About Us

Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) is the umbrella organisation for national football associations across Oceania, actively promoting football as a tool for social development. Committed to leaving a positive impact in the communities we serve, OFC delivers award-winning Sport for Development programmes that utilise football to enhance lives across the Pacific region.

We’re now seeking an experienced and commercially astute Legal Counsel (Commercial) to join our Auckland, New Zealand team. This is an exciting time to join OFC as we continue to grow our commercial footprint, including the launch of the OFC Professional League in January 2026.

If you are passionate about high-quality commercial contracting and want to contribute to the future of football across Oceania, this is your opportunity.

About The Role

Reporting to the Head of Legal and Compliance, the Legal Counsel (Commercial) provides commercially focused legal advice to the OFC General Secretariat and wider business. The core emphasis of this role is drafting, reviewing and negotiating commercial contracts, while partnering with internal stakeholders to manage legal risk and support OFC’s commercial and strategic objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Draft, review and negotiate a wide range of commercial agreements (sponsorship, broadcast, production, marketing, procurement, service agreements and MOUs).
• Provide clear, commercially pragmatic advice on contractual risk and business implications.
• Lead and support negotiations with external counterparties.
• Develop and maintain contract templates, governance processes and a structured contract database.
• Partner with Procurement and business units to strengthen contract governance and risk management.
• Provide early-stage legal input into commercial initiatives and strategic projects.
• Support employment law matters including agreements, performance processes and disputes.
• Provide day-to-day legal advisory support across commercial operations.
• Monitor relevant legislation and advise on compliance implications across jurisdictions.
• Manage external legal counsel, including scoping, instruction, review of advice and monitoring legal spend.
• Instruct and liaise with external counsel in connection with local law matters across multiple jurisdictions.
• Lead legal workstreams within broader organisational projects and report on risk and progress to the Head of Legal and Compliance

Why Join Us

We offer you:

• A competitive annual salary.
• A hybrid working model offering flexibility to work from home two days per week.
• Free onsite parking.
• A vibrant, passionate and supportive team culture.
• Emphasis on professional development and growth opportunities.
• The opportunity to contribute to the future of football and community impact across the Pacific.
• Full-time position (minimum guaranteed 40 hours per week).

About You

You are a commercially minded legal professional who enjoys working in a fast-paced and collaborative environment. You bring strong contract drafting and negotiation skills and are confident balancing legal risk with business outcomes.

You will be comfortable working across a diverse stakeholder group and supporting commercial activity across multiple jurisdictions and cultures.

Qualifications & Experience

• LLB recognised in New Zealand.
• Valid NZLS practising certificate (or ability to obtain one).
• 4+ years’ New Zealand legal experience.
• Strong commercial contracting experience.
• Experience drafting and negotiating sponsorship, procurement, broadcast, marketing or service agreements preferred.
• Employment law exposure desirable.
• Sports, media, marketing, licensing or digital industry experience advantageous but not essential.
• Exposure to employment law desirable.
• Excellent written and spoken English language skills, including the ability to draft and negotiate complex agreements.

Skills & Capabilities

• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to translate legal advice into practical business solutions.
• Excellent drafting, analytical, negotiation and problem-solving skills.
• Strong understanding of commercial environments including sports marketing, merchandising, licensing, sponsorship, digital marketing, e-commerce and related commercial sectors.
• Ability to provide clear, solutions-focused legal advice to internal stakeholders.
• Highly organised with strong attention to detail and documentation integrity.
• Ability to manage a large and varied workload while maintaining quality and deadlines.
• Resilient and adaptable when priorities shift quickly.
• Professional, confident and able to represent OFC effectively in negotiations and external engagements.
• Collaborative team player with the ability to work across diverse cultures and stakeholder groups.
• Ability to build strong relationships with internal teams, OFC stakeholders and external commercial and legal counterparts.
• Proactive mindset with a strong sense of ownership and personal accountability.
• Willingness to step outside your comfort zone and continuously improve working practices.

Additional Requirements

• Must be eligible to work in New Zealand.
• Must hold a current passport and be able to travel within the Oceania region.
• Must be able to satisfy a Ministry of Justice criminal check at OFC’s discretion.
• We welcome applications from candidates based in New Zealand and Australia. If you're excited by the opportunity to contribute to football’s commercial success in Oceania, we’d love to hear from you.

Apply Now – Next Steps

Please apply through SEEK and attach your cover letter highlighting your specific qualifications and recent experiences that are relevant to the role.