General Counsel

Indevin Group; Auckland; On-site; NZD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player in the wine sector is seeking a dynamic General Counsel to lead their legal function. This role offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of a growing business, providing strategic legal guidance to the Board and senior leadership. As a trusted advisor, you'll navigate complex legal landscapes, manage risks, and support major initiatives in a fast-paced environment. Join a purpose-led organization that values innovation, sustainability, and a collaborative culture, where your expertise will have a meaningful impact on the business's success. If you are passionate about the law and want to drive value in a thriving industry, this is the perfect opportunity for you.

Qualifications

• Qualified lawyer with substantial experience in corporate and commercial law.
• Strong communicator with exceptional judgment and business acumen.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal counsel on compliance, regulatory matters, and litigation.
• Partner with executives to align legal advice with business strategy.
• Draft and negotiate a range of contracts and manage legal risks.

Skills

Corporate Law

Commercial Law

Legal Risk Management

Contract Negotiation

Cross-border Compliance

Intellectual Property Strategy

Leadership

Strategic Communication

Education

Law Degree

Job description

Indevin creates exclusive wine programs for the world’s biggest wine retailers. With uniquely Kiwi ways of working, our partnerships are select, collaborative, and long term.

About Us

Home to the iconic brand Villa Maria, our vision is to be one of the world’s great wine companies, sharing the best of New Zealand with the world.

Our grapes come from over 6,000 hectares of planted vineyards and blended in our wineries across three of the renowned wine regions - Marlborough, Hawke’s Bay, and Gisborne - and our wines are exported globally. From grape to glass, we’ve been pioneers of wine industry practices since 2003 - we’re passionate about wine and we love what we do!

From our wine supply business to our branded wines - we are proud of our incredible footprint in the industry.

The Role

We’re looking for a dynamic and commercially minded General Counsel to join our team. Reporting to the CFO, this role leads our legal function as we embark on a period of innovation and growth. In this pivotal role, you will act as a trusted advisor to the Board, CEO, and senior leadership, delivering proactive legal and strategic guidance across all areas of the business. If you're passionate about using your legal expertise to drive value, shape strategy, and manage risk in a fast-paced, purpose-led organisation, we want to hear from you.

You’ll Be Responsible For

• Partnering with senior executives to align legal advice with business strategy and commercial goals and advising the Board and CEO on legal and enterprise risk.
• Shaping and supporting major strategic initiatives, commercial projects, and M&A activity.
• Providing timely legal counsel on cross-border compliance, regulatory matters, and litigation.
• Leading IP strategy, including trademark portfolio and data protection oversight.
• Identifying and managing legal risks across contracts, employment, regulatory, and privacy and ensuring robust policies and governance frameworks are embedded across the organisation.
• Supporting internal investigations, whistleblower matters, and ethics-related concerns.
• Drafting, reviewing and negotiating a wide range of contracts – from supplier and grower agreements to strategic partnerships and property transactions.
• Managing relationships with external counsel and key stakeholders and ensuring that legal spend is optimised and aligned to business priorities.

What We're Looking For

• A qualified lawyer with substantial post-qualification experience in corporate, commercial, senior legal counsel or general counsel roles.
• Proven ability to operate at a strategic level, ideally within a fast-moving, regulated industry (e.g., FMCG, agribusiness, manufacturing).
• A strong communicator with exceptional judgment, business acumen, and leadership presence.
• Experience managing external advisors, and complex cross-functional matters.
• Commercially pragmatic, collaborative, and solutions-focused.

Our Culture

We have talented teams working in a variety of breath-taking locations. Our priority and investment in the wellbeing and diversity of our people is core to our purpose. We’re all about authenticity and transparency so rather than bombard you with corporate jargon– here’s the real Indevin:

• We’re a good ol’ Kiwi company who is proud to be a wine industry leader and we have years of hard work to thank for it.
• Our business is proudly spearheaded by the Villa Maria Brand.
• We take our work, but not ourselves, too seriously.
• We work with people from all over the world because our diversity makes us stronger.
• We’re very passionate about what we do. We love wine, sharing our knowledge and making Indevin an inspiring place to work.

Apply

This is more than a legal role—it’s an opportunity to shape the future of a growing business. You’ll join a purpose-led organisation that empowers innovation, supports sustainability, and values clear, commercially-aligned thinking. We offer a flexible, inclusive work environment where your voice and expertise will have a real impact.

If this role piques your interest, don’t delay – apply online today.