People & Culture Manager

About the Opportunity Gallaway Cook Allan (GCA), one of Otago’s most respected full-service law firms, is embarking on an exciting growth journey, with a focus on expanding its presence across the wider Otago region. To support this next phase, the firm is seeking a seasoned and commercially savvy People & Culture Manager to join its Dunedin office.

With deep roots in the region and a reputation for fostering strong relationships, GCA operates with a collaborative and down-to-earth culture where partners are approachable and actively involved in day-to-day operations. Reporting to the CEO and working closely with the partnership group, this role will play a key role in delivering and evolving the existing people strategy, helping leaders build engaged, high-performing teams across both Dunedin and Wānaka.

This is a unique opportunity for an experienced professional to make a tangible impact in a firm that values practical solutions, strong leadership, and meaningful outcomes.

What You’ll Do:

The People & Culture Manager will take on a broad and influential role, combining strategic leadership with hands-on delivery. Key responsibilities include:

• Leading recruitment efforts by driving strategies to attract top talent in a competitive market and ensuring GCA stands out as an employer of choice.
• Strengthening retention outcomes by partnering with leaders to create an environment where people thrive.
• Sharpening GCA’s employer brand by developing and communicating a compelling candidate story that reflects the firm’s culture and values.
• Supporting leadership capability by coaching partners and senior leaders to enhance their skills in feedback, communication, and developing junior lawyers.
• Embedding performance excellence by guiding leaders in fostering consistent performance conversations and managing challenging situations constructively.
• Championing culture and engagement through initiatives that promote wellbeing, development pathways, and alignment with GCA’s values.
• Overseeing health, safety & wellbeing systems to ensure compliance, robust reporting, and effective management of psychosocial risks.
• Ensuring HR policies, systems, and processes are fit-for-purpose while maintaining compliance standards.
• Working closely with the CEO on people-related governance discussions at Board level.
• Travel across the Otago Region may be required.

This position offers significant scope to influence not just people strategy but also broader organisational direction during an exciting period of growth for the firm.

What You’ll Bring:

• Experience working within a partnership-based environment or professional services firm is preferred.
• The ability to build trust quickly with partners and senior leaders through credibility, mana, and sound judgement.
• Confidence navigating complex employment matters with discretion and care.
• A proactive approach focused on outcomes, someone who moves quickly to deliver results without losing sight of quality or detail.
• Strong commercial acumen, understanding how people strategy drives client service and business growth.
• Resilience, adaptability, and warmth, bringing professionalism alongside a practical mindset that fits GCA’s culture.

Experience scaling up businesses or working in partnership-based environments would be advantageous, but above all, GCA is looking for someone who can bring courage, clarity, and connection to this critical role.

Next Steps

Interested candidates are encouraged to apply now or reach out for a confidential discussion about the role.

Robert Walters endeavours to review all applications in a maximum of five working days. If you have not received correspondence in this timeframe please do not hesitate to contact Sarah Mowbray on +64 4 471 9723.