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Careers at the PCO

Interested in joining the PCO team? This section has information on our vacancies, how to apply for roles, and what it's like to work at the PCO.

To see our current vacancies, visit our Vacancies page.

About us

The Parliamentary Counsel Office is New Zealand’s law drafting and publication office, and the Government’s legislative adviser. Its statutory objective is to promote high-quality legislation that is easy to find, use, and understand and, to that end, to exercise stewardship of New Zealand’s legislation as a whole.

The work we do is challenging, diverse, and integral to the lives of New Zealanders. There’s no place like it.

We work in four groups:

  • Drafting

  • System and Stewardship

  • Access and Digital Services

  • People, Services and Delivery

See Meet the team for more about each group.

PCO staff walking through the PCO offices
PCO staff member working at their desk with two monitors.

Our People

We are a small office of around 120 people, with a passion for producing great legislation, and achieving our vision of delivering great law for Aotearoa New Zealand.

Our values guide us in our work and represent the essence of our culture and identity. They also support us to be a cohesive organisation.

The PCO has three core uara | values

Whakamana tāngata | We value people: We strive to create an environment where every individual is respected, supported, and given opportunities to grow. By valuing people, we foster a culture of inclusivity and collaboration, enabling everyone to thrive.

Mahi ngātahi | We collaborate: Collaboration lies at the heart of our success. By working together, we use the diverse skills, experiences, and perspectives of our team members to drive expertise and innovation, and achieve our goals.

Whai putanga | We are outcomes focused: We are committed to being trusted experts and partners delivering tangible results. We focus on setting clear goals, measuring our progress, and continuously improving. By being outcomes focused, we drive innovation, excellence, and stakeholder satisfaction.

An image of the PCO's three uara | values

See Life at the PCO for a taste of life in the office, including videos of Parliamentary Counsel talking about their work.

Working at the PCO

Located across the road from Parliament, the PCO offers you a fascinating insight into Aotearoa’s legislation. We are proud of the work we do, and we are also proud of our great culture.

We value our people and provide a flexible and supportive environment. On our doorstep we have the Botanic Garden, Lambton Quay, the railway station and the waterfront, so it's easy to get out and enjoy the best of Wellington.

A person's hands on a table hold a card with te reo Māori phrases that are used at PCO.
A printout of legislation sits on a table with a pencil on it.

What we offer

As well as offering a supportive and encouraging workplace, we believe in looking after our people. That’s why when you join the PCO you have access to a range of benefits.

Health and wellbeing

  • five weeks annual leave

  • flexible working environment to support our people's health and wellbeing

  • annual vision and hearing reimbursement

  • discounted private health insurance

  • access to fitness opportunities such as the Parliament gym.

Staff development

We encourage and assist our employees with professional development so you are able to build your skills and develop your career. Staff are encouraged to take up opportunities that become available within the PCO, such as participating in special projects.

Social scene

We are a friendly team and believe in celebrating achievements and making time to have fun. We have an active social club, encourage social activities, and even have a social netball team.

KiwiSaver

The PCO provides an employer contribution to KiwiSaver members at the rate of 4% for those who elect to pay 4%.

Access to parliamentary complex

Being a PCO employee also gives you access to services within the parliamentary complex such as the Parliament gymnasium and indoor swimming pool, Parliament's restaurants and bar, and more.

Please note that some benefits apply to permanent employees only.

The PCO is a great place to work. If you would like to join us, check out our current vacancies.

A group of PCO staff members stand inside building in netball gear, yellow bibs and medals around their necks after winning in social netball competition
PCO social netball team

Last updated: 19 June 2024

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