Job Description

• Are you interested in working in a large and complex environment?
• Fixed term or secondment opportunity from early August through to late March 2027
• Located in Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch

We are looking for a Senior Legal Counsel – Litigation to join us in supporting NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) to support the safety camera programme. This opportunity will have you stepping in for a team member who is heading away on parental leave.

We are offering a great working environment, work life balance and flexibility on location.

Te Whiwhinga mahi | The opportunity

We are delivering a new approach to safety cameras as a key intervention to reduce harm on New Zealand’s roads. This new approach to safety cameras will be informed by Tū ake, tū māia our Regulatory strategy and Te Ara Kotahi our Māori strategy.

We’re looking for an energetic and strategic Senior Legal Counsel to provide legal advice across all aspects of safety camera operations and manage related litigation.

We are looking for someone who is open-minded, solutions focused and able to think outside the box to find new and innovative ways of working. Your exceptional communication skills, ability to build strong relationships with a range of stakeholders, and aptitude to focus on the big stuff and provide simple, pragmatic and practical advice will fit well with us.

We are looking for a lawyer who is a team player, focuses on the right things and someone who gets things done. The role would suit someone with a range of litigation experience who is used to dealing with multiple matters at the same time. We are particularly interested in applicants who have 5+ years of post-qualification experience. A proven track record of providing advice on, managing, and conducting criminal or Regulatory prosecutions or defense work for a similar organization, such as a Government department, Agency, or District or Regional Council.

To view a copy of the position description, click here.

Ko koe tēnei | About you

To be successful in this role, you will bring:

• Provide strategic legal leadership across all aspects of the NZTA safety camera system
• Provide leadership and clear direction in the provision of specialist legal advice (either direct or outsourced) including advice on enforcement matters to NZTA’s Regulatory Services and on the day-to-day work of the NZTA Safety Camera Programme
• Support the enforcement policy and other operational policies and processes and guidelines within Regulatory Services.
• Together with the Principal Legal Counsel, you will manage and maintain oversight of prosecutions and other safety camera related matters outsourced to Crown Prosecutors
• Establishing relationships and ways of working with internal stakeholders and external law firms
• Ensure that NZTA complies with all statutory requirements in the relevant areas of law, including privacy, official information requests, disclosure and other litigation-related requirements
• Proactively build relationships with key legal users across the organisation, to build better understanding of the strategic context, support greater visibility of the pipeline of work, and to enable proactive legal thinking
• A tertiary qualification in law
• A current New Zealand Law Society Practicing certificate.

You will demonstrate knowledge of, or a willingness to gain an understanding of Te Ao Māori and promote tikanga and Te Reo Māori. You will also have knowledge of, or a willingness to gain an appreciation of te Tiriti o Waitangi (the Treaty of Waitangi) as it applies in the public sector.

Check out our benefits

Ko wai mātou | About us

The Governance, Risk and Legal (GRL) Team is here to enable Waka Kotahi to meet its strategic objectives by providing solution focused legal advice, and to help it comply with the law and mitigate its legal risks.

We are a high performing team with a great culture working in a flexible environment. We welcome anyone looking for a new challenge who wants to be part of a large collaborative team.

If this sounds like the opportunity for you, APPLY NOW – submitting your CV and Cover Letter detailing your suitability.

Rā Katinga | Applications close:

14 June 2026

For further information, email: careers@nzta.govt.nz

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.