Permanent, full time opportunity available
Put your legal skills and experience to work, helping New Zealanders to be safe, strong and independent.
We are seeking an enthusiastic senior lawyer with high levels of integrity and professionalism to join our supportive and collegial team, in providing quality legal services for the Ministry of Social Development.
The Northern Regional Legal Team is one of several legal teams within MSD Legal. Our team works across a diverse portfolio including frontline service delivery advice, Social Security Appeal Authority advocacy, benefit fraud, integrity matters, and helping MSD manage legal risk while delivering positive outcomes for New Zealanders.
The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) is involved in supporting New Zealanders through income, housing and employment support.
We are looking for a senior lawyer experienced in working with a broad range of internal clients to support the work that MSD does to help New Zealanders.
The focus of this Senior Lawyer role is to provide quality legal advice to regional staff and help our internal clients make great decisions while supporting the growth and development of their colleagues.
You will need excellent statutory interpretation skills and ideally sound knowledge of the Ministry’s legislation, policies, practices, and systems. Experience and/or familiarity with court processes and litigation is desirable. Government legal team experience, and experience in training and developing and mentoring lawyers is also desirable.
We are looking for a practical lawyer who would enjoy helping our internal clients lawfully achieve their goals. The focus of the role is providing advice to front line staff, advocacy on appeals before the Social Security Appeal Authority and conducting prosecutions in the District Court.
We care about the growth and wellness of our people. We are committed to providing you with a positive work environment and you will work with like-minded people who want to get great results for New Zealanders.
We celebrate achievements and prioritise action. Our team values diversity and we are working towards Te Ao Māori being embedded in the way we do things at MSD and we would love you to join us on this journey.
The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) is a people-centred organisation. We’re in communities across the motu, working with partners to help New Zealanders be safe, strong and independent.
We provide social policy advice to government, and assistance including income, employment and housing support to people of all ages, families, whānau and communities.
As a Te Tiriti o Waitangi partner, we are committed to supporting and enabling Māori, whānau, hapū, Iwi and communities to realise their own potential and aspirations.
Our people are as diverse as the communities we serve. We care about the wellbeing and success of our people and provide a supportive and inclusive working environment where people can thrive and be who they are.
Before you submit your application, please take a moment to review our guidance to understand how AI can best support your application. Candidate Guidance - Responsible AI use in recruitment
To apply, click the 'Apply Now' button to upload your CV, cover letter and complete the online application form.
Note: Your cover letter will be a key part of our assessment process. Please highlight how your skills and experience relate to the key responsibilities listed in the position description and job advertisement.
All applications must be made online. If this is not possible or if you have any queries, please contact us at jobs@msd.govt.nz
Internal MSD Employees – please apply through your myHR portal at work. This will ensure that your myHR employee profile is visible as internal candidate.
Joining MSD means being part of a whānau that celebrates the diversity each individual represents.
We show manaaki, we care about the wellbeing and success of people and want everyone to thrive and be who they are in a supportive and inclusive working environment. We work together to make a difference for communities while doing the right thing with integrity. You can find out more about our values here.
If you have any support or accessibility requirements, we encourage you to tell us when you apply so we can assist you through the recruitment process.
Auckland Council serves over 1.5 million Aucklanders providing services, policies and decision-making.
We’re here to serve Auckland and build a more prosperous region, one that gives a voice to our citizens, and makes it a great place to live, visit and invest.
Our talented people support Auckland’s elected representatives by providing specialist advice, implementing decisions and delivering services like rubbish and recycling, resource and building consents, bylaws, events and parks.
Our vision is to create a world-class city where talent wants to live. If you are interested in working for Auckland, visit our career website (careers.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz) or check our 'Jobs' and 'Life' tabs.
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