Job Description

Department of Personnel Management

Designation : Principal Legal Officer (Code- DPM 06-17)

Job Description / Responsibilities:

1.  IDENTIFICATION

AGENCY:

Department of Personnel Management

SYS. POSN. NO:

1490000048

REF. NO:

DPM 06-17

 

OFFICE:

Executive Resourcing Services

DESIGNATION/CLASSIFICATION: 

Principal Legal Officer, Grade 16

DIVISION:

Legal and Investigations

LOCAL DESIGNATION:

Principal Legal Officer

BRANCH:

Legal

REPORTING TO:   Director- Legal and Investigations

SYS. POS. NO:   1490000047

REF. NO:               DPM 06-16

SECTION:

Legal and Investigations

LOCATION:

Central Government Office, Waigani

HISTORY OF POSITION

FILE REF.

DATE OF VARIATION

DETAILS

ORG: 1/2016

Approved 27/03/2025

Create

Org: 1/19

02 July 2019

 Reno, Revised JD

ORG:1/2025

Structure Approved Date:27th March 2025

Transfer from Office of Sec, Reno, Revised JD

2.    PURPOSE

To plan, supervise and manage the legal officers and all legal matters of the Legal Branch. Also assist the Director with co-ordination, implementation and compliance with the Vision, Mission, Functions, Capacity Building Plan (CBP), together with management, corporate and strategic plans of the Department.

3.    DIMENSIONS

The Legal Branch has a total staffing level of two (2). The Principal Legal Officer reports directly to the Director on a regular basis on all legal matters concerning the Department, Minister for Public Service and the National Public Service. The facilities include two (2) computers, two (2) office desk and chairs, one (1) filing cabinet and one (1) telephone for the Directorate.

4.     PRINCIPLE ACCOUNTABILITIES

  •  Plan, supervise and manage legal matters relating to selection and recruitment, appointment, suspension, revocation and termination of departmental heads, provincial administrators, heads and Boards of statutory authorities, senior Contract Officers and employees in the National Public Service.
  • Supervise and oversee the work of the subordinates of the Branch.
  • Prepare and present appropriate reports or briefs to the Secretary and Minister for Public Service as required or directed.
  • Make court appearances.
  • Prepare all necessary court documents pertaining to a particular court matter.
  • Provide brief and status report for all court matters to Secretary and Minister for Public Service through the Director.
  • Ensure that the core business and objectives relevant to the Directorate under Corporate Plan and the Management Action Plan are prioritized and implemented accordingly.
  • Planning of Division’s work programs & activities, and to provide inputs into the preparation of annual budgets estimates.
  • Record and attend to all personnel matters including PSC Summons and PSC Decisions.

5.     MAJOR DUTIES

  • Court appearances;
  • Drafting Legal documents;
  • Assess and advice relevant parties on Legal matters and Court Decision;
  • Provide instructions for Brief out of court matters;
  • Assess disciplinary reports on allegations against heads of agencies provided by relevant authority.

6.     NATURE AND SCOPE

The Legal Branch is one of the branches of Legal and Investigation Directorate which reports to the Director on the management of all legal matters as one of the core functions of the Directorate.

6.1  REPORTING AND WORKING RELATIONSHIP

(a) Internal

Secretary, Deputy Secretaries, Executive Managers and Directors, Managers and Staff of other Divisions of the Department.

(b) External

Agency Heads, Deputies, Lawyers (Both State lawyers and private lawyers), Human Resources Managers, all other Government Agencies, Private institutions and Non-Government Organizations for general advising and litigation relating to administrative decisions.

6.2        WORK ENVIRONMENT

The Principal Legal Officer is responsible for all legal matter, litigation and advising on selection and recruitment, appointment, suspension, revocation and termination of departmental heads, provincial administrators, heads and Boards of statutory authorities, senior Contract Officers and employees in the National Public Service that are resulting from lack of compliance to rules and regulations governing the National Public Service.

7.      CONSTRAINTS FRAMEWORK AND BOUNDARIES

  • Inadequate budget appropriations for travelling.
  • Lack of funding for necessary tasks;
  • Lack of co-operation and/delayed responses from other relevant stakeholders.

.7.1 Rules/procedures

Broad Knowledge of Public Service (Management) Act; the General Orders; the National Constitution; the Organic Law on Provincial and Local Level Government Act; Regulatory Statutory Authorities (Appointment to certain Officers Act, 2004), Public Service Regulations.

7.2 Decision

Allocation/assignment of tasks / activities to subordinates positions (staff) of the Branch.

7.3 Recommendations

  • Branch work plan and budget;
  • Branch reports;
  • Disciplinary actions for the staff of the Branch;
  • Staff personnel matters (Leave, SPA, etc)
  • Training and development plan for the staff of the Branch.

8.     CHALLENGE

  • Lack of necessary resources available.
  • Lack of corporation and response by relevant stakeholders.
  • Delayed responses.
  • Lack of skilled persons on the job.
  • Conflict of Interest.

9.     QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCES AND SKILLS

(a) Qualifications

Appropriate Master’s/Post graduate or Bachelor’s Degree in Law from a desirable and recognized university to be considered for the position of Director.

(b) Knowledge

Possesses a proficient level of knowledge on:

  1. Public Services (Management) Act, Public Services General Orders, Public Finance (Management) Act, Organic Law on Provincial and Local Level Governments, Public Service Regulations and their application;
  2. Department’s Vision, Mission, Functions, Capacity Building Plan (CBP), Management Action Plan, Corporate and Strategic plan;
  3. Good knowledge on administration of Public service matters and Development Policies, Procedures and Systems, and their application;
  4. Sound knowledge of corporate planning and implementation;
  5. Good knowledge of Human Resources Assessments litigation and Investigative Skills;
  6. Practice and procedures for all relevant Courts in the Country;
  7. Computer literate.

(c) Skills

Must have the ability to demonstrate the following:

  •  Written and Oral (presentation) communication in English;
  • Satisfactory report writing skills;
  • Investigative skills;
  • Evaluation and reporting;
  • Legal and legislative drafting;
  • Management and Leadership Qualities;
  • Analytical and research;
  • Staff motivation and supervision.

(d) Work Experience

Minimum of 3 years’ work experience in the field of litigation and general advising.

 

Job Type:

Full Time

Language Requirements:

English

Salary(per annum):

K56172.00

Job Location:

Waigani

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