Health & Safety Business Partner

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora; Gisborne; On-site; NZD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is seeking a Health and Safety Business Partner to drive compliant, high-quality practice across the district. The role involves coaching, advising on national programmes, and supporting strategic planning with Health NZ teams.

The successful candidate will bring graduate/postgraduate qualifications and up to 10 years of health and safety delivery experience, with a strong ability to influence stakeholders and manage risk in healthcare environments.

Qualifications

• Successful candidates will hold relevant graduate and postgraduate qualifications.
• Experience delivering health and safety programmes at district/organizational level.
• Ability to influence stakeholders in healthcare or similar sectors.
• Demonstrated track record in coaching health and safety practitioners and leaders.
• Strong knowledge of HSWA 2015, ISO45001 and related health and safety standards.

Responsibilities

• Coach and mentor less-experienced practitioners and strengthen local leadership capability.
• Provide expert advice to drive district-wide health and safety initiatives.
• Lead or contribute to strategic programmes and national health and safety delivery.
• Model Health NZ values and foster accountability, collaboration, and excellence.

Skills

Influencing stakeholders

Programme delivery

Training and coaching

Incident investigation

Risk management

Problem solving

Business case advisory

Health sector knowledge

Health and Safety qualification

Education

Graduate and postgraduate qualifications

Job description

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is the country's largest employer, delivering universal public healthcare to 5 million New Zealanders.

We provide essential hospital, specialist, and community health services across 80+ locations - from large urban centres to rural towns and remote communities.

Our goal is to improve health outcomes for all New Zealanders by delivering equitable, accessible and innovative care.

About the Role

The Health and Safety Business Partner plays a key role in ensuring compliance with Health NZ expectations, legislation, and industry standards while supporting the delivery of national and district health and safety initiatives. Working closely with the District Health and Safety Delivery Manager, District Operations Managers, Occupational Health Teams, and Health and Safety Delivery teams, the role provides expert advice and technical support to drive consistent, high-quality health and safety practice across the district.

A core part of the role is coaching and mentoring less-experienced practitioners, strengthening local leadership capability, and embedding best practice. The Business Partner also contributes to strategic planning by advising on district-wide initiatives and may lead specific programmes as required. This position models Health NZ values and behaviours, helping to build a culture of accountability, collaboration, and excellence in health and safety.

About you

To be successful in this role you will have the following:

• Relevant graduate and postgraduate qualifications.
• Up to 10 years' health and safety delivery experience, including:
• Influencing key stakeholders in healthcare or similar industries.
• Implementing and managing compliance with HSWA 2015, ACC AEP, and ISO45001.
• Delivering strategic and organisation-level programmes at a local level.
• Training and coaching health and safety practitioners and operational leaders.
• Investigating serious incidents and sharing lessons learned.
• Managing health and safety risks, including developing and monitoring controls.
• Ability to work effectively in complex, ambiguous, and changing environments.
• Strong problem-solving and relationship building skills
• Experience providing expert advice for business cases and national programmes.
• Knowledge of the health sector and in-depth understanding of health and safety legislation and standards.
• Health and Safety qualification or equivalent assessed experience.

Working for 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.

Non-clinical - Human Resources - Human Resources