management strategies.
  • Collaborate closely with:
    • relevant internal stakeholders, including the Deputy General Counsels, the Chief Investment Officer Institutional and their team, Portfolio Management, Credit and the Government & International Relations team
    • external legal advisers and
    • Government agencies and departments,

to address legal issues and risks relating to Transactions.

• Training: Conduct and/or arrange training sessions and develop materials to enhance the legal knowledge and awareness of issues and practices applicable to Transactions and the Reserve.
• Maintain awareness of current legal developments: Monitor changes in laws and regulations related to Transactions and the Reserve, ensuring EFA remains informed and, in conjunction with the Legal and Compliance functions, compliant with applicable legal requirements.
• Compliance: Comply with and implement applicable EFA governance, risk frameworks, policies and procedures.
• Supporting Special Counsel, Deputy General Counsel and General Counsel: Assist the Special Counsel, Deputy General Counsel, Transactions and General Counsel in:
  • the provision of advice and the preparation of reports to EFA’s Executive and Board; and
  • managing relationships with external legal advisers, ensuring efficiency, quality and cost-effectiveness. 

Experience & Skills

• At least 10 years’ post qualification in-house experience in a large financial institution/corporate or top/mid-tier law firm in any or a combination of banking & finance, derivatives & structured products, or mining & commodities markets.
• Finance experience should include exposure to corporate, project, asset, or acquisition financing transactions. Exposure to commodity offtake agreements is desirable.
• Derivatives and structured products experience should include exposure to forward arrangements, contracts for difference or virtual offtake arrangements.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to effectively communicate complex legal matters to both legal and non-legal stakeholders.
• Excellent technical legal skills, including drafting, negotiation and analytical skills, with strong attention to detail.
• Experience with stakeholder management and building strong relationships with cross-functional teams.
• Ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.
• Current practicing certificate as a solicitor in WA, NSW or another Australian jurisdiction.

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 culture that is inclusive, diverse and collaborative. We are proud to be certified as a 2025 Great Place to Work for a fifth consecutive year, recognised on the 2023 AFR BOSS Best Places to Work list and listed as one of Australia’s Best Workplaces for Women in 2025. 

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
• Fitness Passport along with other Health & Wellbeing initiatives
• Gender affirmation leave
• Income Protection Insurance
• Community volunteering
• 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: 26 April 2026.  

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

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.

We are a highly purpose-driven organisation. We seek to create an inclusive culture that values our customers and employees. Our people are expected to champion this and play a key role in achieving those outcomes. In working towards our strategy, our people display our IMPACT leadership behaviours of Frank & Fearless, Dexterous & Agile and Careful & Diligent

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

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