Prosecutor and Senior Prosecutor

He angitūtanga: The opportunity

Te Kaunihera o Tāmāki Makaurau/Auckland Council has an opportunity for a Prosecutor and Senior Prosecutor to join its Regulatory and Enforcement team, both on a full-time permanent basis. These roles are based in the Auckland city centre with some flexibility to work from home or a council hub. 

This is a unique and exciting opportunity for a criminal litigator to diversify their experience through conducting simple to complex regulatory prosecutions with the added benefit of flexible working being available. You will be welcomed into a friendly and close knit-team comprising former crown and police prosecutors and former defence counsel. With frequent court exposure, our prosecutors appear at all stages of the criminal process including the conduct of judge alone trials, sentencing, and high court appeals. 

Reporting to the Prosecutions Team Leader, you will conduct prosecutions in the District Courts throughout the Auckland Region under the Building Act, Dog Control Act, Food Act, Local Government Act, Resource Management Act, and other regulatory legislation. You will observe obligations under the Criminal Procedure Act and the Solicitor-General’s Prosecution Guidelines, representing the Council with professionalism and integrity in all enforcement matters. 

Your legal skillset will focus on the effective conduct of judge alone trials, pre-trial and sentencing hearings, alongside the opportunity for civil enforcement proceedings and High Court appeals. You will also be required to provide pragmatic legal advice to council enforcement officers and other stakeholders on matters relating to enforcement, investigations, and prosecutions. 

As a Prosecutor, you’ll gain hands-on experience managing a diverse range of prosecutions, building your courtroom confidence, and working alongside experienced legal professionals in a supportive team environment.

As a Senior Prosecutor, you’ll take on more complex and high-profile cases, provide strategic legal advice, and play a key role in supporting the management of relationships with internal clients and stakeholders.

He kōrero mōu: About you

Both roles require strong legal skills, sound knowledge of criminal and regulatory law, and familiarity with the local government legal framework. You’ll need to communicate legal advice clearly, manage competing priorities under pressure, and work collaboratively in a high-performing team.

Excellent written and verbal communication, attention to detail, and the ability to build trusted client relationships are essential, along with a strong commitment to integrity and professionalism in enforcement work.

Strong relationship-building skills are essential as you advise and support internal client groups on criminal and regulatory litigation. 

As a Prosecutor, you’ll have experience in criminal litigation and be capable of managing District Court prosecutions independently or with supervision. You’re looking to expand your courtroom experience, deepen your understanding of regulatory law, and further develop your ability to manage legal risk and present compelling legal arguments. You’re organised, self-motivated, and ready to contribute within a collaborative and purpose-driven team.

As a Senior Prosecutor, you’ll bring significant experience in complex prosecution work and may already hold PAL, PPS, or Crown Law classification. You are confident conducting judge-alone trials and High Court appeals without supervision and are skilled at providing strategic legal advice to internal clients. In addition to managing complex or high-profile matters, you will contribute to civil enforcement and appeal work and play a key role in managing key client and stakeholder relationships across Council.

For the Prosecutor role, we are specifically looking for:

• A tertiary qualification in law and a current practising certificate
• Experience in enforcement and prosecutions (preferred but not essential)

For the Senior Prosecutor role, we are specifically looking for:

• Specialist knowledge of criminal and regulatory laws
• A tertiary qualification and current practising certificate
• 5–8 years’ experience, ideally with exposure to RMA matters

Ngā āhuatanga kei a mātou: What we offer

Auckland Council is the largest local government council across Oceania, serving over 1.7 million people and contributing towards making Tāmaki Makaurau a world-class city.

Legal Services is a large in-house team of lawyers working across five teams (Public Law, Commercial, Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Regulatory & Enforcement, and Property). We empower Auckland Council to do the right thing, the right way, for an Auckland we can all be proud of.

In return, we will offer you a flexible working environment, the knowledge and support of other like-minded professionals and an enthusiastic and hard-working team to work with.

Click here to view a snapshot of some of our employee benefits.

Me Tono Ināianei!: Apply Now!

If you are interested, please apply by submitting the following:

• Cover letter outlining which role you are interested in and your relevant experience for the role;
• Curriculum vitae; and
• Example of your written legal submissions (with names and personal details omitted).

Applications close: Thursday 31st of July at 11.59pm

You can find a copy of the position description here: Prosecutor PD & Senior Prosecutor PD.

Our employer Kiwisaver contribution is additional to base salary offered.

Auckland Council is an equal opportunity employer (EOE) and we are committed to providing a working environment that embraces and values diversity and inclusion. If you have any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at the time of application to assist you through the recruitment process.