This role leads the national People, Culture and Health and Safety business unit, sitting on the executive leadership team and reporting to the Chief Executive of Health NZ. People are at the heart of what we do as a healthcare system; this role leads the development and delivery of high quality and efficient national people strategies, policies, systems, employment negotiations, workforce plans and governance.

With delivery of people services, recruitment, industrial relations, culture and health and safety services undertaken through operational regional and local People Leads reporting to their national or regional executive leads, this role sets and monitors the frameworks, standards and processes used by the operational teams.

This role is crucial in driving innovation in people, culture, health and safety systems and will work closely with ELT colleagues to ensure delivery of the Government’s Health targets and priorities.

Strategic Workforce Initiatives

• Responsible for the development and implementation of the Health NZ People Strategy.
• Lead executive for the Board subcommittee for People (Culture and Remuneration).
• Leads the development of strategic health system workforce plans and initiatives.
• Facilitates the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee and the People and Culture Expert Advisory Group.
• Establishes P&C peer review systems and ensures compliance through audit and verification activities.

Remuneration

• Sets the remuneration approach for Health NZ including remuneration benchmarking and delegations.
• Responsible for setting collective and IEA bargaining approaches in consultation with the Public Service Commission.
• Executive lead for coordinating and publishing employee services.

Health, Safety and Wellbeing

• Accountable Executive for Health and Safety.
• Develops organisational-wide strategy, systems, policies, processes and frameworks aligned to the Health & Safety at Work Act.
• Leads ELT governance sessions on health and safety.
• Ensures reporting systems for Board, ELT, incident management and WorkSafe.

Emergency Management

• Sets national emergency management systems.
• Provides assurance that emergency management drills and training occur.

HR Information, Processes and Automation

• Maintains compliant personnel records.
• Implements a national people and culture system.
• Establishes online people processes and reporting systems.

Payroll

• Manages payroll services nationally.
• Modernises and rationalises payroll systems.
• Completes Holidays Act remediation and rectification programmes.

National Recruitment Systems

• Sets recruitment policy and templates.
• Establishes one e-Recruitment system.
• Provides a one-stop shop for international recruitment campaigns and onboarding.

Industrial Relations

• Leads the development of the Health NZ industrial relations strategy.
• Builds trusted relationships with unions and professional bodies.
• Ensures sound, early and timely bargaining.

Collaboration and Relationship Management

• Supports development and management of systems that address inequity, reduce need, promote wellness, and recognise people and whānau as leading their own care.
• Models collaborative behaviour and prevents silo thinking.

Governance and Ownership

• Ensures delivery by the Business Unit against key accountabilities outlined in the Government Policy Statement.

Te Tiriti o Waitangi

• Actively supports kaimahi Māori through attraction, recruitment, retention, development, and leadership.
• Remains focused on Māori health gain and achieving health outcomes for Māori.

Culture and People Leadership

• Leads, nurtures and develops teams.
• Supports diversity of leadership development.
• Provides visible, innovative leadership and builds partnerships.
• Maintains people strategies and processes that support organisational goals.

Innovation and Improvement

• Supports new ideas and continuous improvement.
• Models an agile approach.
• Maintains external networks to support leading practice knowledge.

Health & Safety

• Exercises leadership and due diligence in health and safety matters.
• Eliminates and mitigates workplace risks and hazards.
• Champions continual improvement in health and wellbeing.

Compliance and Risk

• Ensures risk reporting, management and mitigation activities are in place.
• Ensures compliance with statutory, safety and regulatory requirements.
• Operates within financial and operational delegations.

View the full scope of these in the Position Description.

Essential

• A tertiary qualification in a relevant area i.e. Human Resources Management, ER or a psychology related discipline and/or a relevant graduate and post graduate qualification in a related business subject.
• A genuine passion for improving the health system for the benefit of all New Zealanders and a strong understanding of the important role that people leadership has to play in the transformation of the health sector.
• Significant experience in People, Culture, HR related practises at an executive leadership level within large public facing multi-faceted or complex environments with multiple consumer and political interests and expectations.
• Demonstrable system-wide experience in leading and managing through transformational system change, both within the organisation and externally.
• Demonstrable experience in leading and managing an HR or people and culture/capability workforce within an organisation where a high level of organisational acumen and political nous was required to create and deliver a strategic plan together with a multi-layered operating model.
• Demonstrable experience successfully ensuring employee engagement through change and leading cultural transformation of an organisation.
• Significant experience of leading relationships with unions and leading industrial relations strategies working across central agencies.
• Experience managing large budgets of public funding.
• Experience operating in a confidential/secure environment with access to sensitive information.
• Proven experience in successfully developing and maintaining a structured approach to managing a wide range of stakeholder and professional relationships both internally and externally.
• Proven experience successfully leading large diverse teams through change and achieving improved results while navigating a highly nuanced and complex system.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the significance of and obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi, including how to apply Te Tiriti principles in a meaningful way in your role.

View the full scope of these in the Position Description.

1. Executive People Leadership
   ​Significant executive leadership experience across People, Culture and Human Resources within large, complex organisations, with responsibility for organisational strategy, workforce capability and performance.
2. Workforce Transformation
   ​Demonstrated success leading organisation-wide workforce transformation, cultural change and capability development within complex operating environments.
3. Industrial Relations and Employment Strategy
   ​Extensive experience leading industrial relations, employment negotiations and strategic workforce initiatives while building productive relationships with unions and key stakeholders.
4. Strategic Influence and Stakeholder Leadership
   ​Exceptional relationship management and influencing skills, with the ability to build trusted partnerships across executive teams, boards, government agencies, unions and professional bodies.
5. Operational and Commercial Leadership
   ​Experience leading large operational portfolios, including governance, financial stewardship, organisational performance, health and safety, and enterprise-wide people services.
6. Government and Stakeholder Leadership
   ​Understanding of the machinery of government, confidence operating in politically sensitive environments and the ability to build trusted relationships across Ministers, central agencies, unions, professional bodies and regional leaders.
7. Values-based Leadership
   ​A demonstrated commitment to equity and inclusive leadership, with the ability to create a high-performing culture that supports exceptional care for all New Zealanders.

Reports to: Chief Executive

Direct Reports: 8

External:

• Ministry of Health
• Public Service Commission
• Treasury
• Other Government Agencies as relevant
• Unions
• Professional Bodies
• Tertiary Institutes
• Providers and vendors

Internal:

• Health NZ Board and any relevant sub-committee
• CE and ELT peers
• Teams across the P&C Business Uni

Please speak to our HG Principal Consultant - relocation contribution included.

Service Location: New Zealand (Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch base preferred)

Travel: Weekly travel to Wellington and fortnightly travel to Auckland.

Position Description

Te Whatu Ora | Health New Zealand Website

Te Whatu Ora | Health New Zealand Executive Leadership Team

The closing date for applications is Sunday, 23rd August 2026, 11:59PM

The reference number to include in your application is H26_5551

Note: Please use the online platform to submit your application. It will not be accepted via email. (Please see the "Apply Now" button below)

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
​​National Manager, HardyGroup New Zealand
​​M. +64 (0)21 0239 2211
​​E. dprice@hardygroupintl.com