We are currently recruiting for two roles at New Zealand Women’s Law Journal – Te Aho Kawe Kaupapa Ture a ngā Wāhine:
Trust Board members (two vacancies);
Co-Editor-in-Chief (Kaupapa Māori).
See below for details on these vacancies and how to apply.
TRUST BOARD VACANCIES
Te Aho Kawe Kaupapa Ture a ngā Wāhine - The New Zealand Women's Law Journal are looking for two new trustees who share our passion for gender justice. We are interested in developing a Trust Board with a diversity of backgrounds, skills and experience.
Trustee Role Description
The Trustees of the New Zealand Women’s Law Journal – Te Aho Kawe Kaupapa Ture a ngā Wāhine (NZWLJ) have oversight over the Journal’s strategy, finances and governance. While the Editors-in-Chief, Managing Editor and Advocacy Managers lead the day-to-day operations and publication of the Journal, the Trustees are responsible for the Journal’s long-term strategy and ensuring that the Journal continues to advance its objectives in a sustainable way.
The role of the Trustee includes:
Appointing and training senior leadership personnel like the Editors-in-Chief, Managing Editors and Advocacy Managers;
Oversight over the Journal’s structure and operations, including ensuring that the Journal’s leadership team has the support they need to continue the Journal’s mahi as well as reviewing the Journal’s structure to ensure it continues to meet its objectives;
Reviewing and updating the Journal’s strategic objectives on a regular basis;
Responsibility for finances and sponsorship of the Journal, including its investments and status as a Charity;
Maintaining and negotiating relationships with key stakeholders, including the Journal’s advisory board, and sponsors;
Reporting and compliance as a charitable trust;
Assisting with operations and/or special projects where necessary.
The Trustees meet formally on a monthly basis to further these objectives, as well as at other times when necessary. The Trustees subscribe to a consensus-based decision-making model, so maintain regular contact between meetings in order to progress individual work streams.
This is a voluntary role, with monthly Board meetings (conducted remotely via video conferencing). In addition to meetings, we anticipate a time commitment of 5-7 hours per month.
We are looking for two new trustees who share our passion for gender justice. We are interested in developing a Trust Board with a diversity of backgrounds, skills and experience. At this stage, we are looking for:
● One Trustee based in New Zealand, who has a law degree and 3+ years of professional experience in law, policy, government, business or related fields. We envisage this role as being ideal for someone who is willing to commit regular time to the Journal to support other Trustees with overseeing the leadership team, assisting with sponsorship and funding applications, and being eager to pick up other operational matters that arise in the Trust. We see this as being a wonderful development opportunity for someone who is looking to develop their governance skills.
● One Trustee who has a law degree and 7+ years of professional experience in law; policy, government, business or related fields. This person will ideally be based in New Zealand and have previous governance experience, with established relationships across the legal, political and/or academic professions. We envisage this role as being a strategic leader for the Journal, working collaboratively with other Trustees and the Leadership Team to navigate complex issues that can arise from time to time, and being a thought-leader for the Trust to continue to grow into a sustainable operating model moving into the future. We envisage that this Trustee will bring a wealth of knowledge and strategic oversight to support the team.
If this sounds like you, please email your CV and Cover letter to trustees.nzwlj@gmail.com by 5pm
17 April 2025. If you would like to have a confidential kōrero about the role, please feel free to send us an email and we will arrange a time to call you.
LEADERSHIP TEAM VACANCIES – CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF (KAUPAPA MĀORI)
We are looking to recruit a Co-Editor-in-Chief (Kaupapa Māori) for the 2025 Edition of the Journal. Applications are currently open, with more details on how to apply below.
Representation matters to us, and so while all applications will be considered, applicants from diverse backgrounds and in particular applicants with a connection to, or experience with, tikanga Māori and Te Ao Māori will be preferred. The position commences in March 2025 for a minimum of one term (through to April 2026), and a maximum of two terms (through to April 2027).
The role is voluntary. It involves approximately five to ten hours of work per week across the year, with some weeks requiring more or less work. The Editors-in-Chief are responsible for managing all Journal operations, including, but not limited to:
Tīma – selecting the editorial staff of deputy, associate and technical editors as well as allocating, supervising and supporting their work;
Submissions – advertising for and selecting submissions, including working with authors to brainstorm and commission content where there are gaps in the Journal’s spread for the year;
Editing process – selecting and liaising with peer reviewers (including providing for culturally appropriate and safe peer review processes), managing the internal editing process involving two editing rounds, communicating with authors throughout and at the end of the editing process, completing the final edits to the Journal, and working with a typesetter to get the Journal ready for publication;
Launches – organising the Journal’s launches in Pōneke and Tāmaki Makaurau; and
Whanaungatanga – working collaboratively with the Trustees, the Managing Editor, the Engagement Manager, the Deputy Editors, the Advocacy Team and all other Journal staff to support their mahi where needed.
All of the Co-Editors-in-Chief will share in this operational work and will also each lead one “portfolio” of the Journal’s work. One of those portfolio’s will be Kaupapa Māori, which includes supporting rangatiratanga by ensuring that the Journal amplifies the voices of wāhine Māori, ensuring our responsibilities of manaakitanga and aroha towards wāhine involved in the Journal’s processes are upheld, and ensuring engagement with tikanga is done with caution and respect.
The role is one that requires breadth of skill and a strong commitment to the Journal’s kaupapa. We are looking for a person with the following traits:
It is vital that you are someone with the vision, drive and initiative to make the Journal your own, to build on previous mahi, and to develop the Journal as a platform for change in and through the law. You must be a strong and progressive feminist who is dedicated to contributing to gender equity through the Journal.
You must be hard-working, committed, diligent, well-organised and dedicated to excellence in everything that you do.
You must be a high achiever, with an excellent record at law school and/or in your work. You will be responsible for editing the entire Journal, meaning you must have a good writing style and a rigorous academic eye.
You must be able to work collaboratively, transparently, positively and in good faith with your Co-Editors-in-Chief. A strong, positive and trusting relationship between the Editors is vital.
You must enjoy working with people as well as have clear and persuasive written and oral communication skills – you will be dealing with staff, authors, peer reviewers, board members, other members of the legal profession and the media.
Experience running organisations, projects or similar is strongly preferred.
Experience in publication, editing, or in academic writing is valuable.
For additional information on the role of Co-Editor-in-Chief (Kaupapa Māori), please reach out to the Trustees directly at trustees.nzwlj@gmail.com.
How to apply:
If you are wondering whether you have sufficient skills for this role – it is that care and diligence that means you absolutely do! If you would like to discuss either role before applying, we would love to hear from you at: trustees.nzwlj@gmail.com. If you are ready to apply, please submit a cover letter and your CV to the Journal’s Trustees at trustees.nzwlj@gmail.com by 17 April 2025 at 5pm.