Partnership Manager - Te Ō

Kāinga Ora - Homes and Communities; Wellington; Hybrid; NZD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Five weeks' annual leave

Flexible working arrangements

Competitive salary

Job summary

Kāinga Ora - Homes and Communities seeks a Partnership Manager for Te Ō in Wellington. You will lead and influence a single-site supported housing model, manage the Te Ō partnership with Wellington City Mission, and coordinate across housing, health, social services, government and iwi sectors to improve customer outcomes.

The role focuses on stakeholder engagement, strategic leadership, and operational delivery within a complex environment, delivering innovative, customer-centred service.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience leading operational delivery within a complex, multi-faceted environment.
• Strong experience building and maintaining strategic partnerships across housing, health, social services, government and community sectors.
• Proven ability to influence stakeholders and bring multiple teams together to achieve shared outcomes.
• Experience supporting vulnerable customers and communities with social, health, and wellbeing needs.
• Exceptional communication and relationship management skills.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making capability.
• Experience coaching, mentoring, and supporting teams to deliver high-quality outcomes.
• Understanding of Te Ao Māori, Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles, and culturally responsive ways of working.
• Ability to build cross-sector relationships across Wellington region.
• A relevant tertiary qualification or equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

• Build and strengthen the partnership between Kāinga Ora and Wellington City Mission.
• Influence day-to-day operations of Te Ō and ensure service integrity.
• Collaborate with government agencies and health providers to support housing and wellbeing outcomes.
• Lead through influence to deliver excellent customer outcomes.

Skills

Relationship management

Stakeholder engagement

Strategic leadership

Influence without authority

Communication skills

Problem solving

Coaching and mentoring

Innovative thinking

Cultural competency

Cross-sector collaboration

Job description

• Build strategic partnerships across Wellington's housing, health and social sectors
• 12-month fixed term opportunity based at Te Ō, Wellington, with 5 weeks'annual leave + other benefits

As a Partnership Manager - Te Ō, you'll play a pivotal role in the success of one of Kāinga Ora's most innovative housing initiatives. Based at Te Ō, an 80-apartment supported housing community in central Wellington, you'll help shape and influence the delivery of a single-site supported housing model designed to improve health, wellbeing, and housing outcomes for customers.

Working closely with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, you'll influence the successful day-to-day operation of Te Ō and ensure the integrity of the single-site supported housing model is maintained. You'll provide leadership through influence, supporting operational teams to deliver exceptional customer outcomes while embedding innovative and effective ways of working.

A key focus of the role is managing and strengthening the partnership between Kāinga Ora and Wellington City Mission. You'll act as the key relationship lead, supporting issue resolution, managing escalations, and ensuring services are aligned to deliver positive outcomes for customers, whānau, and the wider Te Ō community.

You'll also work alongside government agencies, community organisations, health providers, and local stakeholders across the Wellington region to build strong partnerships that support sustainable housing, wellbeing, and community outcomes. This is an exciting opportunity to help shape the future of supported housing while making a meaningful difference to people's lives.

We're looking for a strategic and relationship-focused leader who is passionate about improving outcomes for customers, whānau, and communities.

Here’s what you’ll bring to the role:

• Demonstrated experience leading operational delivery within a complex, multi-faceted environment
• Strong experience building and maintaining strategic partnerships across housing, health, social services, government, iwi, or community sectors
• Proven ability to influence stakeholders and bring multiple teams together to achieve shared outcomes
• Experience supporting vulnerable customers and communities with a range of social, health, and wellbeing needs
• Exceptional communication and relationship management skills, with the ability to engage effectively across all levels
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making capability, with experience managing complex issues and competing priorities
• Experience coaching, mentoring, and supporting teams to deliver high-quality outcomes
• A passion for innovation, continuous improvement, and customer-centred service delivery
• Understanding of Te Ao Māori, Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles, and culturally responsive ways of working
• The ability to build and maintain strong cross-sector relationships throughout the Wellington region.
• A relevant tertiary qualification or equivalent experience.

Nōu te rourou - What's in it for you?

We offer competitive salaries, five weeks' annual leave, and flexible working arrangements.

As a Kāinga Ora employee, we want to ensure you have the tools, support, and opportunities you need to thrive. You'll be part of a team that genuinely values wellbeing, development, and work-life balance while making a meaningful difference for New Zealanders every day.

At Kāinga Ora, our mahi sits at the heart of Aotearoa's housing system. Every day, we help shape how our customers live today and into the future. It's meaningful mahi, and we're transforming how we work so we can deliver even better outcomes. Our transformation focuses on three things:

• Our future – building a high-performing organisation that delivers quality housing for generations
• Our tenants – warm, dry, well-maintained homes and the right support to help people live well
• Our people – simple processes, modern technology, and opportunities to learn, grow and thrive.

Guided by our values, we work together, put customers at the centre, and continually challenge ourselves to be better.

Kāinga Ora is a place where people feel valued and supported. You'll find opportunities to grow your skills and build a career you're proud of, with fair pay and flexible ways of working that support both our people and our customers.

Our values were developed by us, for us. They unite us as an organisation and guide how we work every day.

• Manaakitanga – People at the Heart
• Whanake – Be Bold

Applications close on Tuesday 13 Otober 2026 at 11.55PM.

As part of our commitment to supporting employees through organisational change, affected Kāinga Ora employees will be considered for vacancies in the first instance.

We value diversity and are committed to working with each other and our customers in an inclusive and respectful way. We welcome applicants from all walks of life and appreciate the richness of experience that your point of difference brings to the organisation.

Reference # 80455