Senior Legal Counsel

About the role

PwC New Zealand is seeking a Senior Legal Counsel to join its Office of General Counsel in Auckland. This senior in‑house position provides pragmatic, commercially focused legal advice across the firm, working closely with partners, client‑facing teams and internal services.

Key responsibilities

• Draft, review and negotiate complex commercial agreements, including client contracts, master services agreements and supplier agreements.
• Support bids, tenders and strategic client contracts to achieve commercially workable outcomes.
• Partner with Risk and Procurement on strategic supplier negotiations and vendor risk management.
• Provide practical legal advice on a wide range of operational and strategic matters.
• Monitor and respond to legislative and regulatory changes affecting the firm.
• Assist with dispute management and resolution as needed.
• Contribute to the development and continuous improvement of legal templates, guidance materials and internal policies.
• Respond to ad‑hoc legal queries across the business with clear, solution‑focused advice.

Required profile

• Current New Zealand legal practising certificate (or eligibility to obtain one).
• 6–10+ years post‑qualification experience, preferably with strong commercial contracting exposure in a law firm or in‑house setting.
• Demonstrated ability to draft and negotiate complex commercial agreements.
• Strong commercial acumen and the capacity to balance legal risk with business objectives.
• Proven ability to build trusted relationships and influence stakeholders at all organisational levels.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Capability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment.

Required skills

• Drafting and negotiating complex commercial agreements.
• Commercial risk assessment and mitigation.
• Stakeholder management and influence.
• Understanding of procurement processes and vendor risk.
• Awareness of legislative and regulatory frameworks.

What we offer

• Discretionary bonus opportunities and generous referral bonuses.
• Retail discounts and deals.
• Access to a global network, leadership development programs and AI tools.
• $250 annual wellbeing allowance, life and income protection, and mental‑health support services.