Senior Legal Counsel Public Law at Te Whatu Ora, Wellington

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

• Permanent, full-time position based in Wellington, although we are open to applications from those seeking to work part-time (at least 0.8 FTE) or remotely.
• Provide expert legal advice on some of the most complex and high-profile public law matters in New Zealand's largest public sector organisation.
• Join a collaborative national legal team where your expertise will help shape decisions that impact healthcare services and communities across Aotearoa.

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is the country's largest employer, delivering universal public healthcare to 5 million New Zealanders. 

We provide essential hospital, specialist, and community health services across 80+ locations - from large urban centres to rural towns and remote communities. 

Our goal is to improve health outcomes for all New Zealanders by delivering equitable, accessible and innovative care. 

About the Role 

As a Senior Legal Counsel – Public Law, you'll work on some of the most nationally significant, interesting and high-profile issues Health NZ deals with.  You'll help us navigate matters that don't come with neat answers, bringing structure, clarity and sound judgment to situations where the facts may be evolving and the stakes matter.

Working in the Public Law team at Health NZ's head office, your practice will centre on:

• Investigations and protected disclosures.
• Complaints and engagement with oversight bodies.
• Public and administrative law, including natural justice and decision-making.
• Privacy, Official Information Act and regulatory interfaces.

You'll work closely with senior leaders, integrity and assurance functions, external legal providers, and government agencies to manage risk, support decision-making, and contribute to organisational integrity and accountability. No two days or matters are the same, and your work will have a direct impact on how Health New Zealand serves communities across the country.

About you 

As an experienced lawyer, you'll likely come from a complaints, investigations, oversight or regulatory environment, or have significant experience advising in that context.

You're someone who:

• Is comfortable operating where facts are unclear and issues are evolving;
• Enjoys getting to the bottom of complex situations;
• Can hold the line on legal risk while still enabling progress;
• Brings sound judgment to sensitive and sometimes high-pressure matters; and
• Builds trust quickly with both operational and senior stakeholders.

You will also have:

• A tertiary qualification in Law and eligibility to hold a current practising certificate as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand.
• At least eight years' post-qualification experience, ideally within a public sector, regulatory, or oversight environment.
• Experience advising on investigations, complaints, regulatory matters, administrative law, or integrity-related issues.
• Strong understanding of legislation such as the Official Information Act, Privacy Act, and Protected Disclosures (Protection of Whistleblowers) Act, or the ability to quickly develop expertise in these areas.
• Exceptional communication, stakeholder management, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to cut through complexity to provide pragmatic advice.

Working for Health New Zealand

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of New Zealand. We embrace a workforce that is diverse and inclusive so that we are better positioned to understand and service our community. We welcome applications from our diverse Māori, Pacific, disabled, and rainbow communities.    

How to Apply 

To apply, please click “apply now.”  All applications must be submitted through our online careers portal by 11:59PM Sunday 26 July 2026. For further information, please contact Nicole Rickard on Nicole.Rickard@TeWhatuOra.Govt.NZ.

The full position description is available on the Health New Zealand Careers site.

Whilst Health New Zealand is undergoing change, affected kaimahi will be given preference and priority for this position.

We will review applications as received and may proceed with the recruitment process before the closing date of this advert.