Senior Solicitor | Poutoko Ture Matua

Full job description
Join an organisation contributing to meaningful outcomes, About Aotearoa, for Aotearoa - data that improves lives today and for generations to come.

A chance to bring your excellent legal skills and employment law experience to critically important mahi and interesting and novel legal issues
Bring healthy challenge and thought leadership to grow the organisational level of understanding of legal risks and obligations.
Bring your passion and innovation to support Stats NZ's important role in Aotearoa.
About Us | Ko mātou

Stats NZ | Tatauranga Aotearoa is a Central Government employer of 1200+ people across Aotearoa. We provide data and statistics to support the decisions of Government, Māori and Iwi organisations, businesses, NGOs, and New Zealanders. Our work is About Aotearoa, for Aotearoa - data that improves lives today and for generations to come. We welcome every gender, ethnicity, ability, religion, age, and background and encourage all our people to be their authentic selves.

What's in it for you? | Ngā hua ka riro ki a koe

We encourage you to go to our careers site to learn more about the Way We Work at Stats NZ and also check out our benefits. We want working for us… to work for you!

Starting salary: $118,609 - $139,540 + superannuation

Other benefits of joining Stats NZ include:

Contribute to meaningful work that makes a difference to all people in Aotearoa
Balance life and work commitments
Develop and grow your career (coaching, training, study support)
3 extra annual leave days (taken during Christmas office closure)
State of the art, 6-star green building in Wellington.
The role | Te tūnga

This role is permanent, based in Wellington. Reporting to the Principal Solicitor you will join a small team of lawyers within the Integrity and Assurance function at Stats NZ (including Privacy, Risk and Assurance, Internal Audit, and Governance) situated in the Office of the Chief Executive.

As a Senior Solicitor, you will:

Provide timely quality advice and legal services that are relevant, persuasive, and influential
Support our People and Culture teams with legal advice and solutions, working with external counsel when required.
Although this role has a focus on employment law you will be a trusted advisor across the business and enjoy seeing Stats NZ become stronger, safer, and more confident due to your advice. You will use your skills and influence to build strong relationships with a range of stakeholders. We see you bringing technical legal expertise and great problem-solving skills as well as drive and passion to the role and team. This is an opportunity to grow and develop your career with opportunities to contribute to and lead major pieces of legal work and collaborate with senior leaders across the business.

Come and join a friendly and professional team that makes a difference.

What you bring | Nōu te rourou

You will be a skilled legal adviser with substantial experience in employment law and sound knowledge of the public sector legal environment. You will already have a broad range of legal experience, ideally including some mix of public, commercial, and regulatory law experience. This role would suit someone who can also bring:

Strong critical thinking skills.
Understanding of the machinery of government and related processes and procedures.
Excellent relationship skills to build relationships and trust at all levels as an influential legal advisor.
Your knowledge and experience, or willingness to learn about Te Tiriti, Tikanga, Te Reo and Te Ao Māori.
Enthusiasm and passion about working as an in-house counsel in the public sector.
You must have a current practising certificate or the ability to hold one.

We understand transferable skills can come from experience gained from outside of work. We encourage you to be you in your application.

We are committed to diversity, equity, inclusion and lifting our cultural capability. You don't need to be knowledgeable in all these areas already, but you do need to be on board with learning and have a genuine interest and willingness to grow on this journey with us.

Tell us about yourself in your cover letter, what attracted you to this role, and what you would bring to Stats NZ.

How to apply | Me pēhea te tuku tono

If this sounds like you, click on the Apply now button to be redirected to the application page on our careers site. The position description is located on the right-hand side of the page.

We will be screening applications as we receive them to move swiftly to interview. You may be asked to complete a pre-interview screen via phone or video. Please let us know in your application if we need to make any specific accommodations during our process.

Please reach out to recruitment@stats.govt.nz if you have any questions.

You must have the right to live and work in Aotearoa New Zealand. Background and various pre-employment checks are part of our recruitment process.

Note to Recruitment Agencies: unsolicited CVs will not be accepted.


Reference #
16251

Posted on
04 Sep 2025

Closes on
18 Sep 2025 23:55

Location(s)
Wellington

Expertise
Legal

Job level(s)
4-6 years experience, 7+ years experience

Work type(s)
Permanent full-time
 
 

New Zealand
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