Contract Manager, Reintegration & Community Services

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

Job summary

The Department of Corrections NZ in Hamilton is seeking three Contract Managers to lead our Reintegration & Community Services contracts, ensuring high quality service delivery, strong performance and outcomes.

You will manage full lifecycle contracts with providers, negotiate terms, build trusted relationships with iwi, hapū, NGOs and other partners, and drive continuous improvement in services that support reintegration and safer communities in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Qualifications

• Experience managing community contracts and service providers.
• Knowledge of government procurement and public sector contract management.

Responsibilities

• Lead a portfolio of community-based service contracts and ensure high quality delivery and outcomes.
• Provide contract oversight across the full lifecycle, from design to negotiation and relationship management.
• Build trusted relationships with iwi, hapū, NGOs and other stakeholders to support reintegration services.
• Drive continuous improvement and use data/insights to manage performance.

Skills

Relationship management

Stakeholder engagement

Contract management

Performance monitoring

Negotiation

Data analysis

Job description

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Contract Manager, Reintegration & Community Services

Department of Corrections NZ – Hamilton, 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.