Senior Counsel - Litigation

• 12-month fixed term or interagency secondment opportunity to cover parental leave starting mid-March 2026
• Flexible on location

Te Whiwhinga mahi | The opportunity

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi plays a vital role in shaping a safe, sustainable, and thriving transport system for Aotearoa. We have an opportunity for a Senior Legal Counsel – Litigation to join us for 12 months to cover a team member who heads off on parental leave mid-March 2026. This role will provide legal leadership and strategic oversight across a wide range of actual and potential civil litigation and disputes including some complex and high-profile matters arising out of NZTA’s range of infrastructure and other delivery projects and NZTA’s other roles in the transport system.  

In this senior role, you will partner closely with the General Counsel – Litigation, the wider legal team, and key leaders across the organisation to provide expert, solution focused advice on litigation, disputes, and associated legal risks. You will help support and implement legal litigation strategy for NZTA, ensuring effective risk management and a consistent, commercial future focused approach to managing litigation across the agency.

This is a unique opportunity to influence significant legal issues at a national level and strengthen the organisation’s ability to deliver safe and sustainable outcomes for all New Zealanders.

Ō pūmanawa | What we’re looking for

We’re looking for an experienced legal professional who brings strong judgement, strategic thinking, and deep expertise in litigation and dispute resolution. Ideally, you will have:

• Extensive civil litigation experience managing or supporting the management of litigation and disputes, arising out of large infrastructure and other projects in complex organisations
• Proven ability to provide high quality strategic legal advice to all levels of the organisation including senior leaders, Boards, and executive teams‑quality strategic legal advice to senior leaders, Boards, and executive teams
• Experience working collaboratively with external legal providers, government agencies, and internal stakeholders
• Strong ability to identify strategic risks, escalate issues appropriately, and influence effective decision making
• Experience navigating public or administrative law issues in a Crown entity or public sector environment
• A proactive mindset with the ability to identify opportunities to improve processes and ways of working
• Excellent relationship building skills across diverse stakeholders‑building skills across diverse stakeholders
• A tertiary qualification in Law and a current New Zealand Law Society Practising Certificate

You’ll also bring a commitment to developing your understanding of Te Ao Māori, tikanga, te reo Māori, and Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and how these apply in the public sector.

We are seeking to appoint at a salary between $131,659 - $175,000 commensurate to skills and experience.

A copy of the position description can be viewed here.

Mō mātou | About us

The Legal Team sits within the Te Ama – Corporate and Commercial Group. The purpose of our group, through demonstrating sound commercial acumen, is to:

Provide business planning (includes NLTP), financial, investment, and assurance services for Waka Kotahi and the land transport sector, ensuring value for money and expected benefits are being realised, enabling Waka Kotahi to run efficiently and effectively.  

Deliver corporate services that underpin effective performance, including legal, governance, risk and assurance, business planning and budgeting, programme management, business support, and corporate properties and workplace services.

Check out our benefits here.

If this sounds like the opportunity for you, APPLY NOW by submitting your CV and cover letter detailing your suitability.

Rā Katinga | Applications close:

For further information, email: [email protected]

To be considered for this position you must have a legal right to live and work in New Zealand.

Waka Kotahi is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). We recognise the importance of diversity and inclusion and are committed to providing a working environment that embraces these values. Please let us know if you need any support or have any access requirements that will help you through the recruitment process.

Please note that we may begin shortlisting as we receive applications. We encourage early applications as we may withdraw the advertising at any time.