Career Practitioner - Career Development Centre

University of Otago; Dunedin; On-site; NZD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Otago seeks a Career Practitioner to deliver specialist career development support through one-to-one consultations, workshops, and targeted programmes for students across study levels. You will work with diverse backgrounds to provide guidance, education, and resources to support successful career transitions.

Key duties include coaching, delivering employability workshops, developing tools, and engaging with employers while upholding culturally responsive and equity-focused

Qualifications

• A relevant tertiary qualification in career development, education, psychology, human resource management, or a related discipline.
• Current Professional Membership with the Career Development Association of New Zealand (CDANZ), or eligibility to obtain Professional Membership.
• Experience providing career guidance, employability support, student support, coaching, recruitment, learning and development or related advisory services.
• Experience designing and facilitating workshops, presentations, or learning programmes.
• Strong relationship-building and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Experience working with diverse communities and priority learner groups.
• Ability to interpret labour market information and translate insights into practical guidance.
• Commitment to culturally responsive, equity-focused practice.
• Understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its application within student support environments.

Responsibilities

• Provide one-to-one career consultations and guidance.
• Deliver career education workshops and employability programmes.
• Support postgraduate and research career pathways.
• Develop career resources and digital tools.
• Engage with employers and industry partners.
• Support career systems and reporting activities.
• Assist students in identifying strengths and opportunities and navigate career transitions.

Skills

Career guidance

Workshop delivery

Stakeholder engagement

Labour market insights

Cultural responsiveness

Te Tiriti o Waitangi knowledge

Postgraduate career pathways

Recruitment advisory

Education

Tertiary qualification in career development or related discipline

Job description

• University of Otago
• Sep 18, 2026

About University of Otago

The University of OtagoTe Whare Wānanga o Otāgo The University of Otago is New Zealand’s first university and one of its finest. It is a leader across all fields of academic endeavour – the humanities, sciences, health sciences and...

Our team of professional career advisers support students to make informed decisions, explore career options, successfully navigate career pathways, understand the labour market, and develop strategies to transition to further study or employment.

The Role/Te Mahi

As a Career Practitioner, you will deliver specialist career development support through one-to-one consultations, workshops, and targeted programmes. You'll work with students from a wide range of backgrounds and study levels.

Your work may span areas such as:

• Individual career coaching and guidance
• Career education workshops and employability programmes
• Support for postgraduate and research career pathways
• Development of career resources and digital tools
• Employer and industry engagement initiatives
• Career systems and reporting activities

You'll help students identify their strengths, explore opportunities, navigate career transitions, and develop the skills needed to thrive in a rapidly changing employment landscape.

We welcome application from experienced career development professionals as well as those who have developed strong transferable skills through work in areas such as education, student support, coaching, counselling, recruitment or related fields.

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• A relevant tertiary qualification in career development, education, psychology, human resource management, or a related discipline.
• Current Professional Membership with the Career Development Association of New Zealand (CDANZ), or eligibility to obtain Professional Membership through a relevant postgraduate qualification and demonstrated career development practice.
• Experience providing career guidance, employability support, student support, coaching, recruitment, learning and development or other related advisory services.
• Experience designing and facilitating workshops, presentations, or learning programmes.
• Strong relationship-building and stakeholder engagement skills
• Experience working with diverse communities and priority learner groups
• The ability to interpret labour market information and translate insights into practical guidance
• A commitment to culturally responsive, equity-focused practice
• An understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its application within student support environments

This is a full-time (37.5 hours per week) position, based in Ōtepoti, Dunedin.

You must have the right to live and work in Aotearoa, New Zealand to be considered for this position.

Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka | University of Otago is a workplace that values and utilises diverse and inclusive thinking, people, and behaviours. We welcome the contributions of staff with diverse backgrounds, experiences, skills, and perspectives.

For further information, please contact Jackie Dean via the details below.

Applications quoting reference number 2601408 will close on Sunday, 11 October 2026.