Mental Health Advisor

Hato Hone St John; Christchurch; On-site; NZD 80,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

Hato Hone St John is seeking a Mental Health Clinician/Advisor to shape clinical pathways for mental health incidents within the Integrated Operations Centre. The role focuses on pathway development, governance, and workforce capability.

Based in Auckland or Christchurch, you will lead changes to improve assessment, management and safety planning. Ideal candidates have APC registration (Mental Health Nurse, Registered Nurse, or Social Worker) and substantial crisis care experience, with strong

Qualifications

• This role requires current APC registration as a mental health nurse, nurse, or social worker.
• Significant post-registration mental health experience, especially acute or crisis care.
• Advanced competency in suicide risk assessment and safety planning.
• Experience developing clinical processes, frameworks, or pathways.
• Strong understanding of crisis response systems and local mental health service pathways.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with Secondary Triage Clinicians and Clinical Support Officers to improve assessment, management and resolution of mental health presentations.
• Design and embed frameworks, tools, and pathways to support safe, consistent decisions on high-risk calls.
• Develop risk assessment frameworks, disposition pathways, and safety planning approaches within governance structures.
• Help build workforce capability by educating and upskilling IOC and Secondary Triage teams.
• Support leadership in service improvement and change initiatives.

Skills

Mental health nurse

Registered nurse

Social worker

Job description

Hato Hone St John has been serving New Zealanders since 1885. Today, our 11,000-strong team ofkaimahiworkacross Aotearoa to enhance the health and wellbeing of our communities. From responding to 111 calls to supporting people to stay healthy through our mahi in health education, access, and monitoring,we aremaking life-changing differences every day.

Job Description

He ahatetūranga- About the role:

We respond to over 400,000 incidents a year. Mental health presentations are one of the fastest growing challenges facing health services in Aotearoa increasing in both volume and complexity. We are committed in providing a clinically led approach to ensuring these incidents are met with the right expertise, at the right time.

The Mental Health Clinician is a newly created role with scope to shape how Hato Hone St John supports mental health incidents. You will lead a programme of work spanning clinical pathway development, workforce capability building, care planning, crew support, education, and clinical governance. You will have autonomy and influence to implement how mental health emergencies are handled in the Integrated Operations Centre (IOC).

This role can be based in Auckland or Christchurch.

Please note: The internal position title for this role is Mental Health Clinician. For advertising purposes, this role is advertised as a Mental Health Advisor.

Key responsibilities:

Workalongside Secondary Triage Clinicians and Clinical Support Officers to strengthen how mental health presentations are assessed, managed, and resolved.

Designand embedding the frameworks, tools, and pathways that give our clinicians the confidence and structure to make safe, consistent decisions on complex and high-risk calls.

Developingbest-practice risk assessment frameworks,establishingclear disposition pathways, building safety planning approaches, and contributing to the clinical governance thatitunderpins.

Playa key role in building workforce capabilitysupportingeducation and upskilling across the Secondary Triageand IOCteam so that every clinician feels equipped whenassessingmental healthincidents.

Qualifications

Kowaikoe- About you:

This role is positioned with a focus of both clinical excellence and operational innovation- it is an opportunity to combine specialist mental healthexpertisewith meaningful system level impact.

You will be joining a collaborative, multidisciplinary team that values yourexpertise, with the backing of clinical leadership.

To be successful in this role, you will have:

Current APC as a Mental Health Nurse, Registered Nurse, or Social Worker

Significant post-registration experience in mental health settings, particularly acute or crisis care

Advanced competency in suicide risk assessment and safety planning

Demonstrated experience developing clinical processes, frameworks, or pathways

A strong understanding of crisis response systems and local mental health service pathways

The credibility and communication skills to influence without authority and bring others on the journey with you

Understanding of leadership and management principles, with experience applying these in a senior role to support staff, guide practice, and contribute to service outcomes.

(Desirable)Experience supporting or leading service improvement or project-based work, including planning, stakeholder engagement, progress tracking, and implementation of change

Additional Information

For further information please contact Azure Manunui - Recruitment Advisor [e-mail] or [phone] Ext: 8216 for a confidential discussion.

At Hato Hone St John, we embrace diversity, welcoming everyone to bring their authentic selves to work. We value unique perspectives, fostering inclusivity to better serve our communities, and we’re committed to creating a workplace where everyone belongs.

If you need accommodations for accessibility, please reach out to the recruiter listed for equitable participation in our recruitment process.

Research shows that women and people from under-represented groups are less likely to apply for roles when their experience doesn’t match the job description perfectly. If you’re excited and think you have what it takes, we want to hear from you! Even if your experience doesn’t align 100%.