Senior Legal Counsel Counties Manukau

• Permanent, full-time position, based at Middlemore Hospital.
• Provide strategic and operational legal advice across one of New Zealand's largest and most complex health environments.
• A senior role where your expertise will support major commercial projects, procurement activity, and critical healthcare services.

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 – Commercial, you'll provide trusted legal advice and support across a broad range of commercial and public law matters, with a particular focus on supporting Counties Manukau and the wider Northern region. You'll work closely with, , senior managers and operational teams to provide practical, solution-focused advice that enables informed decision-making and manages organisational risk.

This is a varied and high-impact role where you'll draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of commercial agreements — including procurement documents, clinical trial agreements, property and construction contracts, commissioning agreements confidentiality agreements, and information sharing arrangements. You'll support negotiations, advise on procurement and privacy matters, contribute to significant projects, and help resolve disputes when required. Alongside your technical expertise, you'll also play an important role in mentoring, training, and contributing to a collaborative and high-performing legal team culture.

About you

As an experienced commercial lawyer, you'll bring a positive, can-do attitude, strong technical capability, sound judgement, and the ability to build trusted relationships across a complex organisation. You will also be and have:

• Qualified Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand with a current practising certificate
• At least eight years' post-qualification experience, ideally including in-house or public sector experience
• Strong commercial legal experience, including contract law and procurement advice
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to provide pragmatic, solution-focused advice
• Ability to manage competing priorities and work effectively in a fast-paced, evolving environment
• Great relationship skills and a strong commitment to supporting the team

Working at 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 24 May 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.