Charge Nurse Emergency Department

Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand; Palmerston North; On-site; NZD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Learning environment

Supportive culture

Fulfilled and challenging work

Tailored wellness programmes

Job summary

The Emergency Department at Palmerston North Hospital seeks a Charge Nurse Manager to provide clinical and operational leadership for the nursing workforce. You will drive safe, patient-centred emergency care, lead service improvements, and partner with senior clinical leaders to shape staffing and performance across the department.

You will bring extensive post-registration nursing experience, a strong track record in leadership, and a commitment to equity and quality.

Qualifications

• Registration with the Nursing Council of New Zealand and a current Annual Practising Certificate.
• A minimum of five years post-registration nursing experience, preferably within an acute or emergency care environment.
• Recent clinical experience relevant to emergency or acute care services.
• A Postgraduate Diploma including leadership and management papers, with progress toward a Master's qualification desirable.
• Proven leadership, workforce management, and change management experience.
• Strong communication, relationship-building, and problem-solving skills.
• Commitment to continuous quality improvement and patient-centred care.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support a high-performing nursing workforce.
• Promote excellence in emergency nursing practice and patient outcomes.
• Support strategic and operational planning within the Emergency Department.
• Lead quality improvement, clinical governance, and patient safety initiatives.
• Manage staffing, rostering, workforce development, and resource planning.
• Contribute to financial and operational management of the service.
• Foster a positive, inclusive, and collaborative team culture

Skills

Leadership

Emergency nursing

Staff development

Communication

Quality improvement

Education

Registration with Nursing Council of New Zealand

Postgraduate Diploma in Leadership (desirable)

Job description

Emergency Department, Palmerston North Hospital – Permenant Full time

Lead with purpose. Deliver excellence in emergency care.

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. We are focused on improving health outcomes, delivering high-quality care, and supporting our people to thrive.

An exciting leadership opportunity has become available for an experienced and passionate nursing leader to join the Emergency Department at Palmerston North Hospital as a Charge Nurse Manager (CNM). This role is an integral part of the clinical leadership team and provides professional, operational, and clinical leadership to nursing staff within one of the region's busiest and most dynamic services.

• 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

As the Charge Nurse Manager, you will provide leadership and direction to the nursing workforce, ensuring the delivery of safe, high-quality, patient-centred emergency care. Working collaboratively with the Operations Lead, Associate Director of Nursing, Clinical Director, Medical Leads, and Allied Health colleagues, you will lead service improvement initiatives, workforce planning, quality activities, and operational management.

You will:

• Lead and support a high-performing nursing workforce.
• Promote excellence in emergency nursing practice and patient outcomes.
• Support strategic and operational planning within the Emergency Department.
• Lead quality improvement, clinical governance, and patient safety initiatives.
• Manage staffing, rostering, workforce development, and resource planning.
• Contribute to financial and operational management of the service.
• Foster a positive, inclusive, and collaborative team culture

About you

You will be a respected nursing leader with excellent clinical credibility and a passion for developing people and services.

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• Registration with the Nursing Council of New Zealand and a current Annual Practising Certificate.
• A minimum of five years post-registration nursing experience, preferably within an acute or emergency care environment.
• Recent clinical experience relevant to emergency or acute care services.
• A Postgraduate Diploma including leadership and management papers, with progress toward a Master's qualification desirable.
• Proven leadership, workforce management, and change management experience.
• Strong communication, relationship-building, and problem-solving skills.
• Commitment to continuous quality improvement and patient-centred care.

About the Team/Service

The Emergency Department at Palmerston North Hospital provides specialist emergency care to a diverse and growing population across the MidCentral region. The department is committed to delivering high-quality, equitable care and fostering a culture of innovation, teamwork, and continuous improvement.

Te Pae Hauora o Ruahine o Tararua – MidCentral is a 350-bed hospital in the city of Palmerston North, Manawatū, a city in the Lower North Island of New Zealand. Palmerston North Hospital is a secondary hospital and offers most medical and surgical specialties with the exception of Cardiothoracic, Plastic and Neurosurgery. The hospital serves a local population of 180,000 but is the base for a regional head and neck oncology service which has responsibility for a population of 550,000 and draws patients from Whanganui, Taranaki, and Hawke's Bay.

Employing over 2500 people, MidCentral offers a supportive work environment that accepts and values all employees. We actively seek Māori kaimahi into our workforce and provide an environment which delivers our commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

About the Location

Manawatū offers the perfect blend of city convenience and rural charm. Whether you're drawn to peaceful village life, vibrant townships, or the buzz of the city, you'll find your ideal lifestyle here. It's a family-friendly region that's easy to live in and even easier to love. The region is also home to excellent schools and two tertiary institutions: Massey University and the International Pacific College.

Outdoor enthusiasts are spoiled for choice—beaches, ski fields, lakes, and mountains are all within reach, along with fantastic hiking and mountain biking tracks. No traffic, an easy commute to work and a strong community feel, help achieve true work-life balance.

Our central location makes it easy to explore the rest of New Zealand, whether you're heading off on a road trip or catching a short flight.

For more information on living and working in the Manawatū:

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

Whilst Health New Zealand is undergoing change, affected employees will be given preference and priority for this position.

Job details

Job Reference:

Job Reference: 1952818

Location:

North Island - Manawatu / Whanganui - Palmerston North