District Chief Medical Officer

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

Job summary

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is inviting applications for District Chief Medical Officer based in Nelson, with district-wide responsibilities across Nelson and Marlborough. You will provide strong, inclusive leadership for medical colleagues and the wider health workforce, guiding safe and high-quality patient care and delivering on equity goals.

As part of the district leadership team, you will ensure the clinical voice informs senior decisions, oversee governance and safety, and support

Qualifications

• Current vocational or general medical registration and an Annual Practising Certificate.
• Significant clinical leadership experience and knowledge of the NZ health sector.
• Expertise in governance, patient safety, quality improvement and risk management.
• Strong strategic and operational judgement with ability to lead change.
• Excellent communication and relationship skills across health system and community.
• Understanding of Pae Ora, Te Tiriti o Waitangi and equity with priority populations.

Responsibilities

• Provide visible medical leadership across clinical governance, workforce, quality and service continuity.
• Partner with district leadership to ensure clinical voice informs senior decisions.
• Lead and support clinical partnership with Group Director Operations for district-wide delivery.
• Oversee clinical governance, patient safety, experience, workforce leadership and service planning.
• Strengthen integrated services and advance equitable outcomes for Māori and other communities.

Skills

Medical leadership

Clinical governance

Patient safety

Operational judgement

Strategic thinking

Communication

Equity focus

Job description

• Shape safe, high-quality and equitable care across Nelson Marlborough as a senior clinical leader.
• Partner with the Group Director Operations and district leadership team to ensure the clinical voice informs key decisions.
• Provide visible medical leadership across clinical governance, workforce, quality, safety and service continuity.

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

This position is open to applications from Senior Medical Officers (SMOs) currently employed by Health NZ who are ready to broaden their leadership experience and contribute at a strategic and executive level. Based in Nelson, the role has district-wide responsibilities across Nelson and Marlborough.

As District Chief Medical Officer, you will provide strong, visible and inclusive professional and clinical leadership for the Nelson Marlborough district. You will inspire medical colleagues and the wider health workforce, while working in partnership with operational and clinical leaders to deliver safe, compassionate and high-quality patient care.

As part of the district leadership team, you will provide clinical partnership to the Group Director Operations and ensure the clinical voice is heard in senior decision-making. Your portfolio will span clinical governance, patient safety and experience, medical workforce leadership, service planning, quality improvement, risk management and the ongoing safe delivery of care. You will also help strengthen integrated, whole-of-system services and advance equitable outcomes for Māori, Pacific peoples, people with disabilities and other communities.

Depending on district requirements and your preference, a portion of the role may be allocated to continuing clinical practice. The remuneration basis is ASMS base salary plus an allowance.

About the Team/Service/ Location

This role sits within Hospital and Specialist Services / Clinical Leadership and is a key member of the Nelson Marlborough district senior leadership team. You will work closely with the Group Director Operations, other clinical chiefs and directors, service leaders, regional colleagues and national clinical networks to support sustainable services and strong clinical governance.

For more information on living and working in Nelson click here

About you

You will be a respected, collaborative medical leader who can work confidently across complex clinical and operational environments. You will bring:

• Current vocational or general medical registration and an Annual Practising Certificate.
• Significant clinical leadership experience and extensive knowledge of the New Zealand health sector and clinical service delivery.
• Demonstrated expertise in clinical governance, patient safety, quality improvement, risk management and professional standards.
• Strong strategic, financial and operational judgement, with the ability to navigate ambiguity, influence decisions and lead sustainable change.
• Excellent communication and relationship skills, including the ability to negotiate, resolve conflict and build trusted partnerships across the health system and community.
• A practical understanding of Pae Ora, Te Tiriti o Waitangi obligations and equity, with a commitment to culturally safe services and improved outcomes for Māori and other priority populations.

Working at Health New Zealand

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.

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

Job details

Job Reference:

Job Reference: R3N26-038

Location:

South Island - Nelson / Marlborough - Blenheim

South Island - Nelson / Marlborough - Nelson

Job type:

Expertise:

Clinical - Senior Medical Officers, Medical Officers and Fellows - All values