Advanced Dietitian – Neonatal

Canterbury District Health Board; Christchurch; On-site; NZD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The Canterbury District Health Board is seeking an experienced Dietitian to join the Nutrition & Dietetics team in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. You will provide specialist nutrition care for infants, support multidisciplinary planning, and lead educational and quality initiatives to optimise growth and outcomes for neonates.

Ideal candidates will have 5+ years of clinical experience, including neonatal care, be NZ registered with Practising Certificate and Prescriber Endorsement, and

Qualifications

• 5+ years’ clinical experience, including at least 3 years in neonatal care.
• Ability to work within a multidisciplinary team to deliver specialist nutrition care.
• Experience in clinical teaching, supervision, and service improvement initiatives.
• Commitment to culturally safe practice and equitable health outcomes.
• Excellent communication, leadership and relationship-building skills.

Responsibilities

• Deliver advanced nutrition assessment and intervention for infants with complex critical care needs.
• Manage a specialist clinical caseload and provide expert advice to multidisciplinary teams.
• Support education, supervision, mentoring and capability building of dietitians, students and wider teams.
• Contribute to quality improvement, audits and service development.
• Participate in research, innovation and evidence-based practice initiatives.

Skills

Neonatal care

Clinical reasoning

Communication

Teamwork

Teaching and mentoring

Equity and culturally safe practice

Education

NZ Practising Certificate

Prescriber Endorsement

NZ Registered Dietitian

Job description

• CurrentNZ Registration, APC and Endorsed prescriber status is essential

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

About the Role

Our dynamic andmotivated team delivers specialist nutritional care across a broad range ofclinical areas and across the full age spectrum, from neonates to older adultsand everything in between. Our work spans paediatrics, diabetes, generalmedicine, and a variety of surgical specialties, providing comprehensive andpatient‑centred nutrition support.

We are seeking an experienced and highly skilled Dietitian to join our Nutrition & Dietetics team, providing specialist nutrition care within the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). This is a unique opportunity to join a service that will make a real difference for babies and their families/whānau during a critical stage of care. Your primary focus will be providing clinical support to infants in the NICU, as well as contributing to multidisciplinary care planning, to optimise growth, development and clinical outcomes for infants.

This role focuses primarily on advanced clinical practice, while also contributing to clinical leadership, service improvement, education, and quality initiatives. You will play a key role in improving outcomes for tāngata whaiora and their whānau through evidence‑based, culturally responsive nutrition care.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Deliver advanced nutrition assessment and intervention for infants with complex critical care needs
• Manage a specialist clinical caseload and provide expert advice to multidisciplinary teams
• Support education, supervision, mentoring and capability building of dietitians, students and wider teams
• Contribute to quality improvement, audits, and service development
• Participate in research, innovation, and evidence‑based practice initiatives
• Actively uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles and address equity in health outcomes
• Use data, technology, and informatics to support effective and responsive care delivery

About You

You are a confident, collaborative dietitian who thrives in complex clinical environments and enjoys influencing practice beyond your own caseload.

Your skills/ experience willinclude:

• A drive to ensure best health outcomes for infants in neonatal care
• The ability to work within a team and contribute to the provisionof quality care within the service
• Self‑motivated, organised andenjoy a challenge
• Strong interpersonal and communicationskills with the ability to build and nurture relationships with patients andother people within the service
• Minimum 5 years’ clinical experience, including at least 3 years in neonatal care or a similar specialty
• Strong clinical reasoning and ability to manage uncertainty in complex situations
• Experience in clinical teaching, supervision, and service improvement
• A commitment to culturally safe practice and equitable health outcomes
• Excellent communication, leadership, and relationship‑building skills
• New Zealand Registered Dietitian with a current NZ PractisingCertificate and Prescriber Endorsement
• Proven experience in service innovation, or service improvement projects is advantageous

Working at Health New Zealand

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