Chief Nurse Te Tai Tokerau

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora; Whangarei; On-site; NZD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is seeking an outstanding Chief Nurse to provide visionary clinical and professional leadership across Te Tai Tokerau. This pivotal role shapes safe, equitable, and high-quality health services for our communities and inspires nursing kaimahi across the district.

As a member of the district senior leadership team, you will lead change, champion Te Tiriti o Waitangi and equity-focused system improvement, ensure governance, and grow future nursing leaders across

Qualifications

• Extensive senior leadership experience across complex health systems.
• Proven financial and operational budgeting experience.
• Strong track record in quality improvement and patient safety.
• Understanding of equity and Te Tiriti o Waitangi obligations and culturally safe practice.
• Ability to influence and lead across professional, organisational and community boundaries.

Responsibilities

• Lead and inspire nursing and healthcare teams across hospital, community and mental health services.
• Drive clinical excellence, patient safety and experience with robust governance.
• Shape sustainable, innovative models of care to improve equity and outcomes.
• Balance long-term strategic goals with operational realities and resource stewardship.

Skills

Senior leadership

Financial acumen

Quality improvement

Equity and Te Tiriti understanding

Strategic influence

Job description

• Help shape the future of healthcare in Te Tai Tokerau
• Permanent, full-time role

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is seeking an outstanding Chief Nurse to provide visionary clinical and professional leadership across the Te Tai Tokerau district. This is a pivotal leadership role, shaping safe, equitable and highquality health services for our communities, whilst inspiring nursing kaimahi across the district.

About the role

As a key member of the district senior leadership team, the Chief Nurse works closely with the Group Director of Operations and partners with clinical and professional leaders to ensure the nursing voice is present at every level of decisionmaking both locally and across the region.

The role provides an exciting opportunity to lead change and improvement for nursing across Te Tai Tokerau Northland with a focus on Health NZ provided hospital and specialist services. Health NZ - Te Tai Tokerau provides health services to a diverse population of more than 200,000 people and employs around 3,300 FTE with approximately 1,600 FTE nursing and healthcare assistants.

This role offers the scope and influence to:

• Lead and inspire nursing and health care assistants across hospital, community and mental health services.
• Drive clinical excellence, patient safety and experience, and ensure robust governance is in place.
• Shape sustainable, innovative models of care that improve equity, outcomes and efficiency.
• Champion Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Pae Ora and equityfocused system change.
• Balance long-term strategic goals with operational reality.
• Grow future nursing leaders and strengthen education, research and advanced practice.
• Support operational leadership of clinical services across the district.
• Contribute to regional and national portfolios within Health New Zealand.

You will be trusted to lead in complexity - balancing professional leadership, workforce sustainability, quality, financial stewardship and systemwide collaboration.

About you

You are a highly respected senior nursing leader with the credibility and capability to lead at scale.

You will bring:

• Extensive senior leadership experience, ideally across complex health systems.
• Financial and operational acumen and experience, including resource and budget oversight.
• A strong track record in quality improvement, patient safety, service planning and workforce strategy.
• Proven ability to lead through change and ambiguity with clarity and compassion.
• Understanding of equity, Te Tiriti o Waitangi obligations, and culturally safe practice.
• The ability to influence, partner and lead across professional, organisational and community boundaries.
• The ability to develop strong professional networks and build relationships.
• A willingness to get involved, challenge traditional ways of working, and bring fresh ideas.

To view the full position description for this role, click here .

Working in Te Tai Tokerau

Te Tai Tokerau offers a unique opportunity to lead meaningful health transformation in partnership with iwi, hapū, communities and clinicians. Youll be part of a system committed to equity, innovation and better outcomes while enjoying the lifestyle, connection and natural beauty of Northland.

Our main hospital site is located in Whangārei (where this role will be based), with three non-urban hospital in Dargaville, Bay of Islands and Kaitaia and multiple clinical sites across the district.

Te Tai Tokerau offers a chance to drive large-scale change while staying connected with clinical and operational teams.

It would suit somebody stepping into a Chief Nurse role from a senior leadership position or wishing to work in a larger organisation with urban and rural communities.

For more information on living and working in Northland, click here

Working at Health New Zealand

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of Aotearoa 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.

We will review applications as received and may proceed with the recruitment process, before the closing date of this advert.