Lead Solicitor

Environmental Protection Authority NZ; Wellington; On-site; NZD 148,000 - 222,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working culture

Extra leave: Christmas/New Year days

Home setup grant $400

EPA Environment Day

Māori cultural capability program

EPA Symposium learning opportunities

Active social club & networks

EPA awards

Job summary

The Environmental Protection Authority NZ (EPA) seeks a Lead Solicitor to shape, lead, and manage a high-performing in-house legal function in Wellington. You will oversee a team of solicitors and senior solicitors while delivering expert legal advice and support on environmental, public, and commercial law matters.

We value a candidate with 10+ years PQE and strong leadership, analytical, and strategic skills.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of PQE as a lawyer
• Experience in public sector, private practice, or as in-house advisor
• Leadership and people management experience
• Strong analytical and advisory skills
• Experience in litigation or litigation management desirable
• Strategic thinking and results orientation

Responsibilities

• Lead the in-house legal function and manage the solicitors team
• Provide expert legal advice and support to EPA stakeholders
• Shape and deliver high-performance regulatory legal services

Skills

Leadership

Regulatory expertise

Analytical thinking

Strategic thinking

Litigation management

Public sector exposure

Problem solving

Adaptability

Job description

As New Zealand's environmental regulator, the work we do today helps shape the future of our tomorrow.

Our purpose | To tatou kaupapa

We are the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), Aotearoa New Zealand’s independent environmental regulator. Our role is important: to help protect our country’s unique way of life by looking out for the health of its environment, its economy and its people.

Our kaupapa is about making the right decisions based on evidence, mātauranga, and science. At the EPA, we encourage big ideas and bold goals.

What we achieve today helps shape the future of New Zealand for generations to come.

About our group | Mō te roopu

The Legal Group supports the EPA in delivering its legal and regulatory obligations and strategic direction. It provides specialist advice to identify and manage legal risk and promote excellent regulatory practice.

About the role | Mō te tūnga

This role is based in our Wellington office. While we’re able to consider work-from-home arrangements, this role is not designed for full-time remote working.

The Lead Solicitor is a member of the Legal leadership team, shaping, leading, and managing a high performing in-house legal function. The Lead Solicitor manages a team of solicitors and senior solicitors while providing expert legal advice and support.

About you | Mōhou ake

We are looking for someone with a range of skills and experience – if you have some or all of the below, we would love to hear from you.

• 10+ years’ experience PQE as a lawyer
• Seasoned professional experience in the public sector, private practice or as in-house advisor.
• Quick learner and adaptable
• Proven background in producing quality legal services, helpful to have experience in environmental, public and/or commercial law.
• Experience litigating or with litigation management is desirable.
• Demonstrated leadership and people management and operational management skills
• Excellent analytical skills and ability to provide accurate, timely, practical, solutions-focused legal advice
• Strong problem-solving skills including the ability to think strategically and drive high performance

What’s in it for you | Ngā āhuatanga kei a mātou

There are extra benefits to working at the EPA:

• flexible working culture
• three additional paid leave days between Christmas and New Years in addition to four weeks’ annual leave
• $400 non-taxable payment to help you set up working at home
• an annual paid EPA Environment Day to support the community with environmental initiatives
• in-house Māori cultural capability building programme
• learning opportunities, including the annual EPA Symposium
• active and lively social club, and diverse groups and support networks
• EPA awards recognising individual and team effort

Salary range

$147,688 - $221,532 per annum (midpoint $184,610).

This is the full salary range of the band, from 80% - 120%. Appointments will generally be made at or below the midpoint of this range, depending on skills and experience.

Applications close | Rā Katinga

Monday 5pm, 14 September 2026

We will review applications as they are submitted and may begin our selection process prior to the end of the application stage.