Senior Portfolio Manager Older Persons

Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora; Dunedin; Hybrid; NZD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora in Dunedin, South Island, is seeking a Senior Portfolio Manager to lead a portfolio of health commissioning contracts and programmes. You will shape the full commissioning cycle—from analysis and planning to design, sourcing, investment, delivery, monitoring and evaluation—with a focus on equity and improved health outcomes.

You will partner with Māori, whānau, clinicians, providers and communities to deliver sustainable service solutions, informed by data and

Qualifications

• Experienced in health commissioning, planning or funding with 5–10+ years in complex environments.
• Proven ability to lead service and investment strategies end-to-end.
• Ability to influence and communicate across organisational and sector boundaries.

Responsibilities

• Lead a portfolio of health commissioning contracts and programmes.
• Shape analysis, planning, service design, sourcing, investment, delivery and evaluation.
• Provide strategic advice and support complex change and investment decisions.
• Oversee provider performance and use data to meet strategic objectives.
• Collaborate with Māori, clinicians, providers and sector partners to improve outcomes.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Change management

Education

Relevant tertiary or professional qualification

Job description

Jora New Zealand will close on 16th September 2026. Thank you for being with us, we are cheering you on as you continue your career journey.

Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora – Dunedin, South Island

• Based in South Island | Te Waipounamu - with a hybrid model - 3 days in the office; Permanent Full-time
• Lead strategic health commissioning and shape services
• Work at the heart of system transformation, partnering with Māori, providers, clinicians, consumers and communities

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

As aSenior Portfolio Manager, you will provide strategic leadership across a portfolio of healthcommissioning contracts and programmes. You'll lead and influence the full commissioning cycle — from analysis, planning and service design through to sourcing, investment, delivery, monitoring and evaluation.

This is an opportunity to influence how health services are planned, funded and delivered across Aotearoa. You'll work closely with Māori, whānau, consumers, clinicians, providers and sector partners to develop sustainable service and funding solutions that improve access, quality, equity and health outcomes. You'll also provide strategic advice, support complex change and investment decisions, oversee provider performance, and use data and evidence to ensure the portfolio delivers against its strategic, financial and performance objectives.

About the Team and Location

You'll join a collaborative commissioning environment working across national, regional and local teams to influence health outcomes at scale. The role works closely with colleagues across Health NZ, including Hauora Māori Services, Pacific Health, National Public Health Service, Finance and Contracting, and hospital and specialist services.

You'll also build strong relationships across the wider health and social sector, including the Ministry of Health | Manatū Hauora, government agencies, health providers, Māori partners, clinicians, consumers and community representatives.

About you

You'll be an experienced health commissioning, planning or funding professional with5-10+ years' experienceworking in complex environments. You will have demonstrated experience leading service and investment strategies, end-to-end commissioning, service design and large programmes of work. You'll be comfortable operating at a senior strategic level, balancing long-term system outcomes with financial, operational and delivery considerations.

You'll bring strong analytical, programme management and stakeholder engagement skills, together with the ability to influence, communicate and build trusted relationships across organisational and sector boundaries.

You will bring:

• Senior-level experience inhealth commissioning, planning, funding or service investment.
• Proven ability to support service design, system redesign and strategic investment initiatives.
• Strong programme and project management skills, with experience leading complex work programmes from planning through to delivery and evaluation.
• Excellentstrategic, analytical and problem-solving capability, including the ability to use data and evidence to inform decisions.
• Demonstrated experience managingcontracts, providers, performance, risk and financial outcomes.
• Highly developedrelationship management and influencing skills, with the ability to work effectively across diverse stakeholders and sectors.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience preparingstrategic advice, ministerial briefings and government reporting.
• A demonstrated commitment toTe Tiriti o Waitangi, equity and improving outcomes for Māori, supported by a relevant tertiary or professional qualification.

Working at 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.