Release To Work Broker - Wellington Region

New Zealand Government; Wellington; On-site; NZD 71,000 - 91,000; Full time

Job summary

New Zealand Government in Wellington is seeking a Release to Work Broker to manage relationships with external job placement agencies, employers, Iwi, community groups and other government departments, assisting approved prisoners to secure reintegrative employment. This is a 7-month fixed-term secondment, based at Rimutaka and Arohata Prisons, working to match needs with placements.

You will lead negotiations, build partnerships, monitor outcomes and ensure release-to-work conditions are

Qualifications

• Knowledge and understanding of labour market trends.
• Ability to build and maintain strong working relationships with employers and government agencies.
• Strong negotiation, planning and decision-making skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and influence as the conduit between prison teams and employers to create work opportunities.
• Match reintegration needs with suitable employment placements and monitor outcomes.
• Maintain release conditions and resolve issues with placements in a timely manner.
• Travel within the Wellington region to fulfil role requirements.

Skills

Negotiation

Relationship building

Communication

Planning

Risk analysis

Decision making

Stakeholder management

Organisational skills

Labour market knowledge

Travel coordination

Job description

Make a difference to people's lives.

• Use your networking and relationship building skills
• 7 months secondment / fixed term maternity leave cover - commencing end of November

As part of the Reintegration team you will contribute to reducing offending by providing prisoners with the opportunity to improve their work habits, experiences and skills in order to increase their chances of obtaining sustainable, post-release employment.

If you are commercially savvy, a confident and professional communicator, a strong relationship builder and the type of person who believes making a difference counts then this could be your dream role.

About the role

Mō te tūnga Release to Work Brokers take responsibility for managing relationships with external job placement agencies, Employers, Iwi, Community groups, other Government Departments and internal stakeholders. This role is based in Wellington supporting Rimutaka and Arohata Prison where you will be working with approved prisoners to match their reintegrative needs and work skills with employment placements.

About you

Your ability to lead and influence is paramount to your success as you act as a conduit between prison teams and potential employers to establish work opportunities within the community for prisoners, maintain conditions of release to work and provide ongoing monitoring of successful work placements to ensure issues are resolved and plans are met. To be successful in this role you will have good negotiation skills, a good understanding of the geographical area and associated economic challenges. In a challenging employment environment, the ability to think creatively, identify opportunities and find practical solutions will be particularly important.

The successful person will be able to :

• Demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of labour market trends, with an ability to match job specifications to prisoner requirements
• Be resilient while remaining solutions focused
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with a variety of employers, from government agencies to commercial networks
• Have excellent decision making, professional judgement and risk analysis
• Demonstrate strong planning, organisational and marketing skills
• Have the ability to communicate at all levels both oral and written

Benefits

The salary range is $70, 956 - $91, 307 per annum. Appointment and remuneration will reflect skills and experience relevant to the role.

About us

Join Ara Poutama Aotearoa - Department of Corrections, where your work will contribute to improving public safety, reducing re-offending, and address the overrepresentation of Māori in correctional facilities. As a values-led organisation, we use the principles of rangatira (leadership), manaaki (respect), wairua (spirituality), kaitiaki (guardianship), and whānau (relationships) to guide our work and achieve the goals of our Hōkai Rangi strategy. We value inclusion and diversity in our workforce, and as a Public Service organisation we are committed to building a workforce that reflects the public we serve. We strive to make our recruitment process fair, and we encourage you to discuss reasonable accommodations with us if required.

Applications close on : Tuesday 6th October 2026.

If you have any questions or want to learn more about a career with us, contact [e-mail], or visit careers.corrections.govt.nz.

A full driver's licence is essential as you will be expected to travel in the area.

Release to Work Broker - Wellington Region Wellington (Te Whanganui a Tara), NZ