Administration Team Lead - MH&A

Te Whatu Ora; Palmerston North; On-site; NZD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand in Palmerston North is seeking an experienced Administration Team Leader to oversee Mental Health & Addiction Services administration across MidCentral sites. You will coordinate referrals, bookings, telephony and clinical documentation while maintaining culturally safe, timely service.

You will lead a team of 19, monitor workloads and support workforce coordination, with travel between MidCentral sites as required.

Qualifications

• Must have qualification in health administration, business or related field or equivalent practical experience.
• Experience leading or supervising a team in health, patient-facing or contact centre settings.
• Experience coordinating administrative workflows and clinical documentation processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day administration across MidCentral sites to ensure timely, patient-focused service delivery.
• Coordinate referrals, appointment bookings, telephony and rostering, aligning with clinical teams.
• Support staff development, wellbeing and consistency of practice across sites.

Skills

Leadership

Team management

Planning

Communication

Relationship-building

Decision-making

Cultural safety

Travel readiness

Education

Health administration qualification

Business qualification

Equivalent practical experience

Tools

Patient management systems

Microsoft Office

Clinical documentation systems

Job description

Palmerston North, with travel to MidCentral sites as requiredPermanent, full-time, 1.0 FTE

• Provide day-to-day leadership to a geographically dispersed administration team
• Support consistent administrative workflows and timely, patient-focused service delivery
• Make a meaningful contribution to better outcomes for patients, whānau and communities
• An encouraging learning environment where you will continue to grow and be challenged
• A professional and supportive culture and team setting
• Fulfilling and challenging work with great lifestyle options
• Tailored wellness programmes

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is firmly grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is committed to building a health system that serves all New Zealanders.

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced and people-focused Administration Team Leader to lead and coordinate the administration teams supporting Mental Health & Addiction Services across MidCentral sites.

In this varied leadership role, you will oversee the day-to-day delivery of administrative services, including referrals, appointment booking, telephony, clinical documentation, rostering and workforce coordination. You will help ensure patients, whānau and referrers receive a consistent, respectful, culturally safe and timely administrative experience wherever they access the service.

You will coordinate administrative workflows, monitor workloads and service performance, support efficient patient flow and work closely with clinical teams and service leaders. You will also support the statutory administration required under the Mental Health Act, ensuring appropriate processes, cover and standards are maintained.

Leading a team of 19 direct reports, you will build consistent practice across sites, support staff development and wellbeing, and identify opportunities to improve administrative processes and service delivery.

About you

You will be an experienced and approachable leader who can support a geographically dispersed team and manage competing priorities in a busy, patient-focused environment.

To succeed in this role, you will have:

• A relevant qualification in health administration, business or a related field, or equivalent practical experience
• Demonstrated experience leading or supervising a team, ideally within a health, patient-facing or contact centre environment
• Experience coordinating patient bookings, referral management or clinical documentation workflows
• Proficiency with patient management systems, clinical documentation systems and the Microsoft Office suite
• An understanding of the sensitivity and confidentiality of mental health and addiction information
• Strong planning, communication, relationship-building and decision-making skills
• A commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the delivery of culturally safe and equitable services for Māori
• The ability and willingness to travel between MidCentral sites when required

Experience within mental health, addiction or another health service setting would be advantageous. Knowledge of Mental Health Act administration, rostering systems, workforce management, te reo Māori and tikanga would also be welcomed.

About the Team/Service

Mental Health & Addiction Services Administration sits within Business, Performance and Support Services. The administration teams support patients, whānau, referrers, clinical leaders, clinicians and multidisciplinary teams across MidCentral sites.

The service works closely with the Director of Area Mental Health Services, statutory role holders and a broad range of internal and external partners to support responsive, confidential and well-coordinated service delivery.

Te Pae Hauora o Ruahine o Tararua – MidCentral is a 350-bed hospital in Palmerston North, Manawatū. Palmerston North Hospital is a secondary hospital offering most medical and surgical specialties, except cardiothoracic, plastic and neurosurgery. It serves a local population of approximately 180,000 and is the base for a regional head and neck oncology service covering a population of approximately 550,000.

Employing more than 2,500 people, MidCentral provides a supportive working environment that accepts and values all employees. We actively seek Māori kaimahi into our workforce and are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion.

About the Location

Manawatū offers the perfect blend of city convenience and rural charm. Whether you are drawn to peaceful village life, vibrant townships or the energy of the city, you will find a lifestyle that suits you. The region is family-friendly and is home to excellent schools and two tertiary institutions, Massey University and the International Pacific College.

Outdoor enthusiasts are spoiled for choice, with beaches, ski fields, lakes, mountains, hiking trails and mountain biking tracks all within reach. Easy commuting, minimal traffic and a strong community atmosphere help residents achieve a genuine work-life balance.

Manawatū's central location also makes it easy to explore the rest of New Zealand, whether you are planning a road trip or catching a short flight.

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of New Zealand. We embrace a diverse and inclusive workforce so we are better positioned to understand and serve our communities. We welcome applications from our diverse Māori, Pacific, disabled and rainbow communities.

Job details

Job Reference:

Job Reference: 1954934

Location:

North Island - Manawatu / Whanganui - Palmerston North

Job type:

Job type: Permanent Full time

Expertise:

Non-clinical - Administration - Administration