Team Leader Veterans Support Centre

New Zealand Defence Force; Wellington; Hybrid; NZD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Life cover

Critical illness protection

Discounted insurances

Free will services

Mortgage broker services

Benefits on Force 4 Families

Job summary

New Zealand Defence Force – Wellington, North Island is seeking a Team Leader to guide a team of Support Centre Officers delivering high-quality service to veterans and whānau via phone and email. You’ll coach staff, drive performance, and collaborate with NZ Veterans' Affairs and NZDF colleagues to improve outcomes.

Based in Reserve Bank Building with the option to work from home up to 2 days per week, you’ll foster an inclusive culture, manage workloads, and ensure accurate information and

Qualifications

• Experience leading teams within contact centres or service delivery.
• Strong coaching and people leadership skills.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building.
• Well-developed problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Highly organized and digitally confident; MS Office and multiple systems proficient.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of Support Centre Officers.
• Foster an inclusive, resilient team culture.
• Ensure accurate information and timely responses to customers.
• Build strong relationships across Veterans' Affairs and NZDF.
• Promote QA and continuous improvement of service delivery.

Skills

People leadership

Coaching

Communication

Problem solving

Digital literacy

MS Office

Relationship building

Tools

CRM systems

Multiple systems

Job description

New Zealand Defence Force – Wellington, North Island

Lead a dedicated team at the heart of Veterans' Affairs' frontline service, helping ensure veterans, their whānau, and advocates receive timely, accurate and compassionate support.

As Team Leader, you'll support, coach and empower a team of Support Centre Officers to provide excellent service across phone and email channels. Working collaboratively with colleagues across NZ Veterans' Affairs and NZDF you'll help create positive customer experiences and contribute to the continuous improvement of services for our veteran community.

Key responsibilities:

• Lead a team of Support Centre Officers to deliver high-quality customer service and achieve positive outcomes.
• Foster an inclusive, resilient and collaborative team culture that reflects the values of Veterans' Affairs and NZDF.
• Ensure customers receive accurate information, timely responses and easy access to Veterans' Affairs services.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships across Veterans' Affairs and NZDF, sharing insights and contributing to service improvements and organisational goals.
• Promote quality assurance, continuous improvement and customer service best practices to enhance the overall customer experience.

This role is based in Reserve Bank Building in the CBD. Once you have undergone training and are up to speed, there is the option of working from home up to 2 days a week, depending on operational requirements.

We're looking for an experienced people leader who thrives in a busy service environment and has a track record of delivering positive customer experiences. You'll bring experience leading teams, building strong relationships, supporting, and coaching others to succeed and helping drive excellent service outcomes.

Key requirements:

• Experience leading and developing successful teams within a contact centre, service delivery, or operational environment.
• Strong coaching and people leadership skills, with the ability to motivate and inspire others, manage performance and foster professional growth.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with a collaborative approach and a genuine focus on customer service.
• Well-developed problem-solving, analytical and decision-making skills, with the confidence to navigate complex situations effectively.
• Highly organised and digitally confident, with experience using MS Office and multiple systems.

This is a rewarding opportunity for motivated leader who enjoys helping people thrive, continuously improving services, and making a meaningful difference in the lives of veterans and their whānau every day.

Nōu te rourou | What's in it for you

• Safeguard your loved ones with a fully funded life cover of up to $300,000 and critical illness protection.
• Other benefits include discounted additional insurances, free will services and savings schemes for the Defence community.
• Get expert financial guidance and mortgage broker services.
• Find all our benefits and more on the Force 4 Families website.

NZDF champions diversity and inclusivity, valuing every member and fuelling their success. We embrace uniqueness, understanding that diverse teams drive creativity, innovation, and excellence. With an open door to all – irrespective of gender, ethnicity, ability, age, or family dynamics – NZDF offers a flexible, empowering work environment. Join us in shaping a brighter future, where everyone thrives.

Applications close on Wednesday 9 September 2026.

Please Note:

• All applications must be made online, via the Defence Careers website. Each listing contains the Position Description.
• Your cover letter will be a key part of our selection process, so please highlight how your experience relates to the key activities outlined in the Advert and Position Description.
• Applicants will be required to undergo a pre-employment drug-screening test prior to any offer of employment being made.

To be eligible for the required level of government security clearance with the NZ Defence Force, you need to meet certain citizenship and residency criteria. Here's what you need to know:

Low Level Security Clearance

• You must be a New Zealand citizen or you must hold New Zealand Permanent Residence or have a current New Zealand Residency Class Visa.
• At minimum, you must hold New Zealand Permanent Residence or have a current New Zealand Residency Class Visa, and you must be a citizen of and have lived in Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, United States of America or New Zealand continuously for the last five (5) years.
• You must have a five (5) year background history that can be verified and assessed appropriately by the NZ Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) to determine if you are suitable for a security clearance at this level.

If you do not meet the minimum criteria, unfortunately, your application will not be accepted. We do welcome your application at a time when you will meet the requirements.