Legal Aid Debt Officer

About the role

The Legal Aid Debt Officer works in a busy contact centre, handling inbound enquiries and supporting the resolution of legal aid debt. The role requires clear communication, negotiation of repayment plans, and collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.

Key responsibilities

• Respond to inbound calls and emails, providing respectful and professional assistance.
• Apply relevant legislation and policy to assess individual circumstances and determine appropriate actions.
• Communicate obligations, processes, and options in plain language.
• Negotiate fair, realistic, and sustainable repayment arrangements.
• Manage workload, balancing competing priorities and meeting service expectations.
• Handle challenging conversations with resilience and sound judgement.
• Collaborate with legal representatives, tribunals, and other government agencies.

Required profile

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to explain complex information clearly and tailor messages to different audiences.
• Resilience and composure when managing difficult conversations or high workloads.
• Good judgement and decision‑making, with a willingness to learn policy and legislation.
• Excellent organisational skills and ability to manage competing priorities.
• Capability to work independently while contributing positively to a team.
• Proactive attitude, identifying issues and seeking continuous improvement.
• Sound digital capability and confidence using standard office tools.
• Relevant tertiary qualification or equivalent experience (desirable but not essential).

Required skills