Senior Advisor Operational Legal Services

New Zealand Ministry Of Economic Development; Auckland; On-site; NZD 86,000 - 102,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Kiwisaver

Wellness Benefits

Job summary

MBIE is seeking a Senior Advisor in Operational Legal Services within Business Registries (Companies Office) in Auckland. You will apply legislation in practice and provide practical operational solutions across privacy, NZBN escalations and address suppression matters, while supporting broader statutory and regulatory work.

The role involves assessing complex matters, coordinating with teams, and delivering clear, defensible advice and recommendations to stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Sound judgement and discretion when handling sensitive information.
• Ability to interpret and apply legislation and regulatory frameworks.
• Strong organisation and prioritisation skills.
• Attention to detail and commitment to high-quality work.
• Ability to learn new systems and subject areas quickly.

Responsibilities

• Assess and manage privacy matters, including requests, information-handling issues, privacy risks and breaches.
• Assess and administer address suppression matters under the Family Violence Act 2018.
• Manage NZBN enquiries and escalations needing interpretation or cross-team coordination.
• Contribute to other statutory, regulatory and operational matters as needed.
• Interpret and apply legislation, policy and operational processes to reach sound conclusions.
• Prepare clear advice, correspondence, assessments and recommendations.
• Work with internal and external stakeholders to gather information and resolve issues.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Clear communication

Legal reasoning

Interpreting legislation

Problem solving

Organisation

Attention to detail

Learning new systems

Adaptability

Education

Relevant tertiary qualification or equivalent experience

Job description

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Senior Advisor Operational Legal Services

Date: 17 Sept 2026

Location: Auckland, NZ, 1010

Discover a career with purpose at MBIE

• Are you an analytical thinker and clear communicator who enjoys working through complex information?
• Work across varied statutory, regulatory and operational matters, with scope to broaden your expertise.
• Apply legislation in practice and find practical operational solutions.
• Salary: $85,537–$101,911 +Kiwisaver +Wellness Benefits, Auckland CBD perm, full-time role.

The Senior Advisor Operational Legal Services is a key specialist role within Operational Legal Services in Business Registries (Companies Office). The role has three primary workstreams: privacy matters, New Zealand Business Number (NZBN) escalations, and address suppression matters under the Family Violence Act 2018. In practice, the role also contributes to other statutory, regulatory and operational matters that support team and Business Registries objectives, including requests under the Official Information Act 1982, Personal Property Securities Register matters and director prohibitions under section 385 of the Companies Act 1993. The mix of work will continue to evolve in response to business needs, providing opportunities to build capability and experience across a broader range of matters.

You will assess complex and sensitive matters, interpret legislation and operational requirements, coordinate with teams across Business Registries and MBIE, and prepare clear, accurate and defensible advice, correspondence and recommendations.

We are looking for someone who can analyse complex information, exercise sound judgement, communicate with precision and quickly build capability across new subject areas and systems. Experience across every workstream is not required.

In this role, you will:

• Assess and manage privacy matters, including requests, information-handling issues, privacy risks, breaches and related assurance work
• Assess and administer address suppression matters under the Family Violence Act 2018, including applications, escalations and enquiries
• Manage complex NZBN enquiries and escalations, including matters requiring legislative interpretation, investigation or coordination across teams
• Contribute flexibly to other matters that support team and Business Registries priorities as business needs evolve
• Interpret and apply legislation, policy and operational processes to reach sound and defensible conclusions
• Prepare clear advice, correspondence, assessments and recommendations
• Work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders to gather information, resolve issues and support timely outcomes

Skills and Experience Required

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex or sensitive matters clearly and accurately
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify key issues and form sound conclusions
• Sound judgement and discretion when working with sensitive personal or non-public information
• The ability to interpret and apply legislation, policy and regulatory frameworks in a practical operational setting
• Strong organisation and prioritisation skills, with the ability to manage competing demands and meet statutory or agreed deadlines
• Exceptional attention to detail and a commitment to accurate, consistent and high-quality work
• Confidence working with systems, records and structured information, together with adaptability and the ability to learn new systems and subject areas quickly as operational priorities evolve
• Adaptability, curiosity and a willingness to work across different subject areas as operational priorities evolve
• A relevant tertiary qualification, or equivalent practical experience in a legal, regulatory, compliance, privacy, information management, government or business environment
• You must have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand

MBIE's goal is to create a resilient and high-performing economy that delivers real and ongoing quality of life for all New Zealanders.

We do this by working with others to create an environment that supports businesses to be more productive and internationally competitive, enables all New Zealanders to participate in the economy through improved job opportunities and by working to ensure quality housing is more affordable.

People are at the heart of our mahi, our way of working is guided by our values which shape our behaviours.

• Māia– Bold and brave
• Pae Kahurangi – Build our Future

Our aspirations are echoed in our Māori identity – Hīkina Whakatutuki – which broadly means ‘lifting to make successful'.

MBIE recognises the partnership founded under TeTiritio Waitangi between Māori and the Crown and is committed to giving effect to TeTiritio Waitangi. We will do this through enduring, meaningful and effective partnerships with iwi, Māori, other Māori groups/organisations and the Crown, as this is critical to enable economic and social development, both for Māori and for wider Aotearoa New Zealand. We are committed to continuing to partner with iwi in order to find new sustainable solutions to address long standing systemic and cross-cutting issues facing Māori and wider Aotearoa New Zealand and we are also committed to identifying opportunities for iwi to lead and creating an enabling environment for iwi to leverage these opportunities.

Applications close on 1st October 2026 at 11.59pm.