Managing Legal Counsel - Hawthorn East

A new role means a new way to win together. We’ve been proudly serving Australian communities since 1914 and at the heart of our continued success lies our 115,000 team members working across the country. If you’re looking for a career-defining opportunity, take the next step and explore another way your work can have impact and make a difference.

About the team

Because of our size, who we are and what we do, each day brings with it a lot of complexity that our legal team make simple. With a deep understanding of Coles Group’s goals and values, we’re able to provide practical and commercial advice that helps us all win.

About Coles

We’ve been proudly serving Australian communities since 1914 and have grown to become a top 30-listed company on the ASX with a portfolio of iconic homegrown brands. At the heart of our continued success is over 115,000 team members working across the country, all contributing to bringing our customers smiles. You’ll not only get to see your work make a difference, you’ll be part of a team working together to help Australians eat and live better every day.

About the Role

As one of Australia’s largest retailers, Coles touches the lives of nearly every Australian. In this role, you’ll see your work make a real impact on how Australians eat and live, while advising on complex, high-value matters and critical issues that shape the future direction of the business.

Coles Group is seeking a commercially astute and operationally grounded Managing Legal Counsel to partner with our Supply Chain, Automation, and Operations functions. This role sits at the heart of some of Coles’ most complex and high‑value transformation initiatives, including automated distribution centres, large‑scale logistics operations, and strategic GNFR procurement programs.

You will act as a trusted legal adviser to senior stakeholders, balancing legal risk with commercial outcomes, and enabling the business to deliver critical infrastructure and operational capability at scale.

You’ll also:

• Act as the primary legal business partner to Supply Chain, Automation, Logistics and Operations teams, embedded in day‑to‑day decision‑making and long‑term strategy.
• Act as a representative for the Coles Legal function on steering, project and risk committees.
• Draft, review and negotiate a wide range of complex commercial agreements, including:
• Road transport and distribution/warehousing services agreements
• International shipping agreements
• Automation supply, installation and maintenance services agreements
• GNFR procurement and strategic supplier arrangements
• Provide pragmatic advice on risk allocation, liability frameworks, performance regimes, termination rights and governance structures, tailored to large operational environments.
• Advise on regulatory and compliance matters relevant to supply chain operations, with a focus on industrial relations.
• Coach and mentor junior lawyers and contribute to capability uplift across the Commercial Legal Team.
• Collaborate closely with Procurement, Supply Chain, Automation and Operations to deliver integrated outcomes.

About you and your skills

Our ideal candidate is a highly autonomous and resilient legal professional who thrives in a fast-paced, high-volume environment. With a strong understanding of commercial and regulatory issues, you can demonstrate exceptional strategic thinking and the ability to deliver high-quality and commercially focussed legal advice and influence a diverse range of stakeholders. You are adept at identifying and implementing process improvements to enhance legal service delivery, while motivating high-performing teams and driving continuous improvement initiatives. You have experience in corporate or commercial law, ideally with exposure to procurement, distribution and supply chain operations. You thrive on complexity, think strategically, and communicate with clarity and influence.

You’ll also ideally have:

• Current legal practising certificate
• Minimum 10+ years PQE in top-tier law firm or large corporate
• Strong experience advising on large scale operational, infrastructure or technology enabled projects.
• Deep understanding of supply chain, logistics, automation or manufacturing environments, with the ability to translate legal theory into practical outcomes.
• Sound understanding of industrial relations and workforce frameworks relevant to large scale supply chain and logistics operations, including the practical impacts of enterprise agreements, Minimum Standards and Contractual Chain Orders, contractor models, and unionised workforces on operational risk, service delivery and commercial decision making.
• Familiarity with Heavy Vehicle National Law, Carriage of Goods by Sea Act and Hague-Visby Rules, design and construct Australian Standard (AS) contracts and regulators including the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator and Fair Work Commission
• Highly commercial and solutions focused, with confidence operating in fast moving, complex stakeholder environments.
• Comfortable negotiating with major domestic and international suppliers, integrators and service providers.
• Strong judgement on risk, with a proven ability to design frameworks and tools that empower the business rather than slow it down.
• Excellent communication skills — able to influence senior leaders and explain complex issues to non legal audiences.

What’s in it for you?

• Flexible working options: We know that work is only one part of your life, so we actively encourage a positive work-life balance and provide hybrid working options to help you achieve it.
• Office perks: Take advantage of our gym facility and fitness classes, free parking, BBQ area, mini-Coles supermarket, fooderie hub where you can sample new products before they hit the shelves, school holiday program and so much more when you come in.
• Discounts: Eligible team members receive 5% discount all year round on your Supermarket and Liquor online and in-store purchases. We also offer additional periods of double discount (10%) at various times throughout the year. As well as hotdeals exclusive to team members that translate into additional savings.
• Reward through recognition: Give and receive recognition, linked to our Coles values, through our digital recognition platform ‘mythanks’. You can accumulate points to redeem in the online shop for exciting gifts and electronic gift cards from an extensive range of retailers.
• Opportunities for learning and development: No matter where you start within our diverse business, you’ll have experiences, exposure, and education to satisfy you. Discover and explore a variety of career development programs and job-specific training.
• Paid parental leave: We understand how important your life outside work is and offer permanent team members paid parental leave to support you in balancing work and family.
• Investment in your future: Our annual team member share plan offer allows eligible team members to make regular pre-tax salary sacrifice deductions to purchase Coles Group shares.

About the recruitment process

We’re continuing to build a gender equitable team, and a culture that is just as diverse, inclusive and welcoming as the communities we serve. We are committed to creating a workplace that is safe and respectful for our team. We encourage applications from people of all ages, cultures (including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples), abilities, sexual orientation and gender identities.

We’re happy to adjust our recruitment process to support candidates with disability. For further information and additional contact details visit the ‘Our Recruitment Process’ section of our careers site or email inclusionrecruitment@coles.com.au

Job ID: 184251

Employment Type: Full time

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