Legal Counsel

About us

The Electricity Authority Te Mana Hiko is an independent Crown entity that regulates the electricity market. We are a kaitiaki of electricity, and our purpose is to enhance New Zealanders' lives, prosperity, and environment through electricity.

The electricity industry is at a pivotal moment, with the journey towards renewable energy sources and innovation reshaping how we operate. To meet these challenges and opportunities, we're evolving as an organisation - growing our capabilities, expanding our reach, and building a team ready to create a brighter, more sustainable future for Aotearoa.

Our focus is on making a difference through bold thinking, collaboration, and delivering value for the communities we serve.

About the role

We're seeking a skilled and motivated Legal Counsel to join our Legal, Monitoring and Compliance Group on a fixed-term basis through to 30 June 2026.

This is an exciting opportunity to work with senior legal counsel who have expertise across a range of areas, including public law, regulation, compliance, contract and privacy. It comes at a time the energy sector is going through a period of rapid change, with the Authority focused on working faster and smarter to meet these challenges.

This role supports the Authority's statutory functions by delivering clear, timely, and practical legal advice across a range of regulatory and corporate matters.

You'll work closely with teams across the organisation to interpret legislation, review contracts, support compliance and privacy functions, and contribute to Code amendments and enforcement processes.

Key responsibilities include:

• Interpreting and applying legislation, including the Electricity Industry Act and Code
• Drafting and reviewing contracts and legal documents
• Advising on Code amendments and regulatory processes
• Supporting privacy obligations and assisting the Privacy Officer
• Reviewing Board and consultation papers
• Managing litigation and compliance processes
• Providing legal education across the organisation
• Identifying opportunities to improve legal processes

Are you someone with the following?

• A tertiary qualification in law (LLB or equivalent) and admission as a barrister and solicitor in New Zealand
• Four to six years post-qualification experience
• Experience in regulatory environments is preferred
• Strong understanding of public law and the unique requirements of working within a Crown entity
• Excellent analytical, reasoning, and communication skills
• Ability to interpret, apply, and draft legislation
• A collaborative mindset and the ability to build effective relationships across diverse teams
• Experience working with government agencies or in-house legal teams (advantageous)
• Curiosity, adaptability, and openness to integrating ideas and perspectives

Why work for us?

Electricity plays a critical role in the quality of our lives and businesses. As an electricity kaitiaki, our work is diverse, intellectually challenging, and contributes directly to our communities, economy, environment, and the nation as a whole.

We are a small but high-impact organisation where talented individuals can make a real difference. We foster an open, collaborative environment that encourages quality, innovation, ongoing learning, and knowledge sharing.

We support a healthy work-life balance and offer a range of benefits to support our teams:

• Competitive remuneration range, starting from $132,000 (plus 3% net KiwiSaver contribution)
• Flexible working options
• Individual and organisational support for training and development

Interested?

If you're ready to make an impact and help shape the future of electricity in New Zealand, click 'apply now' and submit your cover letter and CV.

For further details, you can find the position description by clicking the link below. If you'd like to korero more about the role, please contact

To apply for this role, you must have a legal right to work in New Zealand at the time of submitting your application.

Applications close Sunday, 26 October but we may start considering applications as they are received, so don't wait