System Design Manager, Team Lead

North Island - Auckland; New Zealand; On-site; NZD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is seeking a System Design Manager / Team Lead to provide senior regional leadership for system and service design across the Primary Health portfolio. You will turn national and regional strategy into practical, integrated models of care that improve equity, access and health outcomes for communities.

This highly influential role leads complex, multi-year programmes, develops regional roadmaps and investment proposals, and provides expert advice shaping

Qualifications

• 5-10 years' progressive experience in health commissioning, strategic planning, system design or service redesign within a complex healthcare environment.
• Proven experience leading and developing teams, with accountability for performance, capability, wellbeing and delivery.
• Strong expertise in system design, service design thinking and programme or portfolio management.
• Ability to translate strategy into practical implementation and executable programmes.

Responsibilities

• Provide senior regional leadership for system and service design across the Primary Health portfolio.
• Turn national and regional strategy into practical, integrated models of care that improve equity, access and health outcomes for communities.
• Lead complex, multi-year system and service design programmes, develop regional service design roadmaps and investment proposals, and advise on commissioning, planning and investment decisions.
• Lead and develop a team of portfolio managers and quality advisors to create a high-performing, inclusive environment and ensure strategy is translated into actionable programmes.

Skills

System design leadership

Strategic leadership

Portfolio management

Analytical thinking

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Relevant tertiary qualification

Job description

Jora New Zealand will close on 9th September 2026. Thank you for being with us, we are cheering you on as you continue your career journey.

North Island - Auckland - North Shore, North Island

• Help improve access, equity and outcomes for communities and priority populations.
• Lead a talented team while strengthening your own strategic leadership and system design capability.

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 System Design Manager / Team Lead, you'll provide senior regional leadership for system and service design across the Primary Health portfolio. You'll turn national and regional strategy into practical, integrated models of care that improve equity, access and health outcomes for communities.

This is a highly influential role where you'll lead complex, multi-year system and service design programmes, develop regional service design roadmaps and investment proposals, and provide expert advice that shapes commissioning, planning and investment decisions. Working with a high degree of autonomy, you'll bring together evidence, data, best practice and the voices of communities, whānau, clinicians, providers and iwi to design services that make a real difference.

You'll also lead and develop a team of portfolio managers and quality advisors creating a high-performing, inclusive and psychologically safe environment where people can do their best work. Through both direct and matrix leadership, you'll ensure strategy is translated into executable programmes and sustainable outcomes.

About the Team/Service

You’ll be part of Health New Zealand's Primary Health portfolio, working across commissioning, funding, analytics and regional teams to design and implement more integrated, effective and equitable models of care.

The role works across organisational and sector boundaries, partnering with iwi, providers, clinicians, communities, consumers and whānau. You'll help create the strategic roadmap for your portfolio and ensure system and service design is grounded in evidence, lived experience and the needs of priority populations.

About you

You're an experienced health system leader who can move confidently between strategic thinking, service design and delivery.

You'll bring:

• A relevant tertiary or professional qualification.
• 5-10 years' progressive experience in health commissioning, strategic planning, system design or service redesign within a complex healthcare environment.
• Proven experience leading and developing teams, with accountability for performance, capability, wellbeing and delivery.
• Strong expertise in system design, service design thinking and programme or portfolio management.
• A track record of leading complex, multi-year programmes and translating strategy into practical implementation.
• Advanced analytical and conceptual skills, with the ability to turn complex information into clear strategic advice and action.
• Exceptional strategic thinking and the ability to develop and articulate a clear vision for regional health system and service redesign.
• Strong political acumen, negotiation and influencing skills, with confidence navigating complex organisational and inter-agency environments.
• Outstanding communication skills, including the ability to present complex strategic information to senior leaders and diverse audiences.
• Proven ability to build trusted partnerships across organisational, professional and cultural boundaries, particularly with Māori and diverse communities.
• A collaborative and pragmatic leadership style, with the ability to operate effectively in a matrix environment.
• Resilience, flexibility and sound judgement, with the confidence to make decisions and manage ambiguity in a dynamic environment.
• A strong commitment to improving health outcomes, reducing health inequalities and delivering equitable access to care.

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.