Senior Lawyer

Ministry of Social Development NZ

Wellington

On-site

NZD 122,000 - 152,000

Full time

10 days ago
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Job summary

The Ministry of Social Development NZ in Wellington is seeking a Senior Lawyer to lead advice on corporate contracting and information sharing. You will work with MSD business areas to identify legal risks and ensure compliance, while mentoring and developing other legal staff.

This full-time role is based in Wellington (preferred) or Christchurch, with a salary range of NZD 122,381 to 152,296 per year. The Corporate Team provides essential support across procurement, privacy matters and

Qualifications

  • Senior lawyer with extensive corporate contracting experience.
  • Experience advising in public sector or service transformation is a strong advantage.
  • Current practising certificate or ability to obtain one.
  • 5+ years PQE preferred.

Responsibilities

  • Provide clear legal advice on complex corporate issues.
  • Lead and mentor other legal staff.
  • Instruct and manage external legal counsel.
  • Collaborate across MSD Legal and business areas.

Skills

Legal advice
Contracting
Information sharing
Mentoring
Client relationship

Education

Law degree

Job description

Jora New Zealand will close on 9th September 2026. Thank you for being with us, we are cheering you on as you continue your career journey.

Ministry of Social Development NZ – Wellington Central, North Island

  • This is an opportunity to support key MSD work programmes, including one of New Zealand's largest public sector technology-enabled transformation programmes
  • Join a team focused on delivering solution-focused legal advice on corporate matters
  • Full-time position available, Wellington (preferred) or Christchurch

Our Corporate Team is one of several legal teams within MSD Legal and is responsible for providing advice on corporate matters, including procurement, commercial and social sector contracting, privacy, OIAs, delegations and health and safety.

Our Corporate Team is one of several legal teams within MSD Legal and is responsible for providing advice on corporate matters, including procurement, commercial and social sector contracting, privacy, Official Information Act 1982 requests, delegations and health and safety.

About the role - Mō te tūnga

We are looking for a senior lawyer experienced in leading advice on corporate matters, particularly in the areas of contracting (commercial and social sector) and information sharing.

As a Senior Lawyer in the Corporate Team, you will work closely with a range of MSD business areas to identify legal risks to ensure MSD meets its legal and compliance obligations.

You will mentor and support other legal staff, contributing to the overall capability and excellence of MSD Legal.

The Senior Lawyer role involves working collaboratively with others in the Corporate Team and across MSD Legal.

MSD - Services for the Future is a multi-year programme to transform how MSD operates so we can deliver for New Zealanders and focus our resources and investment on the people who need it.

The programme will make significant changes to our underlying systems and introduce redesigned services that put people first. We'll create better tools and processes for supporting people into employment, modernise our payment system and enable better ways of working with our social sector partners.

  • provides clear legal advice on complex issues
  • enjoys working collaboratively across a range of subject areas and has excellent relationship building skills
  • can coach, mentor, and develop lawyers
  • has experience in instructing and managing external legal counsel
  • is observant of trends in technology and government policy, and the impact this has on our work.
  • has a current practising certificate or the ability to immediately obtain one and we would prefer at least 5 years PQE.
  • has experience in providing such advice in a public sector context and/or service transformation context is a strong advantage.

http://www.msd.govt.nz/hr/documents/position-descriptions/dce-organisational-assurance-and-communication/legal/senior-lawyer.docx

Salary - Utu-ā-tau: $122,381 - $152,296

The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) is a people-centred organisation. We're in communities across the motu, working with partners to help New Zealanders be safe, strong and independent.

We provide social policy advice to government, and assistance including income, employment and housing support to people of all ages, families, whānau and communities.

As a Te Tiriti o Waitangi partner, we are committed to supporting and enabling Māori, whānau, hapū, Iwi and communities to realise their own potential and aspirations.

Our people are as diverse as the communities we serve. We care about the wellbeing and success of our people and provide a supportive and inclusive working environment where people can thrive and be who they are.

Joining MSD means being part of a whānau that celebrates the diversity each individual represents.

We show manaaki, we care about the wellbeing and success of people and want everyone to thrive and be who they are in a supportive and inclusive working environment. We work together to make a difference for communities while doing the right thing with integrity. You can find out more about our values here.

If you have any support or accessibility requirements, we encourage you to tell us when you apply so we can assist you through the recruitment process.

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