National Manager Duty Lawyer Service at NZ Ministry of Justice, Auckland Region

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

National Manager Duty Lawyer Service

Legal Aid Services

Ellerslie, Auckland

Te Haeata/The Opportunity

The Duty Lawyer Service provides lawyers to help people who have been charged with an offence and don't have a lawyer. The National Manager Duty Lawyer Service is a senior management role, responsible for leading the development and ongoing improvement of the Duty Lawyer Service.

The position is responsible for the strategic work programme and manages and implements improvements across the business, focussing on both short-and long-term objectives. The role is also responsible for making key decisions, shaping approaches and standards for the service and leading change to ensure it is effective, high quality and nationally consistent.

The role requires you to build and maintain robust relationships with internal and external stakeholders and work collaboratively with the Legal Aid Services and Public Defence Services leadership teams to lead change and drive the strategic direction of the Duty Lawyer Service. 

This is an exciting time to join our leadership team as we continue our modernisation journey and work towards improving access to justice for the people of New Zealand.

Ō pūkenga tou/Skills and Experience

To be successful, you will need:

• demonstratable experience leading and implementing change, including process redesign, within a complex operating environment or programme
• strong interpersonal skills at all levels of seniority, with the ability to build highly credible professional relationships, including building and maintaining a range of effective internal and external business relationships and networks, and working with key stakeholders
• proven ability to lead and deliver a strategic work plan, shaping the direction of a service/organisation and planning from both a risk management and effective outcomes perspective
• high level of acumen and experience in writing recommendation papers and producing reports for senior governance forums
• have experience in leading the development of engagement deliverables, including communication plans, stakeholder engagement plans, change plans, change impact assessments, and business readiness plans
• experience working within a legal or court environment with a strong understanding of legal and court processes.

Mō mātou/About us

At Te Tāhū o te Ture - the Ministry of Justice, we're committed to strengthening people's trust in the law of Aotearoa, New Zealand.

Joining Te Tāhū o te Ture means you will become part of an organisation that welcomes and supports people of all gender identities, ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations, disabilities and religions. 

Ngā painga o tēnei wāhi mahi/What's great about working here

 We offer you a range of benefits to support your wellbeing and help make the Ministry a great place to be. These include:

• 4.6 weeks holiday leave
• flexible work hours where possible
• an online professional development portal
• access to a variety of inclusive and proactive networks

See our full range of benefits here.

With a wide range of jobs, you also get the chance to gain a variety of skills and experience while developing your career.

Utu ā-tau/Salary

The appointing salary for this role will be between $148,972 and $206,570 based on skills and experience.

Tono mai/How to Apply

You can view a detailed position description here, as well as complete an online application form by attaching your CV and cover letter.

Applications close on 22 June 2025; however, we will be reviewing CVs as they come in and inviting successful candidates to interview before the close date.

If you have any questions, please contact recruitment@justice.govt.nz

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