Principal Adviser - People Strategy & Innovation

Heritage Lifecare; Wellington; Hybrid; NZD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Heritage Lifecare Ltd in Wellington seeks a Principal Adviser to shape the future People Strategy and drive strategic workforce initiatives. You will work alongside the Chief People Officer to translate ambition into coordinated action and measurable outcomes, spanning workforce planning, organisation design and employee experience.

The role requires senior experience in People & Culture, transformation and enterprise-wide programmes, with a focus on adopting AI, automation and new ways of

Qualifications

• Significant senior experience across People & Culture, organisational strategy or transformation.
• Ability to translate ambition into clear priorities and practical outcomes.
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills.

Responsibilities

• Work directly with the Chief People Officer on enterprise-wide strategic priorities.
• Shape Heritage's future People Strategy, workforce capability and employee experience.
• Explore innovation, AI adoption and new ways of working within the People function.
• Lead complex, cross-functional programmes through influence and credibility.
• Turn executive recommendations into measurable actions and outcomes.

Job description

Principal Adviser - People Strategy & Innovation

Listed 1 day Ago

Heritage Lifecare Ltd

• Full Time
• Application Closes30 Oct 2026
• Wellington - Wellington City
• Human Resources Manager

The best People & Culture teams don't just respond to today's workforce challenges. They anticipate what's next, challenge established thinking and turn strategy into meaningful organisational outcomes.

Heritage is one of New Zealand's largest providers of Residential Aged Care services, providing a warm and welcoming home to over 2,200 people. Our 2,700 employees help our residents experience a better every day in their later years.

As we continue to evolve our People & Culture function, we have created an exciting opportunity for a Principal Adviser - Strategy & Innovation to work alongside our Chief People Officer and help shape our future people agenda.

This is not a traditional HR advisory role. Working directly with the Chief People Officer, you will help turn our People Strategy into coordinated action, measurable outcomes and sustainable change.

Your remit will span strategic workforce planning, organisation design, employee experience and EVP, employee listening, strategic programmes and organisational transformation. You'll also explore emerging workforce trends and opportunities across AI, automation and new ways of working.

As a senior individual contributor, you'll work across P&C and the wider organisation, using credibility, influence and strategic thinking to connect people and ideas and drive enterprise priorities.

We're looking for someone who can move confidently between strategy and delivery, from developing Executive or Board-level recommendations to getting complex programmes moving.

This role is ideally based in Wellington. For the right candidate, we may also consider Christchurch.

You will:

• Possess genuine respect, empathy and interest in others.
• Bring significant senior experience across People & Culture, organisational strategy, transformation, organisation development or a related discipline.
• Be an exceptional strategic thinker who can translate organisational ambition into clear priorities and practical outcomes.
• Demonstrate experience leading complex, cross-functional initiatives through influence rather than positional authority.
• Bring strong capability in strategic workforce planning, organisation design and organisational change.
• Have experience shaping employee experience, EVP or enterprise people initiatives using employee insight and evidence.
• Be highly analytical and able to turn workforce information, research, employee feedback and external trends into strategic recommendations.
• Bring curiosity and practical experience in AI, automation and new ways of working, with a focus on adoption and measurable value.
• Be confident preparing high-quality Executive and Board papers, business cases and strategic recommendations.
• Have the credibility to constructively challenge senior leaders and bring a clear point of view.
• Be a natural connector who can work across functions and enable others to succeed.
• Bring strong programme leadership capability and an ability to turn ideas into sustainable organisational outcomes.

Experience in healthcare, aged care, a highly regulated environment or a large geographically dispersed organisation would be advantageous.

We're looking for someone curious about what's next, who challenges conventional thinking and turns complex problems into practical solutions.

• Work directly with the Chief People Officer on enterprise-wide strategic priorities.
• Help shape Heritage's future People Strategy, workforce capability and employee experience.
• Genuine scope to explore innovation, AI business adoption and new ways of working.
• Exposure to complex organisation design, transformation and strategic workforce challenges.
• A collaborative P&C team where curiosity, ideas and constructive challenge are welcomed.
• The opportunity to make a meaningful difference within one of New Zealand's largest aged care providers.
• Ongoing opportunities for professional development and growth.

We recognise the Treaty of Waitangi and its importance to Māori and how it applies to the work at Heritage Lifecare. This includes adhering to the concepts of whanaungatanga, whakapapa and manaakitanga to foster an environment where people can work together with ease and understanding.

Applicants must have the legal right to work in New Zealand. We may therefore be unable to support a visa application for this position