Head of Legal - Investments, Corporate & M&A

About the role

We're looking for a highly experienced and commercially astute senior lawyer to lead legal support across major infrastructure investment and corporate transaction activities.

Reporting to the Group General Counsel, this is a critical leadership role partnering with senior executives across the business. You will play a key role in shaping and delivering complex investment strategies, advising on high-value transactions, and enabling the successful delivery of infrastructure projects.

This role offers the opportunity to work at the forefront of infrastructure investment, including public-private partnerships, project finance, and strategic M&A initiatives.

Key responsibilities

• Lead legal support for CIMIC Group's infrastructure investment activities, including opportunities involving Pacific Partnerships, public private partnerships, build-operate-transfer projects, concession arrangements, project finance, equity investments, co-investment structures and related asset management matters.
• Provide high quality, strategic and commercially focused legal advice to the Group General Counsel, Executive Leadership Team, Group Legal Team, Pacific Partnerships, Strategy and M&A, Treasury, Finance, Tax and Operating Company stakeholders.
• Lead or manage legal workstreams for complex M&A, investment, divestment, joint venture, corporate restructure, financing and other strategic transactions.
• Draft, review and negotiate transaction documents, shareholder agreements, joint venture agreements, bid agreements, investment documentation, governance documents, commercial contracts and ancillary transaction documents.
• Manage legal due diligence, transaction risk assessment, issue identification, mitigation planning and reporting to senior stakeholders.
• Manage the efficient use of external counsel and specialist advisers, including scoping work, coordinating advice, controlling costs and ensuring advice is practical, timely and aligned with CIMIC Group objectives.
• Support CIMIC Group's investment governance, including review of project company, joint venture and investment board materials and advice on legal, governance and risk issues.
• Support the management of CIMIC Group's investments by advising on shareholder, , asset management, operations and maintenance, refinancing, restructuring, dispute, exit and other lifecycle matters.
• Advise on corporate and commercial legal matters, including corporations law, governance, directors' duties, related party transactions, treasury matters, commercial contracts, regulatory issues and Group policy compliance.
• Monitor relevant legislative and regulatory changes and provide practical advice on implications for the Group's investment, corporate, financing and transaction activities.
• Maintain effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders and support a collaborative, commercially focused and high-performing legal function.
• Provide mentoring, guidance and support to other lawyers or team members as required.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant legal and regulatory requirements, CIMIC Group policies, governance processes and approval requirements.
• Continually contribute to improvement of work systems, processes and planning systems within the legal team.
• Support the development of legal strategies, initiatives and change management plans across CIMIC Group as directed from time to time.

About you

You are an experienced legal leader with strong commercial acumen and a track record of delivering results in complex, high-value environments.

Experience

• Extensive post-admission experience in corporate, M&A, infrastructure or project finance (top-tier private practice and/or in-house)
• Proven experience in infrastructure investments, PPPs, project finance or similar capital-intensive sectors
• Strong experience leading legal aspects of major transactions (acquisitions, JVs, financings, restructures)
• Exposure to financing, treasury or capital markets is advantageous

Qualifications

• Law degree and admission (or eligibility) to practice in Australia
• Strong financial literacy; additional qualifications in finance, commerce or related fields are desirable

Capabilities

• Commercially astute with a pragmatic, solutions-focused approach
• Confident communicator able to translate complex issues into clear advice
• Influential stakeholder manager with experience engaging senior executives
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Resilient and adaptable in fast-paced, high-pressure environments
• Collaborative leadership style with a focus on continuous improvement