Clinical Services Director
Nelson Tasman Hospice
CANDIDATE INFORMATION PACK
Scroll down to access everything you need.
Executive Summary
- Executive clinical leadership role within a respected, community-owned hospice delivering specialist palliative care across the Nelson Tasman region.
- Lead the evolution of care delivery, shifting from traditional hospice models toward integrated, community-oriented and interdisciplinary models of care.
- Join a high-performing senior leadership team and contribute strategically while ensuring operational excellence, workforce wellbeing, and clinical governance.
THE OPPORTUNITY
Nelson Tasman Hospice (NTH) is entering an important phase of development. With a strong foundation, committed community support, and a values-driven culture, the organisation is well positioned to evolve how specialist palliative care is delivered across the region.
The Board and Chief Executive are seeking a Clinical Services Director who will help steward this evolution, strengthening clinical excellence while shaping more sustainable, equitable and community-connected models of care. This is an opportunity to influence not only service delivery within the hospice but also the broader palliative and end-of-life care landscape in partnership with Health NZ, primary care, aged residential care, and Māori and Pacific providers.
The appointment will suit a leader motivated by impact, someone who sees hospice care as both a deeply human service and a critical component of an integrated health system.
THE ROLE
Reporting to the Chief Executive and serving as a key member of Te Kāhui Manukura (Senior Leadership Team), the Clinical Services Director (CSD) holds strategic and operational accountability for all clinical services, including nursing, allied health, health care assistants and patient-facing volunteers.
Working in close partnership with the Medical Director, the CSD will:
- Provide strong clinical governance and quality leadership.
- Develop and implement sustainable workforce and service strategies.
- Lead interdisciplinary practice and foster collaborative team culture.
- Embed equity principles and Te Tiriti o Waitangi across clinical delivery.
- Ensure safe, effective and person-centred care through robust systems of performance, audit and continuous improvement.
Critically, the role requires both strategic foresight and operational discipline, the ability to translate vision into day-to-day delivery while contributing meaningfully at executive level. The CSD will respectfully challenge where required, hold their own within senior forums, and balance empathy with accountability.
THE CANDIDATE
The preferred candidate will bring strong technical credibility, ideally with a nursing or allied health background and experience aligned to palliative care, oncology or complex community-based health services.
Most importantly, they will be an experienced and highly capable leader. The Hospice is seeking:
- An empathetic and emotionally intelligent leader who builds trust and fosters psychological safety.
- A strategic thinker with the courage and clarity to help evolve traditional hospice models.
- A leader of interdisciplinary teams who promotes collaboration, resilience and high performance.
- A community-oriented executive who understands the importance of equity, cultural responsiveness and partnership.
- An operationally astute leader who can manage budgets, workforce planning and service performance while maintaining clinical excellence.
This is a role for a clinically credible, values-aligned leader who combines heart with discipline, someone who can honour the Hospice’s legacy while helping shape its future.
For a confidential discussion, please get in touch with:
David Price
HG National Manager, New Zealand
M. +64 (0)210 2392211
E. dprice@hardygroupintl.com
Nelson Tasman Hospice
Atawhaitia, manaakitia mō ake tonu
To care always
Nelson Tasman Hospice provides specialist palliative care services for people of all ages with life-limiting illnesses, supporting them, their whānau and carers, through illness, death and bereavement.
We work as a team. We know that people with life-limiting illnesses need a holistic approach to their care, not only focusing on physical symptoms but also supporting patients and their whānau with the social, emotional, and spiritual impact of their illness. The level of care we provide is based on the needs of the patient and whānau. Our care is available throughout the Nelson Tasman region and is provided in the home, in aged-care facilities, in hospitals, and in our purpose-built Specialist Palliative Care Unit (SPCU).
Our services are free of charge; however, it does cost to provide them. At present we receive 52% of our annual running costs from Te Whatu Ora, Health New Zealand, Nelson Marlborough, the remaining 48% must be raised every year. We could not continue providing these services without the generosity of our corporate sponsors and community, or our Hospice Shops.
Our Vision
To care always – Atawhaitia, manaakitia mō ake tonu. All people in the Nelson/Tasman community have access to high quality compassionate palliative care.
Our Values
Respect and Dignity – Whakaute me whakarangatira
This value commits us to honour the autonomy and worth of all people. To work in partnership with colleagues, patients, their whānau and people in the community. This requires us to acknowledge that each person is unique with their own physical, emotional, spiritual and cultural strengths and needs.
Advocacy – Kaiāwhina
This reminds us to ensure everyone can equally and fairly access our care services. Supportive networks allow us to ensure all voices are heard and individual rights are upheld.
