Closing date: Friday 30 May 2025
About the Role
▪ The Head of Legal and Compliance is a full-time leadership role responsible for overseeing all legal and compliance activities of the Union. This includes providing strategic legal advice, ensuring regulatory compliance, managing legal risks, and fostering a strong compliance culture. The Head of Legal and Compliance is also responsible for the Union’s legal team and is involved in litigation management and union representation.
▪ The Head of Legal and Compliance is a senior member of the National Leadership Committee, reports directly to the General Secretary, and executes all lawful and reasonable instructions from the General Secretary, National Leadership Committee (NLC) and the National Executive.
As a leader in the organisation, the Head of Legal and Compliance has the following key responsibilities:
▪ Strategic Legal Advice: Providing expert legal counsel to the union’s National Leadership Committee, National Executive and Union Organisers on all legal matters.
▪ Legal Team: Leading and managing the in-house legal team, including hiring, training, and performance management.
▪ Strategic Legal Planning: Developing and implementing legal strategies to support the union’s objectives.
▪ Compliance: Ensuring the union complies with all applicable laws and regulations.
▪ Risk Management: Identifying and mitigating legal risks for the union.
▪ Litigation: Overseeing and managing litigation matters.
Other Responsibilities
▪ Consistently demonstrating and promoting the Union’s vision and values in daily actions and decisions, both within and outside the workplace.
▪ Developing legal and paralegal team members to help them reach their full potential by providing opportunities for growth, clear communication, and a supportive work environment through mentorship, one-on-one meetings, and focusing on both individual and team development.
▪ Collectively work with the team to set and achieve the goals and objectives outlined in the Union’s national and regional plans.
▪ Assigning tasks to team members to achieve desired outcomes.
▪ Cultivating a culture of accountability where every team member is empowered and united in driving the success of the Union’s work plan.
▪ Managing day-to-day operations of team members’ work, including approving leave.
▪ Developing, evaluating, and reporting on outcomes in relation to established plans.
▪ Identifying strategic opportunities and collaborating with the General Secretary and Regional Organising Directors to implement strategic and annual plans.
▪ Ensure that the Union’s strategic priorities are clearly communicated and effectively implemented within the team to achieve the Union’s objectives.
▪ Maintaining accurate records related to the team’s work.
▪ Overseeing staff health and safety as required by the General Secretary.
▪ Takes accountability for own actions and self-development
▪ Performing additional duties that are not explicitly outlined in the position description but are within the capability, skills, and experience generally expected of someone in this role.
Qualifications and Experience
▪ Law degree and a practising certificate.
▪ Extensive legal experience in legal and compliance roles, preferably in one of the trade unions in New Zealand.
▪ Must understand strategic leadership, such as recognising the importance of the union’s objectives, long-term planning, and the ability to guide the admin and industrial staff towards its goals, even in a changing environment.
▪ Strong leadership and management skills, with the ability to motivate and inspire a team.
▪ Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify and resolve complex legal and compliance issues.
▪ High level of understanding of bargaining collective agreements.
▪ Ability to effectively manage the provision of legal services, including day-to-day management of the legal team and high-quality legal advice in employee-employer
relationship matters such as personal grievances, bargaining, health and safety and other employment disputes under ERA 2000, Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 and Holidays Act 2003.
▪ Confidence and capability, making sound decisions on complex organising issues under time pressures.
▪ A can-do attitude and an alignment with Union’s values, including a commitment to collaboration and supporting our diverse communities.
▪ Have good IT skills and experience using Microsoft 365
▪ Excellent communication skills, written and oral.
▪ Flexible and adaptable to meet the differing demands as they arise.
▪ Knowledge of and willingness to demonstrate the Union’s commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
▪ Current New Zealand driver’s license.
Preferred Experience and Skills
▪ Experience working with a team to achieve outcomes and managing team conflicting priorities.
▪ Experience in planning, managing staff and maintaining accountability systems.
▪ Expert knowledge in at least one of the Union sectors: retail, finance, transport, wood, textile & clothing, logistics and manufacturing.
Please send your application to jo.wilson@workersfirst.nz
Applications close Friday 30 May at 5pm.
Contact person: Jo Wilson