Are you passionate about helping young professionals launch their careers? Do you thrive in a dynamic environment where every day brings new challenges and opportunities? If so, we’d like to meet you! We're looking for an Early Careers Consultant to play an instrumental role in attracting, developing, and retaining top early career talent in our Melbourne office.

About us:

Clayton Utz is one of Australia's leading law firms, and you'll be joining a supportive team dedicated to developing the next generation of lawyers. We're proud to be ranked as a Top Graduate Employer by the AAGE, and we pride ourselves on creating exceptional recruitment and development experiences that equip our clerks and graduates with the skills, guidance, and confidence they need to succeed. We believe in creating a welcoming and inclusive workplace where everyone’s ideas are valued and where collaboration drives innovation.

The role:

As part of the Early Careers team, you will be a key player in shaping the future of our legal workforce. This diverse role will see you recruiting the clerk and graduate cohorts for our Melbourne office, as well as delivering holistic HR and development support to clerks and graduates when they join us. The role therefore provides a unique opportunity to shape the 360° experience of our clerkships and graduate program – from attracting applications all the way through to conducting end-of-program reviews.

While this is a permanent, full-time position, we also welcome applications from Working Holiday Makers who may be interested in a shorter-term contract or exploring potential sponsorship opportunities.

Your role will involve:

• Managing the end-to-end recruitment process for our seasonal clerks and graduates in Melbourne.
• Overseeing the smooth running of the seasonal clerkships and the graduate program in our Melbourne office.
• Working alongside our People & Development (HR) Consultants to rotate graduates through our teams, develop their skills, manage their performance, and provide an exceptional end-to-end program experience.
• Facilitating and leading talent and performance discussions with key internal stakeholders and senior leaders.
• Designing and delivering engaging workshops and training sessions on topics such as CV/resume writing, interview techniques, and career development.
• Organising events, workshops, and networking opportunities – you will find yourself attending various recruiting events to ensure we are recognised as an employer of choice.
• Building and maintaining strong relationships with universities, law societies, student groups, and other external organisations.
• Providing ongoing support and guidance to our graduates and leaders, helping them navigate any challenges that may arise during the graduate program.
• Collaborating with our national team to develop innovative programs that meet the evolving talent needs of our firm.

What we’re looking for:

We’re looking for someone who is enthusiastic, empathetic, and driven by a genuine desire to help others succeed. You'll need to be a confident communicator, good at building relationships, and able to navigate complex challenges by coming up with creative solutions.

The ideal candidate will have:

• A background in HR or recruitment in an early careers or campus recruiting team.
• Experience working in a legal or professional services firm, or similar environment.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• The ability to inspire and motivate others.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• A proactive approach and a willingness to build relationships with candidates and stakeholders.
• A growth mindset and a genuine desire to learn and grow.

Don't worry if you don't tick all the boxes. We're passionate about developing our people and we'd like to meet you if you think you've got all the skills and strengths to excel in this role.

Why join us?

You’ll be part of a collaborative team that values your contributions and encourages your professional growth. With a presence in all our major offices, our National People and Development (P&D) team advises the business on all people-related initiatives, including talent management, employee relations, resourcing, recruitment, remuneration, benefits, reporting, learning and organisational development.

This role sits within our Early Careers team, responsible for designing and delivering market-leading early talent acquisition and development programs that align with the firm's vision, culture, and strategy. Join us and contribute to shaping the future of our workforce through innovative and impactful initiatives.

If you’re excited about the opportunity to make a positive impact on the careers of our graduate lawyers, we can't wait to hear from you!

Click here for more information and to apply

• Join one of Australia's top legal Clerkship and Graduate employers as ranked by the Australian Association of Graduate Employers 2025
• An exciting opportunity to continue leading the success of our programs by attracting, selecting and developing early career talent.
• Collaborative and supportive team environment with excellent benefits on offer
• As a leading law firm, we actively seek people from diverse backgrounds to enrich our culture and performance

Role Detail

Join our team as a full time Early Careers Manager! Are you passionate about shaping the future of young professionals in the legal industry? At King & Wood Mallesons, we’re committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment where everyone can thrive. As an Early Careers Manager in our Melbourne Centre, you will play a pivotal role in managing our Graduate and Clerk programs, ensuring a fulfilling and rewarding experience for our clerks and grads.

• Oversee Melbourne early career function: from campus recruitment to when our graduates complete their program, you will identify innovative solutions and lead continuous program improvements.
• Lead bulk recruitment campaigns: Oversee bulk seasonal clerk and graduate recruitment campaigns with a focus on attracting top talent and exceptional candidate experience.
• Enhance clerkship programs: deliver competitive seasonal clerkship programs, with a focus on ensuring a positive overall experience for all clerks in the Melbourne Centre.
• Manage the graduate experience: including managing the resourcing needs, performance and development and the rotation process for junior solicitors within their 18 month graduate program.
• Manage attraction and branding: leading university and student engagement strategies including campus activities for Melbourne centre.
• Collaborate across teams: be a driving force behind the Melbourne early careers strategy, collaborating closely with our Melbourne Graduate Recruitment Partners, the National Early Careers team and many other teams such as Diversity, Talent & Capability, Hospitality and Business Services.

This is an exciting opportunity to join us as we strive to continually enhance our programs, with strong support from the business, who are eager to drive meaningful change for the future of our business.

About You

• A minimum of 4 years in a human resources advisory role, with knowledge of or exposure to professional services and early career environments being advantageous
• Degree qualified and/or formal qualifications in human resource management or a business related discipline
• Familiarity with Workday or a similar HRIS system is desirable, along with a solid understanding of Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint)
• Exceptional organisational and time management skills to prioritise a variety of tasks simultaneously and meet tight deadlines
• A keen eye for detail to ensure accuracy and completeness in all aspects of the role
• Confident verbal and written communication skills to engage with a range of stakeholders
• A positive, professional, and flexible attitude toward interacting with people and navigating various situations
• Ability to form strong credible relationships both internally and externally with professionalism and ease

Who are we?

A firm born in Asia, underpinned by world class capability.

With over 3000 lawyers in 26 global locations, we help our clients manage their risk and enable their growth. Our full-service offering combines un-matched top tier local capability complemented with an international platform.

We have deep roots in Australia spanning almost 200 years and acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the traditional owners and custodians of these lands and waters.

Why work with us?

We promote a collaborative culture where people feel respected, valued and supported both personally and professionally, and where diversity and inclusion also play an important role in enhancing our knowledge, driving innovative solutions for our clients and creating positive social impact.

We live by our Principles, and strive for mastery in all that we do. We take pride in the high quality work we deliver. Working with colleagues and clients who are leaders in their fields, means the ability to explore new paths to progress with continual learning and development, career and leadership opportunities.

As part of the KWM community you’ll have access to a suite of wellbeing initiatives, benefits, policies and processes, to enable you to achieve your career goals.

At KWM, we’ll provide you with the platform to Learn, Master, Lead.

Next Steps

Please click the button below for more information and to apply online with your cover letter summarising why you’re applying and your resume to support your experience.

Applications close Thursday 26 June at 5:00pm.