Office Public Defender

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

Public Defence Service

Office Public Defender - Manukau

Te Haeata/The Opportunity

A great opportunity for a dynamic people leader and seasoned senior lawyer, to grow their career in a supportive, collegial and busy environment.

Reporting directly to the National Public Defender, you will:

• Be an integral part of both the office Leadership Team and the National PDS Management Team
• Work in a co-leadership partnership with an excellent Support Services Manager
• Be critical to the achievement of PDS's operational and strategic goals
• Provide day-to-day management and leadership of an outstanding team of lawyers
• Engage in key external relationships to support the delivery of an improved legal service.
• Have a criminal lawyer provider approval at level 4 and be qualified to practise law in New Zealand

He pūkenga tou/Skills and Experience

To be successful, you must be passionate about criminal justice issues and have the skills and experience to:

• Set the tone, expectations, and culture of the office, creating an environment of trust, respect, and ongoing learning.
• Develop business and workforce strategies and implement vision.
• Lead, engage and inspire your people to deliver a professional and dynamic service.
• Deliver highly effective advocacy, stakeholder management, communication, and leadership.

This is a challenging but truly satisfying role.

Ko wai mātou/Who we are

At Te Tāhū o te Ture - the Ministry of Justice, we're committed to working together for a fair and safe Aotearoa.

The PDS is part of the Ministry of Justice and the wider justice sector. The Ministry provides centralised business services, infrastructure, and support to the work of the PDS. 

The Public Defence Service (PDS) provides high-quality legal advice and representation in a full range of criminal cases. Aimed at helping people access justice, the PDS promotes the values of respect, integrity, service and the delivery of excellent service to its clients.

Joining Te Tāhū o te Ture means you will become part of an organisation that welcomes and supports people of all gender identities, ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations, disabilities, and religions. 

He aha ngā painga o tēnei mahi mōu/Why you will enjoy working here

This is an exciting opportunity to lead, encourage and positively influence the delivery of Court advocacy, from a dynamic team of lawyers, who stand for those in the South Auckland community that need representation. The team of Office Public Defenders you will join, will be your support base, as you work with the national Leadership Team, and we work (as a goal) to enhance and enable you to flourish in this position. Have a go!

(Lemalu Hermann Retzlaff - National Public Defender)

We will provide you with:

• Access to a well-designed and embedded national training programme,
• Professional development opportunities
• Access to professional supervision
• Flexible working options where possible
• A laptop and mobile phone

See our full range of benefits here.

Utu ā-tau/Salary

The appointing salary for this role will be between $147,972 and $206,570 based on skills and experience.

 Tono mai/How to Apply

To apply, click the Apply button below to be directed to our Careers Website. You can view a detailed position description here, as well as complete an online application form by attaching your CV and cover letter.

Applications close at  Sunday 29^th September 2024; however, we will be reviewing CVs as they come in and inviting successful candidates to interview before the close date.

If you have any questions, please contact recruitment@justice.govt.nz