Development Legal Counsel

The Ministry acts in the world to build a safer, more prosperous and more sustainable future for New Zealanders.

Kia hangai ake e te Manatu he ao-haumaru, ao-tonui, ao-pumau, ki te oranga tonutanga mo Aotearoa whanui.

• Join a team of trusted professional legal and commercial advisers.
• Strong in commercial law with focus on contracts, including construction.
• Wellington based - permanent.

Rare opportunity to contribute to New Zealand's international aid and development programme as part of a small professional team.

About the role - Korero mo te turanga

As a Development Legal Counsel you will play an important role in the delivery of the International Development Cooperation Programme. You will be called on to provide pragmatic legal and associated commercial advice on all aspects of IDC transactions. The position will be responsible for:

• Providing legal and commercial advice in connection with the conceptualisation, development, writing, negotiation and authorisation of IDC transaction documents. (These include IDC-forms of business cases, grant funding arrangements, contracts for services and for goods and grant contribution letters, bespoke IDC documents and third-party-originated documents of many kinds. The other parties will include private sector suppliers, foreign governments and their entities, multi-laterals, NGOs and other New Zealand government agencies and entities.)
• Providing legal and commercial advice in connection with the implementation and management of IDC activities as requested.
• Supporting strategic and tactical thinking about optimal ways and means of successfully achieving particular transactions, activities, outputs and outcomes in the IDC programme.
• Providing training and mentoring to colleagues in the Pacific and Development Group and supporting the maintenance and development of PDG's relevant templates and processes.

For more detail you can request a copy of the position description by emailing recruitment@mfat.govt.nz

The salary range for this role is $124,674 to midpoint $146,675 total remuneration, inclusive of our 3% KiwiSaver employer contribution.

Who are we looking for? - Ma wai te mahi nei?

We'd like to hear from you if you are an experienced with the following skills and experience:

• At least 5 years post-admission legal experience in relevant New Zealand law transactions.
• Significant experience in advising upon, designing, drafting and negotiating commercial contract documentation (desirably including construction contracts using the NZS suite of contracts) at a senior level.
• Significant experience and understanding of the private sector, and of how the private sector can assist to improve development outcomes.
• Working knowledge of the Privacy Act 2020, the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, the Children's Act 2014, the Official Information Act 1982, the Public Service Act 2020, the Crown Entities Act 2004, the Public Finance Act 1989 and the Construction Contracts Act 2002.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Laws (LLB).
• At least 5 years of relevant post qualification experience.
• Holding (or immediately eligible to hold) a New Zealand Practising Certificate.

Why MFAT? - Nga hua o te mahi i te Manatu Aorere

We are committed to a focus on leadership, talent, training and development, and flexible work options consistent with guidance from the Public Service Commission. Check out our benefits page to find out more about why we love working here.

MFAT is Rainbow Tick accredited. We value diversity and are committed to providing an inclusive culture where everyone feels supported, valued, and a sense of belonging. We welcome applications from people from a diverse range of backgrounds.

About us - Mo matou

Our people represent New Zealand on and offshore, and in doing so make New Zealanders safer and more prosperous. By building connections with and influencing other countries and international institutions, we advance New Zealand's interests and pursue New Zealand's values. We provide advice to the Government on the implications for New Zealand of what is happening in the world.

To Apply/Interested? - Me pehea te tuku tono

Apply today with your CV and cover letter.

To be considered for this position at Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade you must be a NZ citizen.

You must be able to obtain and maintain a CONFIDENTIAL security clearance. Ordinarily, to obtain this level of clearance candidates must have sufficient checkable background in countries where meaningful and reliable checks can be undertaken. Where requisite checks are unable to be made, the candidate application may not be able to be progressed.

Use this online tool to self-check your eligibility for a CONFIDENTIAL clearance. Please note that this tool is not part of the formal security clearance process: http://www.protectivesecurity.govt.nz/eligibility-tool

Please let us know if you need any support or have any access requirements that will help you through the recruitment process.

Applications close at midnight on Friday, 18 April 2025.

Please note: This is not a Foreign Policy/diplomatic role. This is a `Corporate' role (known here as a specialist role) based in central Wellington, NZ.

While it is not usual for specialist staff to be `posted' outside of NZ, from time to time a specialist role overseas becomes available at one of our embassies, high commissions, missions or consulates. To be considered for one of these positions you would need to apply and be considered via a competitive recruitment process.

If you do have an interest in an MFAT foreign policy/diplomatic career, you would be welcome to apply for this either via our graduate recruitment or mid-level foreign policy recruitment campaigns.