Experienced Solicitor (12-month fixed-term opportunity)

New Plymouth District Council; New Plymouth; Hybrid; NZD 116,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

People's Package

Job summary

New Plymouth District Council is seeking an experienced Solicitor on a fixed-term, 12-month basis to provide high-quality legal advice across diverse matters and support decision makers in delivering outcomes for the district.

You will work with stakeholders to navigate legal risks, ensure compliance and deliver practical solutions for our community, with flexible working options including part-time and remote arrangements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Laws required.
• Current New Zealand practising certificate preferred or obtainable.
• Minimum five years PQE in private practice or in-house roles.
• Experience in public law or local government is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Provide robust general legal advice to Council officers and managers.
• Navigate legal risks and ensure compliance across matters.
• Deliver practical, solution-focused guidance for council decisions.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to achieve positive community outcomes.

Skills

Five years PQE

Public sector exposure

Local government experience

Analytical thinking

Education

Bachelor of Laws

Job description

Experienced Solicitor (12-month fixed-term opportunity)

Join us at New Plymouth District Council!

The opportunity - Te āheinga

We are seeking a skilled and motivated Solicitor (fixed-term, 12 months from 23 November) to join our Legal Services team on a 12-month fixed-term basis, providing parental leave cover. This role will suit an experienced lawyer who enjoys providing pragmatic advice, working across diverse issues and partnering with decision makers to deliver outcomes for the New Plymouth District.

We are particularly interested in candidates with public sector or local government experience; however, we are open to lawyers from a range of backgrounds who can demonstrate strong legal judgement and the ability to provide practical, solution-focused advice.

We recognise great candidates come from a range of circumstances. For the right person, we are open to discussing flexible working arrangements, including part-time hours, adjusted work patterns and remote working options.

In this role, you will provide high-quality, practical and relevant legal advice and support across a diverse range of matters. You will partner with stakeholders throughout the organisation, helping to navigate legal risks, ensure compliance and deliver solutions that support positive outcomes for our community.

This position offers the chance to work on varied and interesting legal matters in a fast-paced environment, where no two days are the same. You'll be joining a close-knit team that values collaboration, professional development and delivering trusted legal guidance that makes a real impact.

• Provide robust and practical general legal advice to Council officers and managers in a variety of contexts, which is well reasoned and of high quality to enable pragmatic recommendations and decisions to be made
• Ideally demonstrate a sound understanding of local government law or law relevant to area of practice, to positively contribute to the delivery of quality legal outcomes by the team
• Sound analytical and decision-making skills and the ability to consider legal issues and strategy in the wider Council context
• Bachelor of Laws
• Hold, or able to obtain, a current New Zealand practising certificate
• Minimum five years PQE (private practice or in-house)
• Experience in public law, local government, regulatory law, resource management, property or commercial law would be highly regarded
• Don't meet every requirement? We'd still love to hear from you. If you have the experience, judgement and approach we're looking for, we encourage you to get in touch for a confidential discussion about the role

What we offer - Ngā Ratonga

At New Plymouth District Council, we're not just offering jobs - we're offering interesting work, flexibility and meaningful impact for an experienced Solicitor.

Plus, our People's Package is designed with you in mind, covering five key pillars: wellbeing, development, benefits, culture and recognition.

You can expect to start in this 12-month fixed-term, full-time role with a salary of between $115,687 - $124,684.

Who are we? - Ko wai mātou?

Te Kaunihera-ā-rohe o Ngāmotu - New Plymouth District Council (NPDC) is shaping the future of our district. We're here to serve our community and create a place where people love to live, work and visit. Guided by the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, we're committed to building strong partnerships that honour and celebrate our rich cultural heritage.

At Te Kaunihera-ā-rohe o Ngāmotu, we're proud to be an inclusive and dynamic organisation that values people, creativity and progress. If you're passionate about making a real impact and being part of something bigger, this is the place for you.

Be part of a council that values people, culture and opportunity.

Te Kaunihera-ā-rohe o Ngāmotu is an equal opportunity employer (EOE), and we are committed to providing a working environment that embraces and values diversity and inclusion. If you have any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at the time of application to assist you through the recruitment process.