Case Manager - Arohata Prison

New Zealand Government; Wellington; On-site; NZD 71,000 - 92,000; Full time

Job summary

Ara Poutama Aotearoa is seeking a Kaiwhakahaere Kehi (Case Manager) at Arohata Women's Prison, Wellington. You will work with people in our care and their whānau to address criminogenic behaviours, prepare court/reparole reports, and contribute to public safety with a manaaki, trauma-informed approach.

You will lead rehabilitation and reintegration plans, collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams, and support pathways that reduce reoffending while upholding dignity and culturally responsive

Qualifications

• Proven knowledge and experience in case management, rehabilitation and reintegration.
• Ability to operate within a correctional environment and safety procedures.
• Strong written skills to prepare reports meeting legal standards.
• Excellent time management and the ability to meet deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Lead rehabilitation and reintegration planning for people in our care.
• Assess needs, coordinate multidisciplinary supports and document outcomes.
• Engage with whanau, Maori governance groups and external stakeholders for pathways to reduce reoffending.

Skills

Case management

Rehabilitation

Reintegration

Relationship management

Written reports

Time management

Maori & Pacific knowledge

Education

Degree in social services, psychology or related field

Job description

Are you a person who is looking for a career change? Where you can use your knowledge and experience to do meaningful work to benefit the community?You may be a recent University graduate looking for an excellent entry point to the Department? Maybe you studied Criminology, Psychology or Social Work? We want to hear from you now!Contribute towards public safety while also helping those in our care make better decisions & positive changeLocated at Arohata Women's Prison, Tawa, WellingtonMo te tunga | About the roleAs Kaiwhakahaere Kehi (Case Manager) for Ara Poutama Aotearoa, you will work with people in our care and their whanau to address criminogenic behaviours and reduce reoffending. Using principles of manaaki, kaitiaki, wairua, rangatira, and whanau, you will manage people in our care, also preparing reports for the Courts and New Zealand Parole Board.You will contribute to public safety, viewing this through the lens of manaaki, positive relationships, and uplifting the wellbeing of the people in our care. By focusing on the wellbeing of the person who has come into our care, you will help reduce the chances of them returning to past behaviour, better arming them to make better choices for a crime free future. Treating those in our care with the utmost mana and dignity is the foundation of everything we do.Case managers lead the rehabilitation and reintegration of the people in our supervision, using a person-centric approach. Some core areas of case management practice are:Considering those in our care's rehabilitation and reintegration within the context of their family, whanau, and pro social/community supportDemonstrating motivational approaches with prisoners and their family, whanau, or key supportsDemonstrating a multi-disciplinary approach to working with staff and external stakeholdersEngaging with people in prison based on risk, need and responsivity principlesPartnering with Maori leadership and expertise to support pathways for MaoriArohata Women's Prison: Arohata Women's Prison is one of three women's prisons within the network in New Zealand. At Arohata, we've been working hard to better serve the unique needs of women. Our Women's Strategy, \"Wahine: E Rere Ana Ki te Pae Hou,\" Wahine: E Rere Ana Ki te Pae Hou Women's Strategy 2021 - 2025 | Department of Corrections sets the stage for a gender-specific, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive approach.Do you have a passion for working with Wahine?At Arohata Women's Prison you will join a dedicated and supportive team managing the well-being, health and safety of the women at our site.We recognise the women we manage have different needs to men and we have set an approach that will give our women the care, treatment, encouragement, counselling, skills and support required to shape better futures for themselves, their tamariki and their whanau.Note: the successful applicant for this position will begin in January 2027.Mou | About youUsing a range of services and techniques, you will partner with external agencies and the whanau of those in our care to support their rehabilitation. Central to your success as a Case Manager is the ability to exercise sound professional judgement ensuring that a person's needs are appropriately, identified and that the most appropriate treatment and programmes are matched to meet these needs.Please see below for the skills and experience we are looking for. Candidates also require a current and full, clean New Zealand class 1 drivers license.Nga pukenga me nga wheako | Skills and experienceYou will need to demonstrate the following:Proven knowledge and experience in case management, rehabilitation and reintegration related practices or a person with great life experience who is passionate about learning case management and can relate to a diverse client base, or be a recent graduate with a qualification in social services, psychology or a related field.The ability to operate safely and effectively within a correctional environment, demonstrating some awareness of safety procedures when working with offendersStrong written skills including the ability to prepare written reports to meet legal standards.Excellent time management skills with the ability to prioritise and meet deadlinesThe ability to give, receive and take on feedback in a highly reflective environmentHighly developed relationship management, effective at building and maintaining rapportAn ability to motivate and support people in our care to make positive changes over the long-termThink critically and explore bias in thinking and decision makingKnowledge and experience working with Maori and Pacific peoples, their families and communitiesNga painga | The benefitsThe salary for this position starts at $71,056 per annum. Once in the role we have 5 step competency framework where you are able to increase your salary over time up to $92,057 per annum.Appointment and remuneration will reflect skills and experience relevant to the role.Mo matou | About usJoin Ara Poutama Aotearoa - Department of Corrections, where your work will contribute to improving public safety, reducing re-offending, and address the overrepresentation of Maori in correctional facilities. As a values-led organisation, we use the principles of rangatira (leadership), manaaki (respect), wairua (spirituality), kaitiaki (guardianship), and whanau (relationships) to guide our work and achieve the goals of our Hokai Rangi strategy.We value inclusion and diversity in our workforce, and as a Public Service organisation we are committed to building a workforce that reflects the public we serve. We strive to make our recruitment process fair, and we encourage you to discuss reasonable accommodations with us if required.Tono inaianei | Apply NowTo submit an application and view the position description, click the apply link. All applications must be submitted through our careers site to ensure transparency - applications received via email will not be considered.When applying, submit a tailored CV and a cover letter describing your motivation for joining the department highlighting relevant skills and experience and the alignment to our work.Applications close on: Sunday 8th November, 2026An assessment centre for this role will be held on Friday 13th November, please be prepared to make yourself available for this.If you have any questions or want to learn more about a career with us, contact [e-mail], or visit careers.corrections.govt.nz.We are not accepting applications via recruitment agencies for this role. Unsolicited CVs submitted by agencies will not be accepted and no agency fees will apply.