Psychologist

Ministry of Education; Auckland; On-site; NZD 86,000 - 127,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

KiwiSaver

Job summary

The Ministry of Education is seeking a Psychologist to deliver effective psychological services for children and young people with learning needs. You will apply strengths-based practice and collaborate across schools, whānau and communities to support wellbeing, learning, and behaviour.

Role requires NZ Registered Psychologist with practising certificate, a Master's level qualification, and strong experience in complex organisations.

Qualifications

• Experience in complex organisations and multi-agency settings.
• Ability to build and sustain partnerships to achieve shared outcomes.
• Proven experience counselling, negotiating, mediation and contracting.
• Ability to use data and insights to identify trends, risks and opportunities.

Responsibilities

• Provide effective, equitable psychological services for children and young people with learning needs.
• Apply strengths-based approaches to support learning, wellbeing and behaviour.
• Collaboratively support learner goals with schools and whānau.
• Support development and implementation of intervention plans with schools and caregivers.

Skills

Complex organisation experience

Relationship building

Work with children and families

Counselling, negotiating, mediation

Data-driven decision making

Education

Master's level qualification

Postgraduate Diploma in Educational Psychology

NZ Registered Psychologist with practising certificate

Job description

About this role

The role of the Psychologist is to provide effective, efficient and equitable psychological services for the benefit of children and young people with additional learning needs in accordance with the goals, objectives and policies of the Ministry of Education.

As a Psychologist, you will:

• Apply a strengths-based approach.
• Identify patterns or contributing factors that may be influencing learning, wellbeing and behaviour.
• Enhance inclusive practices in early learning services, schools and other educational settings.
• Collaboratively support progress with learner goals.
• Provide professional support and guidance to schools, teacher and parents/caregivers/whānau and in collaboration, support the development and implementation of intervention plans.

Salary range: $85,916 - $126,500 per annum plus KiwiSaver. The successful candidate will be appointed at a salary which reflects individual skills and experience.

For more details about the role, you can view the job description here.

About you

To be successful in this role you will have the following experience:

• Experience in a complex organisation
• Experience in building relationships and partnerships to achieve shared outcomes.
• Working effectively with children and young people and their families/whānau across a diverse range of settings.
• Proven experience counselling, negotiating, mediation, and contracting.
• A proven ability to use data and insights to identify trends, risks and opportunities, to influence and guide organisational and system-level decision making

You will also offer:

• A master's level tertiary qualification and a Postgraduate Diploma in Educational Psychology or equivalent.
• Be a New Zealand Registered Psychologist under the Health Practitioners Competency Assurance Act and hold a current practising certificate.
• The ability to translate specialist knowledge into practical information.
• The ability to contribute your specialist skills and co-ordinate service provision within multi-agency, trans-disciplinary settings.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and an ability to work effectively with ākonga/learners, whānau/families and kaiako/teachers across a diverse range of settings.
• The ability to understand and apply the principles of Te Tirirti o Waitangi and tangata whenuatanga.
• A full driver licence as travel will be required.
• The ability and willingness to adhere to the Public Service Standards of Integrity and Conduct.

About our group and team

The Education Services Group provides well-designed, integrated education services that support the impactful and effective operation of education settings to support student achievement and participation. The services help to remove barriers to participation and learning and provide regulatory advice, support and oversight to early learning providers, schools and kura.

The Group has three key priorities for Education Services:

• Practice & Guidance: Managing practice and guidance to improve national coordination and consistency, whilst enabling regional autonomy for education service delivery.
• Integration & Delivery: Providing education support directly to education settings via integrated regional and national services. This includes intervening when necessary to ensure a high standard of operation to support student outcomes and owning key stakeholder relationships to support schooling improvement and stronger outcomes for learners.
• Monitoring & Improvement: Monitoring and advising on improvements to the effectiveness, efficiency and equity of services for achievement and progression, and attendance and participation. This includes monitoring education provider performance against regulations and intervening as required.

Are you ready to make a difference? | Kua rite koe mō tēnei mahi?

We want our people to feel valued for their unique qualities and have a sense of belonging.

Applications close Midnight - Wednesday, 28 October 2026.

If you require assistance or adjustments to fully participate in the recruitment process, please let us know.