Head of Legal

Yili Oceania is seeking a commercially minded Head of Legal to provide senior in-house legal leadership across a complex, multi-entity food and dairy group. Reporting to the CEO, Yili Oceania, you will be the senior legal adviser for the group in New Zealand and the key legal liaison with Yili Group Headquarters.

Yili Oceania brings together Westland Milk Products, Oceania Dairy, EasiYo, Canary Foods and Pure Nutrition, producing high-quality dairy and health food products for domestic and international markets.

As Head of Legal, you will lead the legal team as well as advising the CEO, Executive Leadership Team and senior leaders on corporate, commercial, regulatory, governance, IP, employment, health and safety, compliance and risk matters.

You will lead legal risk management, support governance, provide training, oversee external counsel relationships and provide pragmatic, solutions-focused advice across local and international stakeholders.

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• Provide strategic legal advice to the, CEO, ELT and senior leaders.
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• Manage legal, regulatory, governance and compliance risk across the group.
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• Review, draft and negotiate key commercial agreements.
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• Act as the primary legal liaison with Yili Group Headquarters Legal Department.
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• Support corporate governance, finance, statutory obligations and delegated authority frameworks.
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• Manage disputes, investigations and sensitive legal matters.
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• Oversee external legal providers, legal budgets and legal function capability.
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You will be a credible senior legal professional who balances sound legal judgement with commercial pragmatism and can influence confidently across executives, and internal stakeholders.

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• LLB or equivalent legal qualification and a current New Zealand practising certificate.
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• 10+ years’ post-qualification legal experience.
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• Strong in-house and/or major commercial law firm experience.
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• Sound knowledge of New Zealand corporate, commercial, employment, health and safety, regulatory and compliance law.
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• Experience advising, executives and senior business leaders.
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• Strong stakeholder management, influencing and cross-cultural communication skills.
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• Multinational or complex corporate group experience would be advantageous.
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This is a highly visible legal leadership opportunity within a significant New Zealand-based food and dairy group with international ownership and global reach.