Community Work Supervisor - Taumarunui

New Zealand Government; Whanganui; On-site; NZD 60,000 - 76,000; Part time

Job summary

Ara Poutama Aotearoa – Department of Corrections is seeking a Community Work Supervisor to oversee individuals serving community work sentences on projects at schools, reserves, Marae and community groups. You will manage participants with a collaborative, respectful approach and ensure alignment with our Hōkai Rangi strategy.

You will guide and motivate participants to complete their required hours, applying a firm-but-fair management style across diverse ages and cultures.

Qualifications

• Ability to engage with people from all cultures.
• Understanding tikanga and te reo Māori in diverse settings.
• Ability to solve problems and work collaboratively.
• Creative thinker using curiosity to generate new ideas.
• Ability to inspire others with enthusiasm and action.
• Passionate about helping people build confidence, resilience and wellbeing.
• Excellent spoken and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Guide and motivate participants to complete their Community Service hours.
• Maintain a firm-but-fair management style across diverse ages and cultures.
• Provide training and support to become part of the team.

Skills

Cultural engagement

Tikanga & te reo Māori

Problem solving

Critical thinking

Motivation & leadership

Wellbeing support

Communication skills

Job description

Do you want to make a real difference in your community? * Do you enjoy mentoring and coaching people? * This is a great opportunity to use your life skills to their best advantage!

About the role

We are all about changing lives and creating pathways through meaningful Community Work projects. As a Community Work Supervisor, you will oversee and manage those in our care who are serving their community work sentences on meaningful projects at schools, reserves, community groups, Marae and churches - whatever the community needs. With a natural style to work collaboratively and great relationship management skills you will be someone who recognises the importance of the work Ara Poutama Aotearoa does. As we continue our mahi with our Hōkai Rangi strategy, bring new ways of thinking to our complex and busy environment. Working on a casual basis, the successful applicant will posess a flexibility to be available at short notice.

About you

You will be a dynamic person who's able to guide and motivate the people we manage to complete their Community Service work hours. You will be a positive role model with a 'firm-but-fair' management style, able to work with all ages and cultures in a variety of situations. We will give you the training and support you need to become part of our team working to make our communities safer. You must work with high integrity and will demonstrate the Departmental values within your work : Wairua, Whānau, Manaaki, Kaitiaki and Rangatira. A Full NZ drivers licence including the ability to drive a manual vehicle is essential. You may also be required to tow a trailer at times. Applicants for this role must be a New Zealand citizen, New Zealand Resident Permit holder, Australian citizen or an Australian resident who holds a current Australian Resident Return Visa.

Skills and experience

• Have the ability to engage with all cultures
• Understand the importance of tikanga and te reo Māori within our unique settings
• Have the ability to solve problems and work collaboratively
• Are fresh critical thinkers, using curiosity and imagination to generate new ideas
• Inspire others with enthusiasm and a take-action approach
• Are passionate about supporting people to build confidence, resilience and wellbeing
• Have excellent spoken and written communication skills.

Community Work Supervisors come from a variety of backgrounds; from trades and farming to office jobs, retail, teaching and social agencies - so your experience could be just what we are looking for!

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.

Apply Now

Applications close on : Wednesday, 4th 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.