About us
The Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA) is New Zealand's largest business association, supporting businesses through advocacy, legal and employment relations advice, HR and health & safety consulting, training, and other services. For over 130 years, the EMA has been at the forefront of the business environment providing New Zealand businesses with practical support and reliable employer advice, as well as access to high quality training solutions and a wide variety of events and conferences. Our purpose is to lift the prosperity of New Zealand through better business.

Our team are insightful, purpose-driven curious thinkers who have their finger on the pulse of New Zealand and global best business practices.

About the role
As Head of Professional Services, you will be a key member of EMA’s Senior Leadership Team, responsible for leading and evolving our Legal, Employment Relations, Health & Safety Consulting, and HR Services functions. This role is pivotal in delivering high-impact, client-focused services that support our members’ business success while ensuring compliance with legal and industry standards.

The Head of Professional Services role requires a commercially astute leader with deep expertise in employment law or employment relations, and stakeholder engagement. The successful candidate will also ideally serve as General Counsel, providing legal oversight and technical support to our Consultants and Advocacy team.

Key responsibilities

• Lead multidisciplinary teams across Legal, Employment Relations, Health & Safety, HR, and Advanced Manufacturing
• Develop service strategies to align with EMA’s vision and member needs
• Champion best practice in legal advice, risk management, and industry standards
• Build and maintain strong relationships with members, clients, network partners, and key stakeholders
• Drive business development, financial oversight, and practice management across service lines
• Contribute to the EMA’s workplace relations and employment Advocacy program
• Support the Senior Leadership Team and Board of Directors with expert advice and strategic insight

About you
You are an experienced leader with a background in professional services, legal, or employment relations within complex organisational environments.

You will have:

• Ideally you will be a qualified lawyer with experience in employment law, but experience in employment and associated legislation is necessary
• Proven strategic leadership in service business environments
• Experience building and leading collaborative teams
• Strong commercial acumen and the ability to identify growth opportunities
• Experience in employment legislation is highly desirable
• Exceptional client relationship management and stakeholder engagement skills
• Deep understanding of legal compliance, risk management, and industry best practices
• A commercially minded strategic thinker with a strong client focus
• A team player with an inclusive, empathetic, and self-driven style

Working at EMA
At the EMA, we are committed to helping member businesses succeed through support, advice, learning and advocacy. One of our advantages is the flexible working options we provide, which we believe will set us apart from a typical law firm environment. Now is your opportunity to be a part of making a difference to businesses and communities in New Zealand.

How to apply
Kerridge & Partners is managing the appointment process for this role. To apply or express interest, please contact Sam Webster at sam.webster@kerridgepartners.com or call +64 21 188 1342.