Compassion – Manakitanga
An important part of our role in the community. Compassion compels us to be sensitive and supportive to one another. Manakitanga means ‘to extend aroha to each other’.
Quality -Kounga
A commitment to excellence through sharing knowledge, skills, and expertise within Hospice and the Nelson Tasman community. We do this with ongoing quality improvement, regular training and a devotion to best practice in all aspects of our work.
Trust – Tiakitanga
This value reinforces the values of compassion, quality, advocacy, respect and dignity by ensuring that we sustain a commitment to integrity and honesty.
Our Mission
To assist patients to make the most of the life that remains and to ensure that patients die comfortably, with dignity and in the place of their choice. To provide support and care for the family/whānau and close friends during the patient’s illness and in bereavement.
Role Specification
The objectives of the Clinical Services Director role are to:
- Actively contribute as a collaborative and strategic member of Nelson Tasman Hospice’s senior leadership team, Te Kāhui Manukura (TKM), to shape, develop, and deliver the organisation’s strategic objectives.
- Provide strategic and operational leadership for the clinical team, including allied health, nursing, and health care assistants, by developing and implementing performance frameworks and service strategies in collaboration with the Medical Director to ensure cohesive teamwork and seamless delivery of high-quality specialist palliative care at Nelson Tasman Hospice.
- Provide strategic leadership in quality assurance and clinical governance in partnership with Medical Director to ensure safe, effective, and person-centered care, through robust systems of continuous improvement, risk management, and clinical accountability.
- Champion equitable access to high-quality clinical care by embedding equity principles into service design, delivery, and evaluation—ensuring improved health outcomes for Māori, Pacific peoples, Disability Community and other underserved communities.Ensure a health, safety, and wellbeing work environment that fosters a culture of care, complies with legislative requirements, and promotes psychological and physical safety across all clinical services.
Leadership and Management
- Build and maintain the clinical team, including volunteer colleagues, to ensure delivery of NTH objectives, high quality patient outcomes, workforce wellbeing and operational excellence
- Develop and implement a sustainable workforce plan that ensures the right clinical capability, capacity, and diversity to meet current and future service demands, while supporting staff wellbeing and retention
- Work closely with the Medical Director to ensure effective clinical governance and delivery
- Support the patient facing volunteer team, working closely with the Volunteer Programme team, to ensure rewarding roles are developed in line with organisational goals and risks are well-managed
- Ensure the professional development of direct reports, with regular valuable conversations, consistent with their personal and professional needs and the development of the hospice service.
- Create a culture of clinical leadership development through leadership coaching, professional growth opportunities, and succession planning.
- Lead by example in emotional intelligence and responsive communication.
- Promote a supportive environment that encourages resilience, diversity of thought, and continuous learning and improvement.
- Monitor performance against key targets, provide data to enable effective governance of services, inform strategic development, and monitor the external environment to anticipate changing demands on service provision.
- Manage all performance issues promptly and fairly, in conjunction with the People Capability and Wellbeing team
- Undertake your own relevant education, professional development and research
- Undertake your own regular peer review and clinical supervision
- Ensure financial budgets and controls are managed and maintained across the clinical service
- Work with the CEO and Finance team to ensure the negotiation of cost-effective services and service contracts across all clinical areas.
- Maintain effective relationships with relevant national networks to ensure ongoing alignment with national palliative care standards and innovations.
Quality Assurance/Clinical Governance
- Lead the design, implementation, and monitoring (including clinical audits) of the hospice’s clinical quality programme aligning with HDSS standards and relevant standards and legislation
- Jointly with the Medical Director, lead and manage clinical governance.
- Serve as the primary clinical liaison for regulatory audits
- Partner with quality, clinical governance, and health and safety teams to analyze quality trends and implement corrective actions.
- Provide advice, guidance and support to the TKM and staff at all levels on the development of quality initiatives.
- Contribute to the development and monitoring of a risk management framework across clinical practice. Jointly with the Medical Director, ensure all complaints and concerns are handled effectively and efficiently, in accordance with hospice complaints policy.
Innovation and Research
- Facilitate the development of innovation and research-based practice within clinical practice, initiating and participating in appropriate local, regional and national research within ethical guidelines.
Health Safety and Wellbeing
- Embed wellbeing into clinical practice through regular wellbeing check-ins, peer support, and access to mental health resources.
- Ensure compliance with health and safety legislation and internal policies through audits, training, and continuous improvement.
