Nurse Manger - Pre-Operative

New Zealand Government; Taranaki; On-site; NZD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is seeking a Pre-Operative Nurse Manager to lead and develop the pre-operative services across the surgical pathway in Taranaki. The role ensures timely assessment, optimisation and preparation for surgery, with emphasis on equity and excellent patient outcomes.

The successful candidate will partner with surgeons, anaesthetists, and clinical teams to strengthen systems, improve access, and ensure safe care within budget and policy requirements.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership ability in a health setting.
• Excellent communication and active listening skills.
• Calm, balanced, mature leadership style.
• Professional approach with strong stress management.
• Strong focus on team philosophy and collaboration.
• Ability to think strategically and operationally.
• Solid understanding of professional ethics.

Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee delivery of high‑quality pre‑operative services.
• Ensure patients are appropriately assessed, informed, and prepared for surgery.
• Collaborate with surgeons, anaesthetists and multidisciplinary teams.
• Drive service development, equity and continuous improvement within budget.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Calm demeanor

Stress management

Team collaboration

Strategic thinking

Professional ethics

Education

Postgraduate education in Pre-operative care

Job description

Pre-Operative Nurse Manger Taranaki: Permanent Fulltime

An exciting role to support, build and develop the Pre-Operative teams, to provide high quality, patient centred care here in Taranaki.

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

We are recruiting a Pre-Operative Nurse Manager to lead and oversee the delivery of high-quality pre-operative services across the surgical pathway. This role is responsible for ensuring patients are appropriately assessed, optimised, informed, and prepared for surgery, whilst supporting equitable access to surgical care and excellent patient outcomes.

The Pre-Operative Service plays a critical role in supporting patients undergoing both planned and acute surgical procedures. Working closely with Surgeons, Anaesthetists, Clinical Nurse Specialists, and multidisciplinary teams, the service provides comprehensive assessment, education, care planning, and clinical coordination to ensure patients are safe and ready for surgery.

The Pre-Operative Nurse Manager is the operational and clinical leader responsible for the delivery, development, and continuous improvement of pre-operative services. The role focuses on strengthening systems and processes that support timely surgical access, patient optimisation, and effective clinical decision-making.

A key driver of the position is ensuring equitable health outcomes whilst working collaboratively with specialty services to support national health targets, planned care objectives, and quality improvement initiatives.

The Pre-Operative Nurse Manager will ensure organisational objectives are met and that resources are managed effectively and efficiently to deliver high-quality services within budget. This includes maintaining compliance with legislative requirements, Ministry of Health expectations, Health New Zealand policies, and relevant quality and safety standards.

The salary range for this position is as per Senior Nurse Grade 5 of the NZNO Nursing MECA.

About the Team/Service/ Location

Our Surgical Directorate team consists of the Surgical Services Manager, three Nurse Managers and a Planned Care Manager. Together we provide leadership and direction to our clinical teams ensuring patients receive high quality and safe care, whilst ensuring systems and processes support efficient and effective service performance.

About you

We are seeking an innovative, energetic, and experienced Manager, who has proven leadership skills and excellent knowledge of the health sector.

This partners the Clinical Leaders and Directorate of Nursing in the delivery of safe affordable services.

The Perioperative Nurse Manager:

Influences, builds and refreshes systems, services or interventions that achieve the vision of the Service.

Balances meeting day-to-day operational challenges while keeping sight of directorate objectives and implementing system and process changes to provide solutions.

Translates strategy into operational plans that improve the Taranaki Hospital Services capability and increase capacity to deliver agreed services.

Skills:

• Proven leadership ability.
• Excellent communication skills, highly articulate and excellent listening skills.
• Calm, even, consistent and mature personality.
• Professional approach and manages stress effectively.
• Strong focus on team philosophy and collaborative working.
• Ability to think strategically, operationally and objectively.
• Sound understanding of professional ethics.

Desirable:

• Experience and post graduate education in Pre-operative care.

We welcome applications from our diverse Māori, Pacific, disabled, and rainbow communities.