Case Manager - Whanganui Prison

New Zealand Government; Whanganui; On-site; NZD 71,000 - 91,000; Full time

Job summary

Ara Poutama Aotearoa – Department of Corrections is seeking a Case Manager to work with people in our care and their whānau to address criminogenic behaviours and reduce reoffending. You will prepare reports for Courts and the NZ Parole Board, contribute to public safety and support wellbeing using manaaki, kaitiaki, wairua and whānau principles.

You will lead rehabilitation, reintegration and person-centered care, partnering with Māori leadership to support pathways for Māori, while applying a

Qualifications

• Proven knowledge and experience in case management, rehabilitation and reintegration.
• Ability to operate safely within a correctional environment.
• Strong written skills to prepare reports to legal standards.
• Excellent time management and ability to meet deadlines.
• Ability to give/receive feedback in a reflective environment.
• Ability to build and maintain rapport with clients and staff.
• Motivate and support people to make positive long-term changes.
• Think critically and challenge biases in decision making.
• Knowledge and experience working with Māori and Pacific peoples and communities.
• Hold a current full New Zealand driver licence.

Responsibilities

• Consider rehabilitation and reintegration within family, whānau and community support.
• Demonstrate motivational approaches with prisoners and their family, whānau, or key supports.
• Apply a multi-disciplinary approach to working with staff and external stakeholders.
• Engage with people in prison based on risk, need and responsivity principles.
• Partner with Māori leadership to support pathways for Māori.

Skills

Case management

Rehabilitation

Report writing

Time management

Feedback & reflection

Relationship management

Motivation & support

Critical thinking

Māori & Pacific knowledge

NZ driver licence

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?

• 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 changes.

Mō te tūnga | About the role

As a 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 whānau, 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, whānau, and pro social / community support
• Demonstrating motivational approaches with prisoners and their family, whānau, or key supports
• Demonstrating a multi-disciplinary approach to working with staff and external stakeholders
• Engaging with people in prison based on risk, need and responsivity principles
• Partnering with Māori leadership and expertise to support pathways for Māori

Mōu | About you

Using a range of services and techniques, you will partner with external agencies and the whānau 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. Hōkai Rangi is our commitment and strategy to ensure public safety through the appropriate supervision of those in our care whilst also responding to the over representation of Māori within the corrections system. This strategy sets a new direction, putting the wellness and wellbeing of people at the centre of all our work. Our values further support this and for you to be a part of this vital strategy, you need to believe in this approach and commit to the approach. Your Cover Letter should outline how your approach to being a Kaiwhakahaere Kėhi will incorporate our values and the wellbeing of others as well as fit with Hōkai Rangi.

Ngā pūkenga me ngā wheako | Skills and experience

You 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 offenders
• Strong written skills including the ability to prepare written reports to meet legal standards.
• Excellent time management skills with the ability to prioritise and meet deadlines
• The ability to give, receive and take on feedback in a highly reflective environment
• Highly developed relationship management, effective at building and maintaining rapport
• An ability to motivate and support people in our care to make positive changes over the long-term
• Think critically and explore bias in thinking and decision making
• Knowledge and experience working with Māori and Pacific peoples, their families and communities
• A current and full clean New Zealand driver licence

Ngā painga | The benefits

The salary for this position starts at $70,956 per annum. Once in the role we have 5 step competency framework where you are able to increase your salary over time up to $91,307 per annum.

Mō mātou | About us

Join Ara Poutama Aotearoa - Department of Corrections, where your work will contribute to improving public safety, reducing re-offending, and address the overrepresentation of Māori in correctional facilities. As a values-led organisation, we use the principles of rangatira (leadership), manaaki (respect), wairua (spirituality), kaitiaki (guardianship), and whānau (relationships) to guide our work and achieve the goals of our Hōkai 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.

Applications close on : Wednesday, 11th November 2026. 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.