Senior Legal Advisor - ER

Career Opportunities: Senior Legal Advisor - ER (4821448)

Requisition ID 4821448- Posted -  Wellington -  Permanent FT

Senior Legal Advisor: Employment Relations, it starts with you !

• Based at Police National Headquarters, Wellington
• Police Employee
• Permanent – Full Time x 2
• JR 4821448

Stand at the stern of the canoe and feel the spray of the future biting at your face

Mō te tūnga | About the role

Are you looking for an opportunity to take your legal career to the next level and gain experience in a fast paced and exciting area?

Employment Relations has an exciting opportunity for two Senior Legal Advisors to join the Employment Relations Legal Team based at PNHQ in Wellington. You will be working in a team of 6-8 who provide Employment Relations legal services nationally across Police.

Police is one of New Zealand's largest employers, and the employment issues that arise are complex and interesting. The Employment Relations Legal team provides advice on high risk and complex employment law matters, projects, change management processes, and disciplinary matters for Police nationally as well as providing advice on employment investigations that are complex or of a serious nature. The team provides advice on all aspects of the employment relationship, manages personal grievances, and provides advice on the interpretation of legislation, employment agreements and policies.

The successful applicant will have a high degree of integrity, and their personal attributes will reflect Police's Values and Code of Conduct. You will work in a collegial team environment in PNHQ, and be supported by the team manager, and will be interacting with many work groups internally as well as with Districts and external partner agencies across Aotearoa.

Key Accountabilities:

• Demonstrate a broad range of experience in a legal advisory or in house counsel role
• Manage personal grievances including representing employers at mediation
• Provide legal advice as and when required on employment issues, including interpretation of collective employment agreements and the Holidays Act
• Manage a high case load, with the ability to prioritise matters and manage competing deadlines
• The ability to take a constructive approach to building relationships internally and externally
• Prepare written and verbal communication clearly and concisely, and present comfortably to both large and small groups

• Expert communicator able to adapt to working with a broad range of customers both internally and externally in an environment that is committed to Our People
• The ability to apply your legal research and writing skills in a fast paced environment which aligns with Our Business
• A working knowledge of relevant NZ law applicable to employment law and in-house roles in Government
• The ability to develop, maintain and maximise effective partnerships to develop sound, achievable and sustainable legal solutions.

He aha taau e kawe mai | What you’ll bring

Whilst we are looking for skills, knowledge and experience relevant to the role, we also place high importance on your state of mind, the alignment of your values with ours, your ability to contribute to and build high performing teams, and the way that you lead yourself or others.

This role is set at Team Leader/Manager level , this means your key purpose is “to lead the activities for Our Business and enable people to deliver them.”

You’ll be required to:

• Hold an LLB and a current practising certificate (or be eligible to obtain a current practising certificate)
• Have a minimum of 4 years PQE or equivalent and/or recent experience in employment relations (either in-house or in a law firm), and we would welcome a broader range of legal experience throughout your career to date including in professional discipline or litigation
• Experience supporting change management processes would be an advantage

Security Clearance Requirements

To be eligible for this role, you may be asked to obtain and maintain a CONFIDENTIAL national security clearance.

The minimum criteria for this level of national security clearance is:

NZ Citizen who has resided continuously in NZ for the last 10 years, or:

• A Permanent Resident who has resided continuously in NZ for the last 10 years, or
• A citizen of or has resided continuously in one or more of the following countries for the last 10 years : Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, or United States of America, and has a background that can be verified by the NZSIS.

Use this online tool to self-check your eligibility for a security clearance. Please note that this tool is not part of the formal security clearance process:

New Zealand Police is the lead agency responsible for preventing crime and enhancing community safety. It works in partnership with individuals, communities, businesses, and other public sector agencies towards the vision of making New Zealand the safest country. Police is the government’s largest front-line response agency with around 15,000 staff in large and small communities all over New Zealand and in liaison and policing development roles overseas.

Your development is highly valued at NZ Police. Our employees enjoy significant investment in their development not only at an individual level, but also at the team and community of practice level. We work hard to match you with work that will both play to your strengths and challenge you in new ways.

The work you’ll be engaged in is real, tangible work that directly benefits our frontline and communities. Taken all together, this means we can offer you career path opportunities to progress in your chosen profession and become a more well-rounded, experienced leader, with opportunities across the range of work we support.

To view more detailed information about our recruitment process along with further details about requirements please click below link:

If this position sounds like you, click apply now and submit a tailored CV. You will be required to submit an application form. Before confirmation of hire, pre-employment checks will be undertaken which include reference, drug and alcohol testing and police vetting prior to any written offer being made.

All applications must be submitted online and will not be accepted directly via email. All applicants must have the right to work in New Zealand.

This position is covered by a collective agreement and salary will commence between $ 137,954 and $153,283 dependent on skills and experience relevant to the role.

If you are an internal applicant, you must apply internally through the police system. You must provide an alternative contact email address and state your future commitments should you be successful for the next stage of the recruitment process.

Please note: Deadline for applications is 5:00 pm on Sunday 30th June 2024 . Applications may be reviewed prior to the close date as well as contact made with candidates.

Interviews are tentatively scheduled for early July 2024.