Senior Legal Counsel - Fixed Term Contract

Electric Kiwi; Auckland; On-site; NZD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Electric Kiwi in Auckland seeks a Senior Legal Counsel for a fixed-term 12 months to cover parental leave. You’ll architect legal frameworks that enable product and growth while staying compliant and commercially focused.

You’ll partner with leadership across the business, draft and negotiate contracts including ISDAs and PPAs, manage regulatory matters in electricity and telecom, and advise on governance and risk in a fast-paced tech company aiming to make it better for customers and the planet.

Qualifications

• Qualified NZ lawyer with 5–10 years’ post‑qualification experience.
• Strong corporate and commercial law background.
• Regulatory experience in electricity or telco sectors is preferred.
• Experience in in-house legal teams and high-trust advisory roles.

Responsibilities

• Advise on legal, regulatory and commercial challenges of a fast-moving portfolio
• Collaborate with teams to design compliant, customer-centric products and services
• Provide high‑quality drafting across software, distribution, services, ISDAs, PPAs, finance and customer terms
• Shape governance, policies and dispute resolution as the business grows
• Support General Counsel and Head of Risk on board and regulatory work

Skills

Commercial law

Contract drafting

Regulatory affairs

Strategic advisory

In-house experience

AI governance awareness

Education

NZ legal practising certificate

Job description

Senior Legal Counsel - Fixed Term Contract

Auckland

Be the Legal Architect of Innovation

Are you more than “just a lawyer"? Are you the type who sees legal frameworks as launchpads - not roadblocks - for innovation and growth? At Electric Kiwi, we’re searching for a rock star Senior Legal Counsel for a period of 12 months to cover a period of parental leave, starting in Feb 2027 (we're also open to part-time for this role)!

We're looking for someone who brings commercial smarts, strategic thinking, and the creativity to help us solve real problems for our customers, our people and our planet.

This isn’t your average in-house gig. As part of our high-performing, values-driven team, you’ll be a key advisor and trusted partner to business leaders across the company. You’ll do much more than keep us compliant: you’ll architect legal frameworks that let us move faster, win bigger and stay ahead.

What sets this opportunity apart?

- Business Enabler, Not Brake: You use the law as a toolkit for getting to “yes,” unlocking new products, markets, and big ideas - not just spotting risks.

- Strategic Impact: You won’t be a cog in a machine! You’ll work shoulder-to-shoulder with the rest of the team and play a direct role in shaping strategy, growth and our approach to complex, fast-paced challenges.

- A Builder’s Mandate: This is your opportunity to play a key part in shaping the legal and commercial engine for a technology company on a mission to make it better for our customers, our people and the planet. Bring your energy, commercial acumen, and courage to innovate.

Here’s what you’ll be doing:

• Advise on the legal, regulatory and commercial challenges of a fast-moving electricity, telco, and tech portfolio - always with an eye to making bold ideas happen.
• Collaborate with teams across Electric Kiwi to design compliant, customer‑centric products and services.
• Provide high-quality legal advice and drafting across a wide range of contracts - including software, distribution, services, marketing ISDAs, Power Purchase Agreements, finance and Customer terms and conditions - grounded in strong commercial and contract law expertise.
• Shape and improve the legal backbone: develop policies, resolve disputes and enhance governance as we grow.
• Be ready to get hands‑on with anything legal that comes our way, and support our General Counsel & Head of Risk with board and regulatory work.

How we’ll know you’re smashing it:

• We stay ahead of regulatory requirements (and competitors) thanks to your advice
• Our legal and governance processes are lean, smart and enable fast decisions.
• Risks are well‑understood, well‑managed, and the business stays agile, responsive, and able to operate at pace.
• Internal processes and systems evolve alongside the growth and maturity of the business.
• Above all, you bring our values to life: making a dent, being brave, enjoying the ride, and being a good egg.

What you’ll bring:

• Commercial, pragmatic, and solutions focused.
• Legal qualification and current NZ practising certificate (or eligibility to obtain).
• 5–10 years’ post‑qualification experience, ideally with a strong corporate and commercial law background.
• Regulatory experience, preferably within the electricity or telco sector.
• Previous in‑house legal experience.
• An innovative mindset; showing a passion for exploring emerging AI trends and their application in legal and governance.
• Ability to work autonomously and at pace in a dynamic environment, with support and guidance from an experienced General Counsel available as needed.
• Growth mindset and willingness to embrace new challenges.

*we're open to part-time for this role