Legal Services Advisor / Senior Legal Services Advisor

About the role

Massey University is seeking a Legal Services Advisor or Senior Legal Services Advisor to join its Research Operations team. You will act as a trusted legal advisor, providing pragmatic, solutions‑focused advice to researchers and professional staff across the university’s research and enterprise portfolios.

Key responsibilities

• Provide timely, practical legal advice on research funding, collaborations, and commercialisation.
• Negotiate, draft, and review a wide range of agreements, balancing legal risk with strategic objectives.
• Advise on intellectual property matters, including ownership, licensing, trademarks, copyright and patents.
• Support privacy, publication and related commercial issues.
• Build trusted relationships with academic and non‑legal stakeholders and communicate complex legal concepts clearly.

Required profile

• Qualified lawyer with an LLB or equivalent recognised law degree.
• Current New Zealand practising certificate, or ability to obtain one.
• Experience advising in a commercial, government, tertiary, research or similar environment.
• Proven ability to draft, review and negotiate agreements and identify key risks.
• Strong analytical skills, attention to detail and ability to manage competing priorities.
• Excellent communication skills for both legal and non‑legal audiences.

Required skills

What we offer

• Opportunity to work in a small in‑house legal team supporting impactful research.
• Intellectually stimulating environment with varied legal matters.
• Full‑time permanent position on one of the Palmerston North, Auckland or Wellington campuses.