- Promote a culture of safety and care by empowering colleagues to speak up, report concerns, and participate in wellbeing initiatives.
- Ensure incidents are investigated thoroughly and appropriate corrective actions are developed and implemented promptly
- Support resilience and recovery by implementing post-incident support and debriefing processes for clinical teams.
Equity
- Lead the integration of an equity framework into all clinical services, ensuring care delivery is inclusive, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive.
- Collaborate with internal and community stakeholders to identify and address disparities in access, experience, and outcomes for patients/whānau from underserved populations.
- Implement training and practices that promote awareness of privilege, bias and power, health inequity, and anti-racism among NTH team.
- Monitor equity-related metrics and incorporate findings into quality improvement and strategic planning initiatives.
- In collaboration with the NTH Disability Advisory Panel implement the Accessibility and Inclusion Framework
- In collaboration with Pacific Health Trust implement the Pacific Peoples Framework
Te Tiriti o Waitangi
- Demonstrate an understanding of the Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its principles and foster its recognition within the delivery of hospice services
- Integrate the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi into all practices and management procedures
- Awareness of cultural protocols and practices when working with Māori patients and their whanāu and Māori Health providers
General
- Deputize for the CEO when requested/necessary.
- Contribute, participate and support initiatives and events which help to generate the income required to fund the provision of care to our patients.
- Assist with fundraising applications to external agencies, charities and trust funds.
- Any other duties reasonably required
- Meet employee obligations in accordance with Appendix 1
View the full scope of these in the Position Description.
- Management Qualification e.g. Master's degree in health management and/or substantial senior management experience in a relevant field
- Allied Health or Nursing qualification – post-graduate desirable
- Proven experience of managing/leading/motivating a large and diverse team
- Experience of managing teams providing clinical care in the health sector
- Evidence of involvement in and understanding of interdisciplinary teamwork
- Evidence of application of innovation, research and audit
- Experience of leading change and continuous improvement
1. Senior Clinical Leadership & Technical Credibility
- Registered Nurse or Allied Health professional with substantial senior leadership experience in health services.
- Demonstrated clinical credibility, ideally within palliative care, oncology, or complex community-based services.
- Experience leading large, multidisciplinary teams delivering high-quality clinical care.
2. Strategic & Operational Leadership
- Proven ability to contribute at executive level to organisational strategy while ensuring strong day-to-day operational delivery.
- Experience developing and implementing sustainable workforce plans, performance frameworks, and service strategies.
- Demonstrated financial acumen, including budget oversight and resource optimisation.
3. Clinical Governance, Quality & Risk
- Strong understanding and experience in clinical governance, quality assurance systems, audit and continuous improvement.
- Proven ability to partner effectively with Medical Directors and senior clinicians to ensure safe, accountable practice.
- Experience leading regulatory audits, managing complaints, and embedding robust risk management frameworks.
4. Leadership of People & Interdisciplinary Practice
- An empathetic, emotionally intelligent leader who fosters a psychologically safe and high-performing team culture.
- Evidence of developing leadership capability within teams, succession planning, and supporting workforce wellbeing.
- Demonstrated commitment to interdisciplinary practice and collaborative models of care.
5. Innovation & Future Models of Care
- Experience leading or contributing to new or evolving models of care, particularly community-oriented or integrated approaches.
- Strategic thinker with the ability to anticipate and respond to changing service demands and health system reform.
- Evidence of involvement in innovation, research, or service redesign initiatives.
6. Equity, Te Tiriti & Community Partnership
- Demonstrated commitment to equity in service design and delivery, particularly for Māori, Pacific peoples, disabled communities and other underserved populations.
- Understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and ability to integrate its principles into clinical leadership and organisational practice.
- Strong relationship-building capability across community providers, Health NZ, primary care, aged residential care and Māori health organisations.
Please discuss with HardyGroup Consultant
The Clinical Services Director reports to the Chief Executive.
Internal
- Hospice Medical Director and medical team
- Direct Reports - Clinical Team including allied health, nursing, health care assistants, clinical administration
- Hospice Education Team
- People Capability and Wellbeing team, including Volunteer Programme team
- Finance and Payroll team
- Facilities Team
- Supporter Engagement and Income Development Team
External
- Maintain excellent links with the community served, e.g., Health NZ, Nelson Bays Primary Health Organisation, general practice and aged residential care, Māori Health providers (e.g. Te Piki Oranga).
- Hospice NZ networks and other organisations or groups who provide health and social care within the locality.
- Offer support on palliative or end of life care as required to other health and social care professionals.
