Kaiārahi (Matua/Whaea) - Te Korowai Atawhai

• Hillmorton Hospital, Christchurch
• Full time permanent position 1.0FTE

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is firmly grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is committed to building a health system that serves all New Zealanders.

Lead cultural practice and support better outcomes for Māori

Are you an experienced Māori health professional and cultural leader passionate about improving health outcomes for Māori?

We are looking for an experienced Kaiārahi (Matua/Whaea) to provide cultural practice leadership across Specialist Mental Health Services (SMHS) and, together with the Pou Whirinaki and Pouako Mātauranga, lead and support our Pūkenga Atawhai workforce.

This is a key operational leadership role focused on embedding Te Ao Māori, tikanga, mātauranga Māori and Te Reo Māori into everyday practice and service delivery. You will build strong relationships with hapū, whānau, mana whenua and key stakeholders while supporting clinical teams to provide culturally safe, responsive and high-quality care.

You will champion Māori health gain, equity and mana motuhake, while strengthening Māori workforce development and Māori-led approaches across SMHS.

About the role

As Kaiārahi, reporting to the Pou Whirinaki and Ratonga Kaiarataki (Service Manager for Te Korowai Atawhai),  you will work closely with Pouako Mātauranga, Clinical and Charge Nurse Managers and Pūkenga Atawhai.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Lead cultural practice: Together with the Pou Whirinaki and Pouako Mātauranga embed Te Ao Māori, tikanga, mātauranga Māori and Te Reo Māori into clinical practice, service delivery and workforce development.
• Support Pūkenga Atawhai: Provide leadership, guidance and development, supporting recruitment, induction, performance, retention and career pathways.
• Strengthen Māori health equity: Champion Māori-led approaches that support mana motuhake, self-determination and equitable outcomes for tāngata whaiora and whānau.
• Connect cultural and clinical pathways: Work closely with Clinical and Charge Nurse Managers to ensure culturally safe, high-quality care is integrated across SMHS.
• Build partnerships: Supporting the strategic direction of the Pou Whirinaki develop trusted relationships with hapū, whānau, mana whenua and key stakeholders, and provide Māori health partnership input across planning, service development, training and review processes.
• Provide operational leadership: Oversee key cultural processes as they impact  workforce coordination, resources and the Out of Hours/Emergency Pūkenga Atawhai roster, ensuring effective support across clinical teams.
• Support cultural education: Partner with the Pouako Mātauranga to coordinate Whanaungatanga and Manuhiri Days and ensure Pūkenga Atawhai priorities are reflected in training and development.
• Drive improvement: Contribute to quality improvement and change initiatives that strengthen cultural capability, responsiveness and safety.
• Monitor and resolve issues: Identify workforce, operational and service issues and work collaboratively with relevant service leaders to achieve timely solutions.
• Represent Māori health: Provide cultural leadership and representation across relevant SMHS forums, including strategic planning, model of care development, complaints and serious event reviews as delegated by Pou Whirinaki

About you

We are looking for an experienced and confident Māori health leader who can bring both cultural expertise and proven leadership capability to this role.

You will have:

• Strong knowledge of and ability to communicate Te Ao Māori, tikanga, mātauranga Māori and Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
• Proficiency in Te Reo Māori, with a commitment to continued development.
• A minimum Diploma in Hauora Māori Level 5 or above (from an NZQA-accredited organisation).
• More than two years' experience as a Pūkenga Atawhai/Māori Health Worker within a tertiary mental health service, with experience leading teams.
• A strong tāngata whaiora and whānau-centred approach.
• Proven leadership capability and a commitment to developing others.
• Strong organisational, communication and relationship-building skills.
• The ability to work effectively across clinical, cultural, managerial and support services.
• Confidence navigating complex team dynamics and organisational environments.
• Competence using information technology systems relevant to mental health services.
• Evidence of ongoing professional and cultural development.
• The ability to identify opportunities to strengthen cultural capability, responsiveness and safety.
• Whakapapa to iwi.

It would be an advantage if you have:

• A recognised New Zealand health qualification in a relevant area.
• A Māori tohu or qualification in Mātauranga Māori.
• Further experience in cultural leadership within a complex health or mental health environment.

Why this role matters

This is an opportunity to make a genuine difference to how mental health services are designed and delivered for Māori.

As Kaiārahi, you will help ensure mana motuhake, whanaungatanga, cultural safety and equity are reflected in everyday practice, while supporting tāngata whaiora and whānau to receive care that recognises and respects who they are, where they come from and what matters to them.

If you are ready to provide strong cultural leadership as part of a team alongside the Pou Whirinaki and Pouako Mātauranga , support and develop the Pūkenga Atawhai workforce and help shape more equitable mental health services for Māori, we would love to hear from you. 

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. 

How to Apply

To view the position description and/or apply for the role please click “apply now.” All applications must be submitted through our online careers portal. If you have any questions about the role, please contact Lisa Gray at Lisa.Gray2@tewhatuora.govt.nz

We will review applications as received and may proceed with the recruitment process, before the closing date of this advert.

Whilst Health New Zealand is undergoing change, affected employees will be given preference and priority for this position

Position description Apply now

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