Join Sunrise Australia's legal team! Support our General Counsel with commercial law & governance while fighting climate change. 2-4 yrs experience needed. Apply your legal skills for the planet!

Application Closing: 6:00pm, 16th Jul 2025 AEST

About us

The Sunrise Project is a network of passionate changemakers driven by a shared mission to scale social movements that can drive the urgent transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. We believe in the power of people to solve the climate crisis, and we work alongside partners around the world to shift the systems — financial, political, and cultural — that are holding back climate action.

About the role

This role supports the General Counsel and Company Secretary in Sunrise Australia providing pragmatic legal advice to the organisation, supporting the smooth operation of the Board's and Committees’ activities, and ensuring the organisation's compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. The Legal Counsel will draft and negotiate a range of agreements and provide timely legal advice to support campaign, grantmaking, and operational functions. As Assistant Company Secretary, the role also provides key support to board governance and compliance processes.

The role requires a nuanced understanding of organisational issues and needs to be able to provide viable and tangible solutions to problems, so close collaboration with the executive and program teams is critical.

Key responsibilities

Legal Advice:

Provides timely and accurate legal advice on a wide range of matters, including but not limited to contracts (including grant agreements, technology contracts and supply and service agreements), regulatory compliance, employment law, electoral law, defamation and commercial litigation including advising on litigation risks, charity law, and general commercial law.
Contributes to legal training and internal guidance material.

Compliance and Policy:

Develops, maintains and reviews internal policies, procedures, and guidelines to ensure regulatory compliance.
Assists with regulatory filings, ensuring compliance with relevant laws and timely submissions.

Board Support and Governance:

Prepares agendas, drafts resolutions and coordinates Board and Committee members and materials.
Takes minutes and maintains meticulous records of Board and Committee activities and decisions, ensuring secure storage and accessibility.

General support on legal and compliance projects, or ad hoc projects that may arise.

Skills, knowledge and experience

Bachelor's degree in Law, with qualification and admission to practise in Australia.
At least 2-4 years of post-admission experience in a similar role, preferably in-house within a not-for-profit organisation.
Demonstrated experience in commercial law and governance.
Working knowledge of not-for-profit, charity law, and regulatory requirements for charities operating in Australia.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
Strong organisational skills and meticulous attention to detail.
Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to work well in a team environment.
Capacity to manage multiple priorities simultaneously and meet deadlines.
Proficiency in office management software and technology.
A passion for action on climate change and a deep commitment to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion.

Desirable skills, knowledge and experience

Experience working in a company secretariat role.

Job requirements

You must have full working rights for the country in which you are working. The Sunrise Project will not sponsor applicants for employment visas.
Employment background checks will be required.
Intermittent travel with advanced notice may be required.

How Sunrise supports its staff

The Sunrise Project is committed to creating a workplace that supports our staff to do their best work and develop professionally. We have the following in place to help us achieve that, noting pro rata will apply for part time staff and/or temporarily appointed-fixed term staff:

Superannuation 12.5% & salary sacrifice for superannuation
Birthday leave (if it’s your birthday, you get a day off)
Solidarity and community leave 1 week p.a
Cultural leave (floating & additional public holidays)
Gifted leave (over Christmas and New Year)
Paid parental leave that is gender-neutral & inclusive of all types of families, incl. Parental Return To Work & Keeping In Touch Program
Life leave (up to 40 days p.a. for significant personal reasons)
Flexible Working Policy
Employee Assistance Program
VIDA - An AI tool to support your health and wellbeing.
Generous allowances for:
Workspace Benefits incl: Macbook & accessories, initial $2,000 for home workspace and IT equipment + $800 every 2 years + up to $75/mth phone/data/internet
Shared office support
Regular all-org and team meetings & retreats
Learning & Development Program incl. a professional development budget for you
Coaching & manager support with regular 1:1 meetings
Annual performance & development reviews with 360 feedback
A co-developed work plan to ensure clarity on your role & key responsibilities
We provide our staff with a voice on issues that concern them via consultation, e.g. JEDI caucuses, working groups, slack channels, surveys and meetings.

How to apply for this job

We recognise that racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia, classism and other forms of discrimination creates structural barriers that impact opportunities to formal education and experience.

When assessing candidates we look at more than the jobs you've been paid to do but the range of ways you've picked up skills and knowledge throughout your life. This is why we assess candidates on how well they respond to application questions and don’t require a cover letter.

We have partnered with Kin Limited to fill this key role. If you have any questions before applying, please contact Stacey Aubry at stacey.aubry@kin.co.nz

Legal jobs

Legal Counsel & Assistant Company Secretary

Never Miss a New Opportunity