Programme Lead - Christchurch - NPHS

Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora - Southern; Christchurch; On-site; NZD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora - Southern seeks an experienced Programme Lead to drive the Mana Ake Waitaha mental health and wellbeing programme for tamariki across Canterbury. Based in Christchurch, this fixed-term role runs until October 2027 and focuses on system leadership, equity, and collaboration with NGO providers.

You will lead delivery oversight, build partnerships with schools, NGOs, iwi and community providers, use data to guide decisions, and support professional leadership

Qualifications

• Proven programme leadership experience across complex health system initiatives.
• Strong relationship management with NGOs, schools and iwi partners.
• Commitment to equity and Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles in practice.
• Experience using data to inform service planning and improvement.

Responsibilities

• Provide system leadership and oversight for the Mana Ake programme.
• Build trusted, mana-enhancing relationships with NGO partners and schools.
• Collaborate with NPHS practice and analytics to monitor performance and outcomes.
• Support continuous improvement and risk management in a dynamic environment.

Skills

Programme leadership

Relationship management

Data-driven decisions

Te Tiriti o Waitangi

Job description

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Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora - Southern – Christchurch, South Island

• Lead a high-impact programme improving mental health and wellbeing outcomes for tamariki across Waitaha
• Work in a collaborative, system-wide role partnering with NGOs, schools, iwi and community providers
• Full-time, fixed-term position until October 2027 based in Christchurch

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is the country's largest employer, delivering universal public healthcare to 5 million New Zealanders. We provide essential hospital, specialist, and community health services across 80+ locations, from large urban centres to rural towns and remote communities.Our goal is to improve health outcomes for all New Zealanders by delivering equitable, accessible and innovative care.

About the Role

Mana Ake Waitaha provides mental health and wellbeing support for children in primary school years 1-8 through 13 NGO providers. Mana Ake Waitaha is delivered in schools located in Canterbury between the Rangitata river in the south to Kaikoura in the north.

The primary purpose of the Programme Lead is to provide system leadership and oversight for the Mana Ake programme, ensuring equitable, high-quality delivery through NGO partners, supported by NPHS practice and analytic functions. You will build trusted, mana-enhancing relationships with providers that support shared accountability for outcomes and continuous improvement.

The role is supported by the Mana Ake Practice Lead to provide professional leadership, guidance and support to Mana Ake kaimahi employed within partner organisations. You will also have NPHS administration and analytics support, which enables data collection, performance reporting, and programme monitoring requirements.

About the Service

The National Public Health Service (NPHS) within Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora, and work towards Pae Ora (healthy futures for all) by engaging with the wider determinants that impact people's health, focusing on oranga/wellbeing, prevention, protection, and population-level intervention. We are connected across boundaries to deliver public health services that are nationally planned, regionally delivered and locally tailored.

About you

You are an experienced programme leader with a strong commitment to improving outcomes for tamariki, whānau and communities. You bring a collaborative mindset and thrive working across complex systems, building trusted relationships with diverse stakeholders, including NGOs, education providers, and iwi partners. With a deep understanding of equity and Te Tiriti o Waitangi in practice, you lead with purpose, integrity, and a focus on delivering meaningful, measurable impact. You are comfortable using data to guide decisions, proactively manage risk, and continuously improve service delivery in a dynamic environment.

You will bring:

• Proven programme leadership experience, including oversight of delivery, performance, and continuous improvement
• Strong relationship management skills and the ability to influence across multiple sectors and stakeholders
• A commitment to equity and demonstrated application of Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles in your work
• Experience using data and insights to inform service planning and improvement
• A leadership style grounded in collaboration, accountability, and developing high-performing teams

Working for Health New Zealand

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of New Zealand. We embrace a workforce that is diverse and inclusive so that we are better positioned to understand and service our community. We welcome applications from our diverse Māori, Pacific, disabled, and rainbow communities.