Therapist - FFT - Waikato

Kia Puāwai; Hamilton; On-site; NZD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

4 Day working week

Paid birthday leave

Rainbow Tick accreditation

Job summary

Kia Puāwai seeks a motivated Functional Family Therapist (FFT) to deliver evidence-based FFT to rangatahi and their whānau in the Waikato region. The role focuses on reducing home conflict, strengthening communication, and supporting education and life skills for youth.

The successful candidate will have a relevant degree, full registration with a NZ regulatory board, and a commitment to bi-cultural practice, tikanga Māori, and trauma-informed care.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or master's degree in counselling, social work, psychology, or psychotherapy.

Responsibilities

• Provide Functional Family Therapy (FFT) to rangatahi (youth aged 10–18) and whānau to reduce conflict and improve relationships.
• Deliver home-based therapy within a trauma-informed, bi-cultural framework.
• Build strong relationships with peers and stakeholders and uphold mana and tikanga Māori.

Skills

Relationship building

Cultural awareness

Resilience

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's/Master’s degree in counselling, social work, psychology, or psychotherapy

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.

Functional Family Therapist (FFT)

• Make a positive difference in the lives of rangatahi and whānau
• Unique opportunity to be trained in an evidence-based family therapy model
• Supportive and values-based team environment

We are looking for an energetic and creative individual to join our team to provide Functional Family Therapy (FFT) to rangatahi and their whānau, to enable them to thrive in their communities. This is an opportunity for you to make a real impact through your work to the lives of at-risk rangatahi and their whānau. This role is full-time and based in the Waikato region.

FFT is an internationally renowned evidence-based family therapy programme that has been running successfully in Aotearoa, New Zealand for over 13 years. FFT is for rangatahi aged 10-18, and their whānau, to help them strengthen their relationships, improve the way they communicate and reduce conflict in the home. Our therapists provide support to families in their home with a focus on reducing conflict and improving relationship as they navigate emotional or behavioural difficulties and complex needs. Through our model, we support rangatahi to remain living in a supported whānau environment, maintain their engagement in education or training, and improve interpersonal skills.

We are looking for someone who:

• Has a bachelors/master’s degree in counselling, social work, psychology, or psychotherapy
• Has full registration with one of the following:
  • Social Workers Registration Board
  • NZ Association of Counsellors
  • NZ Psychologists Board
  • The Psychotherapists Board of Aotearoa / NZ
• Has the ability to build strong relationships with peers and stakeholders
• Is culturally aware and willing to be a part of an immersive bi-cultural journey
• Has a full clean New Zealand driver's licence
• Is willing to undergo a Ministry of Social Development (MSD) check and police vetting
• High level of resilience
• Has the willingness and ability to uphold the mana of our organisation by embracing tikanga Māori as part of best practice
• Have a strong sense of whānau values
• A passion for helping young people strengthen and build on their character by developing sustainable life skills
• Knowledge and understanding about the impacts of colonisation for tangata whenua, and for Aotearoa New Zealand
• Ability and willingness to work with tangata whenua in a way that upholds our organisational commitments and obligations of Te Tiriti o Waitangi
• Comprehensive training in the evidence-based model
• Flexible working environment
• Career progression and professional development opportunities in both Western and indigenous knowledge bases.
• 24/7 senior leadership support, practice support from a team of professionals with a wide range of experience
• A comprehensive orientation and induction programme, including noho marae.
• At Kia Puāwai, we are proud to be undertaking a 4 Day working week. The 4DWW will see our kaimahi retain 100 percent of their pay, while working 80 percent (or close to) of the time and still delivering 100 percent on the great mahi we do.
• Paid birthday leave

We are a non-profit tangata Tiriti organisation which specialises in providing therapeutic services for tamariki, rangatahi and whānau who have complex behaviour and/or mental health needs.

Our innovative approach combines Western evidence-based models with mātauranga Māori and Pasifika knowledge. We work in a trauma informed way that acknowledges the impacts of colonisation for tangata whenua and indigenous peoples of Te Moana Nui a Kiwa, including how and why members of these communities may require our services.

Our organisational tikanga: aroha, manaakitanga, whanaungatanga and wairuatanga help us to define what best practice is for working with tangata whenua in Aotearoa.

As a tangata Tiriti organisation, we are committed to upholding our obligations to He Whakaputanga and Te Tiriti o Waitangi. We strive to deliver equitable outcomes through the designing and delivery of effective and appropriate services for tangata whenua and Pasifika.

We have over 150 staff and caregivers supporting tamariki, rangatahi and their whānau across Te Tai Tokerau, greater Tāmaki, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Hawkes Bay, and the lower areas of Te Ika o Māui and Te Wai Pounamu. To find out more about Kia Puāwai, visit www.kiapuawai.nz

We welcome and encourage diversity and inclusion in our workforce and adhere to best practice equal employment opportunity principles in all aspects of our recruitment and our ways of working. Kia Puāwai is Rainbow Tick accredited.