Senior Solicitor - Compliance at Land Information New Zealand, Wellington

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

• Protect New Zealand's sensitive land and businesses,
• Bring your legal skills to a multi-disciplinary compliance team,
• Help shape New Zealand case law,
• Flexible by default working environment

Kōrero mō te tūranga - About the role

Are you a seasoned legal professional with a strong litigation background? Embrace a fulfilling career with Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand, as we seek for an experienced litigator/Senior solicitor to support our Compliance Team, focusing on breaches of the Overseas Investment Act 2005.

The Compliance Team plays a key role in maintaining the integrity of New Zealand's Overseas Investment regime by:

• making sure consent holders meet the conditions of their consent and deliver the promised benefits of their investments.
• investigating possible breaches of the Act; and
• taking enforcement action where overseas persons have tried to circumvent the Act, provided false information, or failed to meet their consent conditions.

You will contribute by managing LINZ's compliance litigation programme, involving both civil and criminal proceedings under the Overseas Investment Act. You will instruct the Crown Law Office, Crown Solicitors and external barristers, and work closely with them to progress cases. There may be occasional opportunities to appear for LINZ, alongside a Crown Counsel or Crown Solicitor, but this is not the focus of the role.

You will also provide legal advice, and work side-by-side with investigators as they investigate possible breaches of the Act. This includes overseeing the use of our information gathering powers and supporting our investigators as they undertake evidential interviews. You will assess the strength of our cases and make recommendations on the most appropriate and proportionate enforcement action. In addition, you will help with the preparation of advice for decision makers, briefings for Ministers' offices, as well as media and Official Information Act 1982 responses.

As this is a senior position, you will be expected to have the experience, resilience, and judgement necessary to weigh up different courses of action and assess risks. You will also be expected to guide and mentor junior colleagues. We are also looking for someone who will complement the professional, collegial, nature of our team.

This is an exciting time to join us, as the Compliance Team has a number of cases ready to bring to Court. To get an overview of the Compliance Team's work, you should visit the ‘Enforcement' page of our website which sets out our enforcement approach, our strategic priorities, and enforcement action taken.

While you will be homed within the Compliance Team and focus on its work, this role is part of (and reports to) the LINZ Legal Team.

He pūkenga tou - Skills & Experience:

• To succeed in this role, you will be an experienced litigator with at least five years PQE and a current practising certificate (or the ability to hold one).
• While experience in regulatory enforcement, commercial law, property law, and trusts would be advantageous, it's not critical as this expertise already exists in the Compliance Team and other teams that administer the Overseas Investment Act.
• You will have excellent communication skills to confidently interact with investors and their legal counsel on compliance issues and potential breaches.
• The maturity, pragmatism, and commercial acumen needed to reach sensible resolution of matters.
• A good understanding of the Privacy Act 2020, and the ability to apply that to the work we do. For example, when considering the use of our information gathering powers.

The annual salary range for this role is: $120,000 - $150,000.- based on skill and experience

Ngā mea e tukuna ana e tātau – What we offer our employees 

• Intellectually stimulating work in a supportive and collegial team environment
• Learning and Development opportunities
• Flexible working arrangements
• Eye & ear care reimbursements
• Annual flu vaccinations
• Reduced health insurance premiums
• Diverse groups and networks
• Active in-house social club membership
• If eligible for paid parental leave, you will be entitled to a top up payment for the first 18 weeks of the 26 weeks
• A minimum of four weeks and three days annual leave

Te Tākinatanga - Our Story

Toitū Te Whenua plays a vital role in understanding, developing and caring for New Zealand's whenua, moana and arawai (land, sea and waterways). Whether you're developing our products and services to support our customers, managing the Crown estate, engaging with our iwi partners, or helping us be an effective regulator, your contribution can make a difference. Our mahi helps New Zealanders have confidence that the development of our land, communities and country is being planned from an informed and expert position that balances environmental, social, cultural and economic considerations. Now and for future generations.

Our Kia Toipoto Intentions - Public Service Gender, Māori, Pacific and Ethnic Pay Gap Action Plan

Toitū Te Whenua is a diverse team of individuals with different experience and perspectives. This drives our culture and high performance.  We know that people from underrepresented groups and women in particular don't apply for roles if they're not a 100% match, but we're not looking for perfection, we're looking for potential.  As an inclusive and supportive employer, we value difference and want to encourage anyone interested to apply, regardless of whether you tick all the boxes or not. As an organisation we embrace diversity, encourage work life balance and have a flexible approach to the way we work which means you will quickly feel connected and valued.

Tono mai - How to Apply

If you're eyeing up this role and believe you've got what it takes, please apply or get in touch with the team. 

To apply, please click “Apply Online.” You'll be taken through to our Toitū Te Whenua Careers Centre where you'll be able to review further information about the responsibilities and accountabilities of this role in the Position Description. You'll be able to complete your online application form and upload a copy of your CV/Cover Letter.

Please note, while application close on the 30^th Nov, we may be reviewing applications as they are received and may progress with suitable applicants prior to the application closing date. Therefore, please apply as soon as possible if you are interested in this position.

For tracking and evaluation purposes, all applications must be submitted via our on-line process. You must have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand to be eligible for this position. 

At Toitū Te Whenua we design our roles around shared capabilities (rather than focusing on tasks) and so you'll notice our role profiles are broad. This allows us to be responsive to our customers and to strengthen the connections across our organisation. It also gives us the flexibility to provide wider opportunities to our people, to further their careers. The broad-based role for this position is ‘Solicitor – Level 2 (rua)'.

If you have any questions about this role or working at Toitū Te Whenua, please email opportunities@linz.govt.nz and our Recruitment Team will be in touch with you.