Programme Lead - Christchurch - NPHS

South Island - Canterbury; Christchurch; On-site; NZD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is seeking a Programme Lead for Mana Ake Waitaha, overseeing system leadership and high‑quality delivery through NGO partners in Canterbury. You will work with schools, NGOs, iwi and NPHS colleagues to drive equitable outcomes for tamariki and whānau.

You will lead with integrity, use data to inform decisions, manage risk, and support continuous improvement in a dynamic public health environment.

Qualifications

• Proven programme leadership experience across multi-sector partners.
• Strong relationship management and collaboration across NGOs, schools, iwi and community providers.
• Commitment to equity and Te Tiriti o Waitangi in practice.

Responsibilities

• Provide system leadership and oversight for the Mana Ake Waitaha programme.
• Build trusted relationships with NGO partners and stakeholders to drive outcomes.
• Use data and analytics to monitor performance and guide service planning.
• Support professional leadership and guidance to Mana Ake staff in partner organisations.

Skills

Programme leadership

Relationship management

Equity and Te Tiriti

Data-informed planning

Collaborative leadership

Job description

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South Island - Canterbury – 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.