Health & Safety Business Partner

New Zealand Government; Gisborne; On-site; NZD 95,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora in Gisborne seeks a Health and Safety Business Partner to drive compliant, high‑quality safety practices across the district. The role focuses on advisory support, coaching, and leading safety initiatives in partnership with district teams.

The successful candidate will bring graduate and postgraduate health and safety qualifications, up to 10 years’ delivery experience, and a strong track record in strategic safety programmes and incident learning.

Qualifications

• Graduate and postgraduate health and safety qualifications.
• Up to 10 years' health and safety delivery experience, including influencing stakeholders.
• Experience implementing HSWA 2015, ACC AEP, and ISO45001.
• Delivering strategic programmes at local level.
• Training and coaching health and safety practitioners.
• Investigating serious incidents and sharing lessons learned.
• Managing health and safety risks, including developing and monitoring controls.
• Ability to work in complex, ambiguous environments.
• Knowledge of health sector and health and safety legislation.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert advice and technical support to drive consistent, high‑quality health and safety practice across the district.
• Coach and mentor less‑experienced practitioners and build local leadership capability.
• Contribute to district‑wide strategic planning and initiatives; lead programmes as required.
• Model Health NZ values and support a culture of accountability and excellence in health and safety.

Skills

Problem solving

Relationship building

Adaptability

Stakeholder influence

Strategic advisory

Education

Graduate and postgraduate qualifications

Job description

Based in Gisborne * Permanent, Full Time

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.