Senior Solicitor
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Tēnei tūranga – About the role
The Senior Solicitor will be expected to deliver high quality operational legal and policy advice to management and staff as required, on a wide range of complex issues arising across the Companies Office in relation to the Companies Act 1993 and other register related legislation. The role may also engage with the professional community in relation to the Acts we administer. The role will also be involved in the preparation of responses to Official Information Act requests, Privacy Act requests and Parliamentary questions along with other matters in relation to requests for information and data. The role will also contribute to legislative changes and MBIE’s initiatives through legal and subject matter input.
Ngā herenga – Requirements of the role
Personal specifications
- Well-developed analytical thinking and problem-solving ability, capable of developing alternative pathways to achieving outcomes.
- Able to quickly identify key issues or required actions and develop workable solutions to complex problems.
- Can critically evaluate options and make effective decisions in spite of constraints such as time pressure or incomplete information.
- Displays a sound understanding of public law principles and commercial law.
- Possesses well-developed planning and organising skills, including ability to maintain performance when under pressure, and appropriate prioritising of work.
- Anticipates potential problems when planning work, and has alternative strategies available.
- Has the ability to write clearly and succinctly on a range of complex legal issues.
- Displays the ability to balance statutory and technical/operational issues and present them with simplicity and clarity that can be understood by a range of audiences.
- Has the ability to work independently but also within a small professional team.
- Recognises the need for effective collaboration across the team, Branch and Ministry to achieve goals.
- Ability to quickly establish and build strong working relationships.
- Understanding of MBIE and where the team fits in delivering outcomes for the Ministry.
- Holds a relevant Tertiary qualification in law and admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor.
- Approximately 5-7 + years post qualification experience.
- Have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand.
Takohanga tuhinga o mua – Key accountabilities and deliverables
Relationship management
- Relationships are initiated, developed, and maintained with internal and external stakeholders.
- Develops effective working relationships with other MBIE managers and staff in order to represent external stakeholders. needs/drivers and transfer knowledge and learning to the team and wider organisation.
- Looks for opportunities and synergies with internal clients and external stakeholders.
Provision of high-quality legal advice
- Provision of well researched, analysed and considered legal advice to statutory officers and managers in a timely manner.
- Provides guidance and support by way of peer review and delegation, where appropriate, to solicitors within the Companies Office legal team.
- Provides guidance to others in the legal team and managers as to the way in which to handle medium to high-risk issues and monitor the way in which issues are managed.
Statutory obligations/ management of processes
- Pre-registration review of high-profile documents received by the Companies Office for registration.
- Putting in place and co-ordinating processes for the due exercise of certain statutory obligations including:
- The preparation of statutory delegations (and recommendations and advice on delegations)
- Managing responses to Ministerials and investigations by Ombudsmen, the Privacy Commissioner and the Human Rights Commissioner
Contribute to team performance
- Contributes to Companies Office staff technical training programme - share valuable knowledge and experiences with the team to increase their technical skills and awareness.
- Engages in informal training/sharing information amongst colleagues and other staff associated with the Companies Office and enforcement teams.
- Effective contribution to the Companies Office by assisting each other to meet objectives and goals.
- Openly discuss opportunities to improve the performance of the Companies Office.
- Works to develop the team’s technical capability, on an ongoing basis.
- Understands the work of colleagues and contribute to team results through co-operative and collegial processes.
- Participates as a member of Branch/Ministry Project team as appropriate.
- Actively seeks opportunities to transfer relevant knowledge and information within portfolio/project area and to other staff across the Branch and Ministry.
- Undertakes training on legal issues for other staff.
- Identifies and represents the needs and expectations of customers.
Organisational commitment and public service
- Builds commitment to MBIE’s vision, mission, values and services.
- Willingly undertakes any duty required within the context of the position.
- Complies with all legislative requirements.
- Adheres to the Ministry’s and State Services Commission Codes of Conduct.
Wellbeing, health & 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 Senior Solicitor position reports into the Registry Services Manager, Business Registries within the Market Integrity branch. The branch sits within the Te Whakatairanga Service Delivery 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
