Chief Legal Officer

About the role

The Chief Legal Officer will lead MBIE’s Legal, Ethics and Privacy branch, providing enterprise‑wide legal stewardship across a wide range of policy, regulatory and operational portfolios. This senior executive role shapes the legal direction of one of the largest in‑house legal functions in the New Zealand public service.

Key responsibilities

• Provide consistent, high‑quality legal, ethics and privacy advice across MBIE and proactively manage risk.
• Align legal, integrity and privacy services with MBIE’s strategic priorities.
• Act as a trusted advisor to senior leaders on complex, high‑risk issues.
• Raise legal practice standards, capability and consistency across internal and external services.
• Develop leadership depth, capability and a client‑focused culture within the branch.
• Fulfil statutory roles including Chief Privacy Officer and Integrity Champion.
• Contribute to collective leadership as part of the Strategy and Assurance leadership team.

Required profile

• Extensive experience leading large, complex legal or advisory functions at senior level.
• Proven strategic thinking and ability to influence enterprise‑level outcomes.
• Track record of building capability and leading transformation or system‑level change.
• Highly developed stakeholder engagement skills with credibility at senior levels.
• Strong understanding of government or similarly complex operating environments.
• Admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand with a current practising certificate.

Required skills