Service Location: Nelson Tasman Hospice
The closing date for applications is Monday, 23rd March 2025
The reference number to include in your application is H26_5359
Note: Please use the online platform to submit your application. It will not be accepted via email.
If you require assistance in submitting your application online, please get in touch with Executive Search Coordinator, Aldie Zuñiga: M: +61 (0)494 101 082 / E: azuniga@hardygroupintl.com
Your application must include:
- 1.Cover letter addressed to the Principal Consultant;
- 2.A written response addressing the key selection criteria; and
- 3.An up to date copy of your Curriculum Vitae.
It Is standard practice for HardyGroup to acknowledge receipt of your application no later than the next business day. We request that if you do not receive the acknowledgement, you contact the search coordinator listed above as soon as possible after the 24-hour business period and arrange to resend your application if necessary.
For a confidential discussion, please contact:
David Price
HG National Manager, New Zealand
M. +64 (0)210 2392211
E. dprice@hardygroupintl.com
Living and working
in Nelson, Tasman, Marlborough
At the top of New Zealand’s South Island, the Nelson/Tasman/Marlborough region offers a rare balance of professional impact and exceptional lifestyle. The region is defined by its diversity, of people, industries, and landscapes, and by the deep sense of connection between its communities, local industries, and education providers. For the CSD of Nelson Tasman Hospice, being based in Nelson provides a central hub of influence and connection, with the responsibility to serve your community.
A Region of Scale and Distinction
The Nelson/Tasman/Marlborough region is home to around 160,000 people, with steady population growth and strong community engagement in education and industry partnerships. Each sub-region contributes distinct strengths:
- Nelson is the creative and economic centre, a city known for its innovation, thriving arts scene, and compact urban living. It is the base for many of the region’s professional services, technology, and education institutions.
- Tasman is defined by its natural beauty and productive industries, including horticulture, aquaculture, and tourism. The area’s proximity to Abel Tasman, Kahurangi, and Nelson Lakes National Parks makes it one of New Zealand’s most scenic and sustainable regions.
- Marlborough, with its hub in Blenheim, is internationally recognised for its wine, viticulture, and marine industries. The region generates over $570 million annually from wine alone, with one in four jobs connected to that sector. It also has a growing focus on aviation, aquaculture, and environmental research.
Why Nelson/Tasman/Marlborough – A Lifestyle and Leadership Opportunity
Few places in Aotearoa offer the same balance of professional challenge and personal lifestyle as the Nelson/Tasman/ Marlborough region - the gateway to the Top of the South.
The Nelson/Tasman/Marlborough region contributes more than $8 billion to New Zealand’s economy. Its industries are diverse and forward-looking, spanning viticulture, aquaculture, forestry, horticulture, aviation, marine and seafood production, technology, and tourism. From Marlborough’s world-renowned wine sector and marine innovation, to Nelson’s creative and logistics hubs and Tasman’s high-value food and fibre production, the region offers a compelling blend of local industry strength and global reach.
Population growth is steady and regionally balanced. Tasman has grown by over 10% in the past five years, while Marlborough continues to attract new residents drawn by its wine, aquaculture, and outdoor lifestyle. Across the Top of the South, demographic trends present both challenge and opportunity, an ageing workforce requiring reskilling and transition support, and a younger Māori and multicultural population seeking education and employment pathways close to home.
The lifestyle here is exceptional. The region is celebrated as one of New Zealand’s sunniest, with around 2,400 sunshine hours annually and a climate that encourages outdoor living year-round. Golden beaches, three national parks, mountain biking, vineyards, and the Marlborough Sounds are all within easy reach. The region’s compact geography means commutes are short, schools are well-regarded, and the scale of the communities allows leaders to be genuinely connected, professionally, civically, and personally.
In the Nelson/Tasman/Marlborough region, you’ll be part of a community that knows and values your impact. This is a leadership role where your influence will be visible and your partnerships will be valued.
Explore more:
- Nelson City Council – Facts & Figures
- Nelson–Tasman Regional Economic Briefing (2024)
- NIWA – Nelson & Tasman Climate
ABOUT US
HardyGroup’s (HG) mission is simple
Find and Grow Great Leaders - and we have been doing exactly that for more than 30 years in public and private health, primary, community and aged care as well as the broader public service.
Our synergistic business model of Executive Search and Recruitment integrated with Executive Leadership and Learning is our unique point of difference.
It ensures our clients can count on us for the lifecycle of their organisations leadership journey and why we are regarded as the leading trans-Tasman partner agency by clients.
When engaging HG you can be confident in a deeply personalised experience and service as nothing matters more to us than relationships and results.