Commercial Solicitor

Tau ake rā te moana nei, e papaki kau ana ki te ākau tangata, kakenga waka ka mauru te tohu ki te arearenga o Mauao, he pou herenga mōu, he pou hononga mōu, kia herea ki te tika, kia herea ki te pono. Kia mau, kia ita, kia ū – haumi e, hui e, tāiki e!

Te Tūranga | About the role

As a Commercial Solicitor you’ll be focused on enabling Council to meet its strategic objectives by providing solution focused legal advice and to help the Council comply with the law and mitigate its legal risks.

Key areas of this role are:

• You’ll be providing legal advice across all aspects of commercial, infrastructure, construction, development, professional services, health and safety, privacy, technology, and general operations of the council.


• A large part of this role lies in relationship building and knowledge sharing with stakeholders both internally and externally.


• Work closely with other legal, property, procurement and commercial teams at TCC to maintain a consistent and cohesive approach to legal matters.


• Partner with the Privacy Officer to provide advice on privacy obligations and compliance, support the assessment of privacy risk throughout the organisation, and help strengthen Council-wide privacy practices.

Ngā Pukenga | What you’ll need to succeed

To succeed in this role, you’ll bring:

• Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from a recognised New Zealand law school.


• Current New Zealand Law Society Practising Certificate.


• Minimum 5+ years of post-qualification experience across aspects of commercial (including procurement) contracts, infrastructure, construction, professional services, technology, health and safety, privacy and the operation of the council.


• Proven ability to exercise judgement and negotiate commercially focussed outcomes.


• An understanding of the statutory overlay that applies to Local Authorities would be advantageous but is not essential.


• Previous in-house experience would also be advantageous, but is not essential


• The ability to connect effectively with colleagues in an environment where there is overlap between the work that the teams do.


• Demonstrated experience in privacy law, including advising on Privacy Act obligations, assessing  and proactively managing privacy risks.

Tō Tātou Kaunihera | About Tauranga City Council

Tauranga City Council is one of Tauranga’s largest employers, and we are always looking to attract great talent to join our driven, passionate, and community-focused team.

We always strive to ensure that you feel valued and supported in the workplace.

To highlight that our people are our greatest asset, we offer a wide range of benefits that include 5 weeks annual leave, flexible hours and work from home options, as well as career development opportunities.

Te Tukanga | How to apply

If you want to be part of an energetic, fun, and supportive team, then we'd love to hear from you. For more information about this role generally, please contact Charles Lane at [email protected]

Please note we will not be accepting applications via email. If you wish to apply, please click ‘Apply’ at the bottom of this page and follow the link.

Applications will be reviewed as they are received, applications will close upon the appointment of a successful candidate.

• Our selection process may include behavioural interview(s), psychometric and ability assessments, reference checks, and pre-employment screening.


• Tauranga City Council will not accept applications or contact from any placement service, temporary staffing agency, or professional recruiter for this vacancy. If/where Tauranga City Council requires the support of a recruitment agency, we will seek this support from our network of agencies. We ask that you please do not contact Tauranga City Council or any of its employees regarding vacancies. Tauranga City Council will not be responsible for, and will not pay, any commissions, fees or other payments related to such unsolicited contact.

Job Description: Commercial Solicitor