Senior Legal Counsel

Company Description

Lead legal strategy. Enable better business decisions. Make an impact across ANZ.

Abano Healthcare is looking for an experienced and commercially minded Senior Legal Counsel to lead our Legal and Risk function across Australia and New Zealand.

As Abano’s most senior legal adviser, you’ll work closely with our Board, CEO, CFO and Executive Leadership Team, providing strategic, practical and commercially focused legal advice that supports our people, clinicians and business.

This is a senior leadership opportunity for someone who enjoys being more than a traditional legal adviser. You’ll be a trusted business partner who helps the organisation navigate complexity, manage risk and make informed decisions while enabling our continued growth.

Job Description

You’ll oversee a broad and varied legal portfolio spanning corporate governance, commercial contracts, risk, compliance, privacy, regulatory matters, employment, technology, property, intellectual property, disputes, ESG and corporate transactions.

You’ll bring sound judgement and strong commercial acumen to complex matters, balancing legal risk with practical business outcomes. You’ll also lead a proactive, solutions-focused legal function that is approachable, collaborative and focused on supporting the wider business.

What You’ll Do:

Strategic Legal Leadership

- Act as a trusted legal adviser to the Board, CEO, CFO and Executive Leadership Team on significant legal, governance and regulatory matters.
- Provide practical, commercially focused advice that supports Abano’s strategic priorities and operations across Australia and New Zealand.
- Identify emerging legal risks and opportunities and ensure these are considered in business decision-making.
- Partner with senior leaders across the organisation to enable informed and commercially sound decisions.

Corporate Governance & Board Support

- Advise the Board and senior leadership on corporate governance obligations and best practice.
- Support Board processes, including resolutions, meeting minutes and corporate records.
- Provide clear advice and updates on material legal and regulatory developments.
- Oversee relevant governance frameworks and compliance obligations.

Legal Risk, Compliance & Regulatory

- Lead the identification, assessment and management of material legal and regulatory risks.
- Manage Abano’s internal risk program.
- Oversee responses to regulatory enquiries, investigations and significant compliance matters.
- Provide oversight of privacy incidents and data breaches.
- Partner with the business to strengthen compliance frameworks, controls and legal awareness.

Commercial & Business Enablement

- Draft, review and negotiate a wide range of commercial agreements, including supplier contracts, confidentiality agreements, government and tender arrangements.
- Provide legal advice across operational matters, including complaints, disputes, privacy and regulatory issues.
- Support clinician recruitment, retention and engagement through advice on clinician contracts, service models and practice arrangements.
- Provide legal support to Operations and Clinical teams in relation to Abano’s clinical support and service model.
- Support corporate transactions including acquisitions, disposals, joint ventures and integration activities.
- Maintain a strong focus on practical risk allocation, commercial outcomes and clear contractual obligations.
- Support annual reporting requirements and liaise with auditors as required.
- Ensure the business operates consistently with key legislation, including consumer, privacy and anti-spam laws.

Team Leadership & Capability

- Lead, develop and support the Legal and Risk team with clear priorities and accountabilities.
- Build legal capability and awareness across the broader business.
- Create an approachable legal function that encourages stakeholders to seek advice early.
- Manage external legal advisers to ensure support is strategic, efficient and cost-effective.

Qualifications

Knowledge & Experience

Essential:

- Minimum 10 years’ post-admission experience in commercial and corporate law, with experience gained in a reputable commercial law firm and/or senior in-house legal role in Australia or New Zealand.  
- Experience operating as a trusted legal business partner in a complex, multi-site or service-oriented organisation; healthcare experience is highly regarded. 
- Strong demonstrated capability in drafting, reviewing and negotiating commercial contracts and advising on commercial legal risk. 
- Sound understanding of privacy, complaints management, competition and consumer law, regulatory compliance and corporate governance principles. 
- Experience supporting business stakeholders with disputes, operational legal matters and practical risk mitigation strategies. 
- Strong commercial judgement and the ability to translate complex legal issues into clear, practical and actionable advice. 
- Strong organisational and strategic skills, with the ability to prioritise, manage escalations, and deliver outcomes under pressure. 
- High level of integrity, confidentiality, and discretion in handling sensitive matters

Desirable:

- Experience leading an in-house legal team.  
Experience within a healthcare, dental, professional services, consumer-facing or other regulated business.  
Familiarity with trans-Tasman business operations and Australian and New Zealand laws.

Qualifications, Certificates, and Licences

- Bachelor of Laws (LLB) or equivalent legal qualification. 
- Currently admitted legal practitioner with unrestricted practice certificate in Australia, or another relevant jurisdiction (with a requirement to gain admission in New Zealand which will be supported by the company).

Additional Information

Why Join Abano?

- This is an opportunity to join a growing healthcare organisation where your legal expertise will have a genuine influence on the way the business operates.
- You’ll work closely with senior leaders across Australia and New Zealand and have the opportunity to shape legal, risk and governance practices across a large and complex healthcare network.
- The role offers flexibility in how you work, with the opportunity to join either full-time or part-time, with a minimum commitment of three days per week.

If you’re looking for a senior legal role where you can provide strategic advice, influence business decisions and build a proactive legal function, we’d love to hear from you.

Apply now to join Abano Healthcare as our Senior Legal Counsel.