About the Role:

The General Manager Legal is a pivotal leadership role at Fisher Funds, responsible for leading the legal function and acting as the firm’s senior legal adviser. You will provide trusted, expert advice across the business, proactively managing legal risk and ensuring compliance with relevant New Zealand’s financial services regulatory framework.

As a key strategic partner to the Executive Team and Board, you will deliver pragmatic, forward‑looking legal guidance that supports Fisher Funds’ objectives and long‑term growth. You will also lead and develop the in‑house legal team, foster a culture of legal excellence and integrity, and oversee the firm’s critical external legal and regulatory relationships.

Key Responsibilities:

Legal leadership & strategic advisory

• Lead the legal function across Fisher Funds, setting the tone, direction, and standards
• Be a trusted adviser for the business, bringing clarity and sound judgement when the stakes are high
• Translate complex legal issues into pragmatic, commercial guidance that helps the business move forward

Risk management & regulatory compliance

• Anticipate legal and regulatory risk across the organisation, bringing others with you through clear guidance and practical leadership.
• Help ensure Fisher Funds continues to operate confidently within its regulatory frameworks while supporting the business to move forward.

External legal relationships & stakeholder engagement

• Build and manage strong, effective relationships with external legal partners
• Engage confidently with regulators and auditors, representing Fisher Funds with credibility and clarity

People leadership

• Lead, coach, and inspire a high‑performing in‑house legal team
• Embed a culture of legal excellence, integrity and sound judgement across the business.

Key internal relationships

• Act as a key adviser to the Executive Team and the FFML Board on legal, regulatory and governance issues.
• Work alongside leaders across Product, Finance, Client and Operations to deliver practical legal support to the business.

Skills & Experience:

• Proven track record leading a legal function and operating comfortably at senior‑leader level across a broad and complex portfolio (PQE 15+ years)
• Known for delivering clear, trusted legal advice that is practical and effective in a business context.
• Deep experience identifying, managing, and navigating legal risk across enterprise‑level operations
• Strong, hands‑on understanding of New Zealand’s financial services regulatory environment
• Confidence managing external legal partners and panels, and engaging constructively with regulators and auditors
• A people‑first leader who coaches, mentors, and develops high‑performing in‑house legal teams
• Executive‑level relationship skills, with the ability to partner credibly with the Executive Team, FFML Board, and senior leaders across the business

About Fisher Funds:

Fisher Funds is one of New Zealand’s largest specialist wealth management companies, operating for 25 years.

We’re on a mission to help Kiwis realise their ambitions by making investing accessible and enjoyable. Today, we support nearly 500,000 Kiwis across KiwiSaver and Managed Funds, with over $24 billion in funds under management.

Our in‑house investment team is one of the largest and most experienced in New Zealand, investing across a diverse range of portfolios around the world. We’re equally proud of our award‑winning client services team, who bring care, clarity, and consistency to every client interaction.

Above all, this is a place where people are proud of the work they do and the difference it makes. We take our responsibility seriously — but we do it together, with ambition, generosity, and a shared commitment to doing things well.

Why Fisher Funds?

Here’s what makes Fisher Funds a rewarding place to lead and make a meaningful impact:

Wellbeing comes first

Your health and wellbeing genuinely matter to us. Alongside Southern Cross Health Insurance and life insurance coverage, we’re committed to flexible, sustainable ways of working that support real work‑life balance. We trust our people to manage their time well and believe great work happens when people feel supported, energised, and able to bring their whole selves to work.

Room to grow

We back our people to keep learning. You’ll have access to professional development opportunities that help you stretch, evolve, and reach your potential — whatever that looks like for you.

Time that actually means something

Alongside a generous parental leave package, we offer community leave so you can give back in ways that matter to you, plus birthday leave so you can celebrate with the people who matter most.

A culture you’ll want to be part of

Our teams are collaborative, inclusive, and genuinely supportive. We value new ideas, encourage curiosity, and believe work can be high‑performing and fun. You’ll be surrounded by smart people who care about what they do — and about each other.

For successful candidates, Fisher Funds conducts mandatory background screening in accordance with current legislation (including police and credit checks as part of our interview process). To apply for this vacancy, you also MUST be a New Zealand citizen, resident, or have already secured the right to work in New Zealand and therefore hold a valid visa.

Applications Close – 24 March 2026