Head of Legal

About the role

This newly created senior position will establish and lead the in‑house legal function for Allevia Health, one of New Zealand’s largest private healthcare groups. Reporting to the Group COO and CFO and working closely with the executive team, the Head of Legal will provide pragmatic legal advice, manage risk and build the legal infrastructure needed for safe, compliant operations.

Key responsibilities

• Design and implement systems, processes and governance frameworks for a fully functional in‑house legal department.
• Partner with the Group Procurement Manager to create and maintain practical contracting standards and update template agreements.
• Align inter‑entity agreements with Group policies and ensure consistency across the organisation.
• Develop and maintain the Group’s legal governance and compliance framework.
• Provide day‑to‑day commercial, contractual, corporate, consumer and privacy/data‑security advice.
• Liaise with external counsel as required and manage external legal engagements.
• Contribute to strategic projects, monitor regulatory changes and deliver internal training on relevant legal topics.

Required profile

• Qualified lawyer with a New Zealand practising certificate (or eligibility to obtain one).
• Minimum of 8 years post‑qualification experience, ideally split between in‑house and law‑firm roles.
• Strong background in corporate and commercial law, including drafting and negotiating commercial contracts.
• Demonstrated ability to work across diverse legal areas and advise senior executives.
• Experience with complex organisational structures and aligning contractual obligations with governance frameworks.

Required skills

• Drafting and negotiating commercial contracts.
• Knowledge of corporate, commercial, consumer, privacy and data‑security law.
• Ability to develop legal policies, procedures and compliance frameworks.
• Stakeholder engagement with senior leadership and external counsel management.