General Counsel

Mōkai te ngākau. He whenua he oranga. E ū ai ki te pae roa 

The land sustains and nurtures as we reach to the horizon

Tūaropaki Trust (www.tuaropaki.com) is an Ahu Whenua Trust under the auspices of Te Ture Whenua Māori. There are more than 2,700 Owners, a mix of individuals, Whānau Trusts and Kaitiaki Trusts, all descended from the original Owners. The Trust is a kaitiaki for ancestral taonga and manages complex business interests in the food and energy sectors, with assets valued at approximately $1 billion.

Ngā mātāpono | Our values 

Whakapono - Inner belief in the Tūaropaki vision
 Kia Ū - Commitment, diligence
 Kia Manawanui - Courage, adaptability, strategic foresight and humility.

Te tūranga | Your Role

Tūaropaki Trust is seeking an experienced General Counsel to provide trusted legal, governance and compliance leadership across a complex, values-led organisation with assets of around $1 billion.

This is a pivotal senior role supporting the Chief Executive, Trustees and Independent Directors, and plays a central part in enabling strong decision-making, protecting intergenerational assets, and upholding tikanga Māori and the Trust’s kaupapa.

Reporting to the Chief Corporate, People and Risk Officer, with a secondary reporting line to the Chief Executive, the General Counsel provides end-to-end legal, governance and compliance support across Tūaropaki Trust and Tūaropaki Holdings Limited.

Your Impact

This is a hands-on role combining in-house counsel, governance leadership and company secretarial responsibilities, and acts as the central point of accountability for statutory, regulatory and board-related matters.

Key Responsibilities include:

• Providing pragmatic, proactive legal advice across commercial contracts, joint ventures, investments, policy frameworks, disputes and risk management
• Leading governance and company secretarial functions, including board and committee agendas, papers, minutes and annual governance planning
• Ensuring statutory and regulatory compliance across Māori land law, trust law, companies and charities obligations
• Advising Trustees and Directors on fiduciary duties, conflicts of interest, legislative requirements and good governance practice
• Supporting strategic initiatives, investment decisions and land utilisation projects in alignment with kaitiakitanga and long-term value creation
• Managing relationships with external legal, audit and professional advisors

What we’re looking for:

You will be a senior legal professional with strong governance experience and the judgement, cultural capability and credibility to operate confidently at Board level.

You will bring:

• A law degree and significant post-qualification experience (likely 8+ years) in in-house, governance or regulatory advisory roles
• Sound knowledge of New Zealand governance frameworks, trust law and statutory compliance
• Experience working with Boards, Trustees or Directors in complex organisations
• Strong commercial acumen and financial literacy, with the ability to assess risk and support investment decision-making
• Cultural competence and confidence engaging within a tikanga Māori environment
• Exceptional communication skills and a collaborative, service-oriented approach
• Experience with Māori land governance, Te Ture Whenua Māori, and engagement with the Māori Land Court preferred.

Location & Flexibility

This role is based in Taupō, with presence at Head Office important. Flexibility is available through a hybrid working arrangement, and the Trust is open to full-time or part-time (approximately 0.8 FTE) arrangements for the right candidate.

Why Join Tūaropaki?

This is a rare opportunity to step into a senior, influential role where legal expertise directly supports intergenerational outcomes, cultural integrity and sustainable commercial growth.

If you are motivated by purpose, stewardship and impact — and want your legal career to contribute to something enduring — we would love to hear from you.

How Do I Apply?

Apply via Seek at General Counsel Job in Taupo Central, Waikato – SEEK

Or contact Artemis Executive Recruitment directly and quote reference number 1687860.
Kathryn Cross BMus LLB on 027 700 8049 | [email protected]

Artemis Executive Recruitment is committed to creating inclusive and respectful workplaces. We value diversity as a strength and welcome applicants that can help bring a difference to our client organisations. At Artemis Executive Recruitment, we connect remarkable people with great places to work.