Legal Compliance and Privacy Advisor

Selwyn District Council; Rolleston; On-site; NZD 75,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Life insurance

Sick leave from day one

Three extra days paid council leave

Two weeks paid Partners Leave

Career coaching and development

KiwiSaver contribution continuity

Discounts with local businesses

Job summary

Selwyn District Council is seeking a practical, analytical legal/compliance advisor to translate requirements into clear advice and practical systems. You will monitor legislative changes, support privacy functions, and strengthen delegation and risk frameworks within a dynamic local government environment.

You will engage across teams, influence stakeholders, and help staff understand impacts, with a focus on delivering calm, well-reasoned guidance and robust governance support.

Qualifications

• Legal, policy or compliance advisory experience.
• A relevant tertiary qualification or equivalent experience.
• Experience interpreting legislation and advising on impacts.
• Strong research, analysis, drafting and problem-solving skills.
• Strong organisation and project coordination skills.
• Ability to turn complex information into clear insights.
• Ability to build collaboration and capability.
• Adaptability and sound judgement.

Responsibilities

• Monitor legislation, regulation and government policy affecting Council.
• Assess impacts and advise staff and leaders.
• Maintain compliance frameworks, systems and reporting.
• Support privacy requests, complaints and impact assessments.
• Coordinate Ombudsman complaints and investigations.
• Improve financial and non-financial delegations.
• Work across teams to strengthen assurance and manage risk.
• Build capability through training and coaching.

Skills

Legal advisory

Policy interpretation

Stakeholder communication

Research & drafting

Problem solving

Project coordination

Analytical thinking

Education

Tertiary qualification in law or policy

Job description

About The Role

Our Legal and Risk Team were the 2026 Winners of the People and Culture excellence award (and finalists in two other categories including small in-house team of the year). You'll be joining this innovative and hard-working team, where you will be supported in your growth and have your ideas valued and championed.

Local government is operating in a period of significant legislative and regulatory change. This is an opportunity to help Selwyn District Council respond with clear advice, practical systems and sound judgement.

This role turns legal requirements into practical advice and systems. You will monitor legislative change, support Privacy Officer functions, and strengthen Council's compliance and delegation frameworks.

Key focus areas:

• Monitoring legislation, regulation and government policy affecting Council
• Assessing impacts and advising staff and leaders
• Maintaining compliance frameworks, systems and reporting
• Supporting privacy requests, complaints and impact assessments
• Coordinating Ombudsman complaints and investigations
• Improving financial and non-financial delegations
• Working across teams to strengthen assurance and manage risk
• Building capability through training and coaching

About You

You are a practical, analytical advisor who makes complex requirements clear. You manage competing priorities, communicate confidently and influence stakeholders.

You bring:

• Legal, policy or compliance advisory experience
• A relevant tertiary qualification or equivalent experience
• Experience interpreting legislation and advising on impacts
• Strong research, analysis, drafting and problem-solving skills
• Strong organisation and project coordination skills
• Ability to turn complex information into clear insights
• Ability to build collaboration and capability
• Adaptability and sound judgement

Local or central government experience and knowledge of the legislation affecting local government would be an advantage.

What we offer

• Great work-life balance with flexibility
• Career coaching and development
• Life insurance
• Paid Wellbeing and volunteer leave
• Three extra days paid council leave
• Two weeks paid Partners Leave
• Sick leave from day one
• Continued KiwiSaver contributions during savings suspension
• Discounts with local and national businesses

About Us

Selwyn is one of the fastest-growing districts in New Zealand. We have a fantastic quality of life, great communities, and a thriving economy. Our Council works actively with residents to provide the services and facilities that help our communities to thrive and grow.

Our head office is based in Rolleston (only 25km from Christchurch), which offers an enviable family lifestyle, outstanding local facilities and an easy drive to the ski fields, rivers and hills that make up Canterbury's stunning landscape.

Our values are important to us and represent the way we work:

• Be a good human
• Be brave - Think differently
• Better together- Make it happen for Selwyn. We honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi and we are committed to working with our Treaty partner to deliver on our obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi.