Contract Manager, Reintegration & Community Services

Department of Corrections NZ; Dunedin; On-site; NZD 125,000 - 176,000; Full time

Job summary

Department of Corrections NZ in Wellington Central, NZ is seeking three Contract Managers to join the Reintegration & Community Services team. You will manage a portfolio of community-based service contracts and build trusted partnerships to improve service delivery and outcomes.

This role emphasizes culturally responsive approaches, Te Tiriti o Waitangi commitments, and collaboration with iwi, hapū, NGOs, and other partners to support reintegration, reduce re-offending and strengthen

Qualifications

• Experience managing contracts, providers, or commissioned services.
• Strong relationship management and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Knowledge of government procurement and public sector contract management best practice.
• Ability to analyse performance, financial and risk information.
• Commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and working with Māori and diverse providers.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of community-based service contracts with providers to ensure high quality delivery and outcomes.
• Provide contract oversight, performance monitoring and continuous improvement across funded services.
• Oversee full contract lifecycle including design, implementation, negotiation, and stakeholder management with iwi, hapū, NGOs, and others.
• Deliver strategic and operational outcomes that are culturally responsive and aligned with Te Ao Māori values.
• Coordinate across the Department and external partners to navigate complex procurement and relationship management.

Job description

Jora New Zealand will close on 9th September 2026. Thank you for being with us, we are cheering you on as you continue your career journey.

Contract Manager, Reintegration & Community Services

Department of Corrections NZ – Wellington Central, North Island

• Lead impactful community contracts supporting rehabilitation outcomes
• Build trusted partnerships to improve services
• Three permanent vacancies, location flexible

Mō te tūnga | About the role

Are you passionate about achieving better outcomes for people, whānau and communities? We're looking for three experienced Contract Managers to join our Reintegration & Community Services team.

In this role, you'll manage a portfolio of community-based service contracts, working with providers to ensure high quality service delivery, strong performance, and demonstrated outcomes. You'll build trusted relationships, provide effective contract oversight, and support continuous improvement across the services we fund. This role is pivotal in managing the full lifecycle of contracts that support reintegration services, including service design, implementation, negotiation, and relationship management with iwi, hapū, NGOs, and other stakeholders.

You will be responsible for delivering both strategic and operational outcomes, ensuring services are culturally responsive and aligned with Te Ao Māori values. The role requires a strong understanding of contract management, relationship building, and the ability to work collaboratively across the Department and with external partners.

You're a strategic and relationship-focused professional with proven experience in contract and relationship management, commercial negotiations, performance monitoring, and delivering sound advice in complex, fast-paced environments. With strong problem-solving, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills, you build trusted partnerships and navigate challenging situations effectively.

You will be comfortable balancing support and accountability, using data and insights to drive performance while fostering collaborative relationships that improve outcomes.

We're looking for people who bring:

• Strong relationship management and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Experience managing contracts, providers, or commissioned services.
• Knowledge of government procurement and public sector contract management best practice and frameworks.
• Confidence analysing performance, financial and risk information.
• Sound judgement, problem-solving skills, and the ability to navigate complexity.
• A commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and working effectively with Māori, communities, and diverse providers.

If this sounds like the role for you, join us and help shape services that support reintegration, strengthen communities, and contribute to safer outcomes for Aotearoa New Zealand!

The midpoint of the salary range is $146,562 per annum and the full range (85%-120%) is $124,578 - $175,875 per annum. Appointment and remuneration will reflect skills and experience relevant to the role.

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.

If you have any questions or want to learn more about a career with us, contact ***************@corrections.govt.nz, or visit careers.corrections.govt.nz.