Manager Commissioning Excellence & Implementation

Oranga Tamariki—Ministry for Children; Wellington; On-site; NZD 175,000 - 194,000; Full time

Job summary

Oranga Tamariki – Ministry for Children in Wellington seeks a senior leader to shape commissioning transformation. You’ll design the frameworks, tools and practice standards to enable a new outcomes-focused model, working across Oranga Tamariki and the wider social sector to embed best-practice commissioning and turn evidence into practical improvements.

This fixed-term or secondment role reports to the General Manager, Commissioning Transformation.

Qualifications

• Significant leadership experience in complex organisations.
• Experience developing commissioning or operating frameworks.
• Experience leading reviews, evaluations or improvement programmes.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and cross-sector collaboration.
• Ability to translate evidence into practical tools and guidance.

Responsibilities

• Design and embed commissioning frameworks, tools and guidance.
• Lead service and impact reviews to drive improvement.
• Build commissioning capability across the organisation.
• Partner with providers, iwi, Māori organisations and government agencies.
• Translate evidence and insights into practical change.
• Champion continuous improvement and outcomes-focused decision-making.
• Lead a high-performing specialist team.

Skills

Leadership experience

Commissioning frameworks

Service improvement

Stakeholder engagement

Cross-sector collaboration

Evidence translation

Change management

Job description

Help create the playbook for the future of commissioning.

Design the tools, frameworks and disciplines that will underpin commissioning transformation at Oranga Tamariki. Help embed a new outcomes-focused approach to investing in better lives for tamariki, rangatahi and whānau.

Fixed-term or secondment opportunity until 30 June 2027 | Wellington

Mū mātō | About us

Oranga Tamariki–Ministry for Children is committed to improving outcomes for tamariki and rangatahi and ensuring New Zealand is the best place in the world to be a child. We work alongside whānau, hapū, iwi, Māori organisations, partners and providers, communities and government agencies to deliver services that make a meaningful difference in people's lives.

Mū te tūnga | About the role

This is not a business-as-usual leadership role. We’re transforming how Oranga Tamariki commissions services, invests in communities and delivers outcomes. Reporting to the General Manager, Commissioning Transformation, you’ll lead the development of the frameworks, tools, methodologies and practice standards that will enable this transformation to succeed. You’ll work across Oranga Tamariki and the wider social sector to embed best-practice commissioning, lead service and impact reviews, strengthen organisational capability and turn evidence into practical improvements. This is a rare opportunity to help build a new commissioning model from the ground up and influence how services are designed, commissioned and evaluated for years to come.

Key responsibilities include:

• Design and embed commissioning frameworks, tools and guidance
• Lead service and impact reviews that drive improvement
• Build commissioning capability across the organisation
• Partner with providers, iwi, Māori organisations and government agencies
• Translate evidence and insights into practical change
• Champion continuous improvement and outcomes-focused decision-making
• Lead a high-performing specialist team

Ko wai ka whai oranga i roto i ‘t’e mahi? | Who will thrive in this role?

You’ll thrive if you:

• Love building new capability and ways of working
• Turn ideas into practical tools and sustainable practice
• Enjoy influencing change across complex systems
• Are passionate about evidence, continuous improvement and outcomes
• Want to help shape the future of commissioning in Aotearoa

Ngā poumanawatanga ŋu | What you will bring

You’ll bring significant leadership experience and a track record of delivering change in complex environments, including:

• Experience developing commissioning, service improvement or operating frameworks
• Experience leading reviews, evaluations or improvement programmes
• Strong understanding of outcomes-focused commissioning and continuous improvement
• The ability to translate evidence into practical tools and guidance
• Strong stakeholder engagement and influencing skills
• Experience working across organisational and sector boundaries
• A commitment to improving outcomes for tamariki, rangatahi and whŁŁau

Nʼnu te rourou | What’s in it for you

Annual remuneration: $174,846 - $193,569

This is a career-defining opportunity to help build the foundations of a new commissioning system. Your work will influence how investment decisions are made, how services are reviewed and improved, and how Oranga Tamariki partners with communities to achieve better outcomes. Few roles offer the opportunity to build capability that transforms an entire organisation. If you’re motivated by purpose, innovation and lasting impact, we’d love to hear from you.

Applications close at midnight on Wednesday 21 October 2026

If you are interested in any of our vacancies, please ensure that you make yourself familiar with our Code of Conduct, which sets out expectations for all kaimahi and requires employees to present at work free from the influence of drugs and alcohol.