Legal Advisor
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Tēnei tūranga – About the role
The Legal Team is a team of highly-skilled, legal specialists within New Zealand Government Procurement (NZGP) responsible for providing quality advice and support to NZGP, Government Property Group (GPG) and the wider Ministry on best procurement practice and policy.
The Legal Advisor role is responsible for providing high-quality legal advice and assistance to NZGP and the wider Ministry.
The focus of the role will be on drafting, negotiating and advising on All-of-Government and other collaborative contracts, and promoting best practice in government procurement policy and processes (including through template development and maintenance). The Legal Advisor may also provide some support to GPG on procurements relating to office accommodation where demand requires.
Ngā herenga – Requirements of the role
Personal specifications
- Must have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand.
- Must be able to gain and maintain a confidential security clearance.
Skills, knowledge and experience
- Genuine experience in drafting and negotiating commercial contracts.
- Good knowledge of public law and procurement policy and processes, or a willingness to develop knowledge and skills in these areas.
- A principled, yet pragmatic and solutions-focused, approach to legal issues.
- Sound commercial understanding.
- The ability and drive to deliver successful outcomes in a demanding, fast-paced environment.
- A strong client service ethic and good relationship management skills.
- Effective oral and written communication skills for a variety of audiences.
- The willingness and ability to work proactively and to assume project management responsibilities.
- A strong client service ethic and good relationship management skills.
Attributes
- A self-starter, taking responsibility for own work and quickly getting up to speed.
- A team player who works effectively with more senior team members and who willingly and proactively assists others.
- Proactively grows knowledge and skills in relevant areas and shares that with others.
Qualifications
- Must have a law degree and hold, or be eligible to promptly hold, a current New Zealand practising certificate.
Takohanga tuhinga o mua – Key accountabilities and deliverables
Critical areas of success
A Legal Advisor will be required to:
- Provide robust legal advice on contractual, procurement, legislative and public law matters.
- Manage and deliver a busy workload of new and developing collaborative contracts.
- Provide valued input on contract management initiatives and procurement processes.
- Demonstrate best practice and innovation in commercial contracting and procurement.
- Be a self-starter, taking responsibility for own work and quickly earning autonomy in that work.
Relationship management
Manages constructive working relationships with internal and external stakeholders to enhance understanding and co-operation needed to achieve desired results.
- Be a team player who willingly and proactively assists others.
- Be client-focused and quickly earn trust and confidence in client relationships.
- Proactively grow knowledge and skills in relevant areas, and share that with others.
Organisational commitment and public service
- Contributes to the development of, and helps promote and builds commitment to, the Ministry's vision, mission, values and services.
- Willingly undertakes any duty required within the context of the position.
- Complies with all legislative requirements and good employer obligations.
- Adheres to the Ministry's and Public Service Commission's Codes of Conduct.
Wellbeing, health and safety
- Displays commitment through actively supporting all safety and wellbeing initiatives.
- Ensures own and others safety at all times.
- Complies with relevant safety and wellbeing policies, procedures, safe systems of work and event reporting.
- Reports all incidents/accidents, including near misses in a timely fashion.
- Is involved in health and safety through participation and consultation.
Tō tūranga i roto i te Manatū – Your place in the Ministry
The Legal Advisor position reports into the Manager Legal within the New Zealand Government Procurement branch. The branch sits within the Building, Resources and Markets group.
To mātou aronga – What we do for Aotearoa New Zealand
Hīkina Whakatutuki is the te reo Māori name for the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Hīkina means to uplift. Whakatutuki means to move forward, to make successful. Our name speaks to our purpose, Grow Aotearoa New Zealand for All.
To Grow Aotearoa New Zealand for All, we put people at the heart of our mahi. Based on the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi / The Treaty of Waitangi, we are committed to upholding authentic partnerships with Māori.
As agile public service leaders, we use our breadth and experience to navigate the ever-changing world. We are service providers, policy makers, investors and regulators. We engage with diverse communities, businesses and regions. Our work touches on the daily lives of New Zealanders. We grow opportunities (Puāwai), guard and protect (Kaihāpai) and innovate and navigate towards a better future (Auaha).
Ngā matatau – Our competencies
Cultivates innovation We create new and better ways for the organisation to be successful by challenging the status quo generating new and creative ideas and translating them into workable solutions.
Nimble learning We are curious and actively learn through experimentation when tackling new problems by learning as we go when facing new situations and challenges.
Customer focus We build strong customer relationships and deliver customer-centric solutions by listening and gaining insights into the needs of the communities we serve and actively seeking and responding to feedback.
Decision quality We make quality and timely decisions that shape the future for our communities and keep the organisation moving forward by relying on an appropriate mix of analysis, wisdom, experience, and judgement to make valid and reliable decisions.
Action oriented We step up, taking on new opportunities and tough challenges with purpose, urgency and discipline by taking responsibility, ownership and action on challenges, and being accountable for the results.
Collaborates We connect, working together to build partnerships with our communities, working collaboratively to meet shared objectives by gaining trust and support of others; actively seeking the views, experiences, and opinions of others and by working co-operatively with others across MBIE, the public sector and external stakeholder groups.
Te Tiriti o Waitangi
As an agency of the public service, MBIE has a responsibility to contribute to the Crown meeting its obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Te Tiriti). Meeting our commitment to Te Tiriti will contribute towards us realising the overall aims of Te Ara Amiorangi – Our Path, Our Direction, and achieve the outcome of Growing New Zealand for All. The principles of Te Tiriti - including partnership, good faith, and active protection – are at the core of our work. MBIE is committed to delivering on our obligations as a Treaty partner with authenticity and integrity and to enable Māori interests. We are committed to ensuring that MBIE is well placed to meet our obligations under the Public Service Act 2020 (Te Ao Tūmatanui) to support the Crown in strengthening the Māori/Crown Relationship under the Treaty and to build MBIE’s capability, capacity and cultural intelligence to deliver this.
Mahi i roto i te Ratonga Tūmatanui – Working in the public service
Ka mahitahi mātou o te ratonga tūmatanui kia hei painga mō ngā tāngata o Aotearoa i āianei, ā, hei ngā rā ki tua hoki. He kawenga tino whaitake tā mātou hei tautoko i te Karauna i runga i āna hononga ki a ngāi Māori i raro i te Tiriti o Waitangi. Ka tautoko mātou i te kāwanatanga manapori. Ka whakakotahingia mātou e te wairua whakarato ki ō mātou hapori, ā, e arahina ana mātou e ngā mātāpono me ngā tikanga matua o te ratonga tūmatanui i roto i ā mātou mahi.
In the public service we work collectively to make a meaningful difference for New Zealanders now and in the future. We have an important role in supporting the Crown in its relationships with Māori under the Treaty of Waitangi. We support democratic government. We are unified by a spirit of service to our communities and guided by the core principles and values of the public service in our work.
What does it mean to work in Aotearoa New Zealand’s Public Service?(external link) — Te Kawa Mataaho The Public Service Commission
