Pro Bono Engagement Lead

This role is responsible for shaping how pro bono support is engaged, framed, and activated to address unmet legal need and, in doing so, contributes to the strategic direction and leadership of the team. It sits at the intersection of relationship building, service delivery, and innovation—ensuring that pro bono partners can contribute effectively to intake-aligned pathways through both individual matters and broader initiatives.

This role works closely with our network of pro bono partners, including firms and barristers, as well as professional referrers, such as community legal centres, and internal teams to align expectations, promote strong practices, and pilot new approaches that strengthen matter acceptance and systemic outcomes. In addition to the focus on the Connections Team, where there is capacity this role will shape, support and inform pro bono initiatives across Justice Connect where aligned with organisational priorities and capacity. The Pro Bono Engagement Lead may also contribute insights and strategic advice on pro bono trends to the CEO and Organisational Leadership Team (OLT). 

Our Team

Justice Connect believes in a world in which legal support is within everyone’s reach. In the face of rising levels of unmet legal need, our 2028 strategy sees us put people first, innovating to build our communities' skills, knowledge, and confidence, and grow access to legal support.

Our Innovation & Connections program sits at the intersection of justice and technology, creating new ways for people to access the right legal support. Through specialist intake, triage, outreach, and referrals, we combine digital systems with human-centred legal expertise to improve the experience of both getting and giving legal help.

We collaborate with lawyers and barristers to build platforms that are transforming how pro bono work is done, including our Pro Bono Portal, Firm Manager, and Justice Connect Answers. By designing scalable tools and strengthening the access to justice ecosystem, we’re reimagining how legal support is delivered and experienced.

Our ideal candidate

You'll bring the following skills and experience to the team:

• Strong capabilities in building stakeholder relationships and driving engagement to deliver effective and impactful collaborations
• Experience developing and embedding processes to support improved external stakeholder engagement
• Strong organisational and project management skills
• Effective communication skills
• Responsive and collaborative approach to achieving outcomes

You may also have:

• Skills in working with data, analytics and reporting tools; and/or 
• Experience in the legal assistance, pro bono legal sector or community sector.

You’ll also need to demonstrate commitment to Justice Connect's vision, strategy, and values of being client-centered, responsive, inclusive, innovative, collaborative, and impactful.

What you’ll achieve in the role

• Support strong placement of pro bono legal referrals for Connections team with our pro bono network through strategic and tactical support with referrals and other legal services.
• Identify, scope and contribute to the implementation of new opportunities informed by data to engage and activate pro bono support to address unmet legal need.
• Work with firms, barristers, professional referrers and Justice Connect staff to identify and deliver activities to improve our reach to priority help-seeker cohorts and build pro bono capability to deliver legal assistance to help-seekers.
• Support the organisational leadership team in its engagement with strategic and engaged member firms.
• Identify and respond to risks and issues impacting Justice Connect’s pro bono partnerships

A week in this role

If you were here last week, you would have:

• Meet with your Connections colleagues to review open pro bono referral matters and run through tactics and strategies to facilitate successful placement with pro bono firms or barristers.
• Develop an engagement plan to support increase in appropriate referrals in priority areas informed by team feedback, data and our new strategy.
• Meet with a member firm to discuss changes in interests and capacity and how this aligns with some of our new pro bono opportunities.
• Consult with another Justice Connect team about their engagement with a pro bono partner regarding a complex client matter and provide client-centred input to support their approach to next steps.
• Provide subject matter expertise in an Innovation and Connections workshop in relation to the design and build of our online legal advice tool, based on your experience collaborating with pro bono partners.

What we offer

If you want your next role to have purpose, support your growth, and help you build meaningful connections, Justice Connect is the place to work.

We’re committed to creating an environment where people thrive. Our benefits include:

• A flexible hybrid working model (minimum 40% in-office across the month)
• 5 weeks annual leave, leave loading and additional paid leave over the end-of-year closure period
• Salary packaging to make part of your income tax-free
• Ongoing learning and development opportunities: face-to-face, online, and on demand
• 10 days paid study leave per calendar year
• 5 days paid cultural leave per calendar year
• Access to Employee Assistance Program (EAP) support for you and your immediate family
• Free flu vaccinations
• An inclusive and diverse culture that values continuous improvement, innovation, and sustainability

How to apply

Please upload your resume and a cover letter which outlines your skills and experience that will help you achieve success in this role. 

For further information contact Emma Ryan, Manager and Principal Lawyer - Innovation and Connections via email Emma.Ryan@justiceconnect.org.au.

Important role information

The position reports to the Manager and Principal Lawyer - Innovation and Connections Program

Employment is full time, ongoing.

The salary for this role is $107,531.21 per annum, plus 12% superannuation, annual leave loading and generous salary packaging options

This role can be based at our Melbourne CBD office on Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung and Boon Wurrung Country, or our Sydney CBD office on Gadigal Country. We have flexible hybrid working arrangements, so you’ll spend 40% of your time in the office each month.