The Deputy Chief Executive System Commissioning & Performance is responsible for providing leadership and direction on ACC’s strategic approach to the commissioning and performance of services from across the provider network in New Zealand, health pathway design and provider performance management. A focus on continuous improvement and step changes where needed across strategic commissioning, provider services and health system relationships will be pivotal to success in this role. A key success factor of this role will be effective health commissioning and rehabilitation system redesign which leads to improved rehabilitation performance.

This role provides Executive leadership and strategic oversight of our technical functions and expertise including Rehabilitation System Design and Performance,Service Monitoring and Performance, Health Partnerships, and Māori Health Services. This role involves building and maintaining strong, collaborative working relationships with other Executives and Enterprise Leaders across ACC to ensure alignment of Service Commissioning and Performance to client delivery, service provision and broader strategy and engagement across ACC.

As a member of the ACC Executive, this role has joint accountability for the execution of our four strategic priorities that lead us towards Huakina Te Rā; improve rehabilitation performance, improve Scheme access and experience for Māori and identified population groups, drive an injury prevention culture, and deliver an efficient, capable and resilient ACC.

A key success factor of this role will be effective health commissioning and rehabilitation system redesign which leads to improved rehabilitation performance.

Leadership at ACC

Our leaders understand, are invested in, and are committed to what we are looking to achieve now and in the future. They bring our purpose to life for their teams driving desired outcomes through prioritisation, focus, empowerment, continuous improvement, and change leadership. Leaders at ACC are proactive in their attempts to implement Whāia Te Tika (our Māori strategy), and Huakina Te Rā. Creating better access for Māori to ACC services and better experiences of them which is an urgent strategic priority.

Huakina Te Rā is ACC’s new 10-year strategy

The Deputy Chief Executive System Commissioning & Performance for ACC:

Executive Leadership responsibilities

• Supports the Chief Executive and works closely with Executive colleagues in the implementation of ACC’s strategic plan, including by ensuring the Group’s strategic roadmap, business priorities, programmes of delivery and initiatives are aligned to deliver enterprise level performance objectives and targets. ​
• Collaborates with Executive colleagues to develop and drive strategic initiatives, ensuring shared responsibility for organisational success. Leads a culture of shared accountability for achievement of organisational objectives through strong partnerships with Service Delivery and enabling functions.
• Provides strategic direction and oversight to the Group to develop and deliver coordinated strategies, business planning processes, frameworks, and capabilities, with the expertise and involvement of other Groups as required. ​
• Ensures a highly effective leadership cohort and culture within the Group to deliver high performance, employee engagement, and connection to our purpose. ​
• Works closely with enabling groups to ensure the Group has the right capacity and capability to deliver while meeting financial, people, performance and budget expectations.
• Ensures ACC is well positioned to respond to external trends and changes to continue to meet customer, community, and government expectations of the Scheme.
• Owns and manages business risks, implements corrective actions to address process and control deficiencies, and drives a risk-aware culture. ​
• Understands ACC’s legal and legislative responsibilities, and how to operationalise these responsibilities and manage legal risk, in the context of the Executive team collectively and as part of each Executive team member's individual functional responsibilities. ​
• Leads the Group in the application of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and ACC’s Huakina Te Rā strategy including to improve access and deliver improved outcomes for Māori and priority populations.
• Fosters a culture of wellbeing, health and safety, by leading and role-modelling health and safety practice and actively supporting employees returning to work following an injury or illness.
• Role models and exemplifies ACC’s Code of Conduct and Values in everything they do.
• Provides executive level leadership as required and/or actively contributes to programmes of work and initiatives which may be time-bound, in response to strategic and operational challenges and opportunities.

System Commissioning Strategy and Design

• Leads the design and implementation of ACC’s System Commissioning Strategy to align with organisational strategic priorities. This includes establishing objectives and strategies to design and deliver services that meet the needs of clients and ensure ongoing financial sustainability of ACC.
• Develops and leads the active participation of ACC in the health sector to deliver the objectives of the health sector strategy.
• Leads the design of pathways of care and effective health commissioning outcomes, utilising data, evidence and insights to support rehabilitation system design.
• Implements the commissioning plan, which includes procuring, coordinating, and contracting services in alignment with quality and performance standards.
• Health System Performance
• Accountable for continuously monitoring, evaluating and adjusting services to ensure ongoing compliance, quality, and value in meeting client needs.
• Leads the development of effective planning, performance monitoring and management with service providers and ensures the appropriate advisory of ACC’s Executive, Board and external agencies on system and provider network performance.
• Oversees the management of provider contracts to optimise service performance, including oversight of strategic commissioning spend and benefit realisation.
• Leads a focus on Māori health outcomes and drives delivery and implementation initiatives to improve access and improved health outcomes for Māori.

Rehabilitation System Design & Performance

• Leads the design of pathways of care and effective health commissioning outcomes, partnering and working closely with senior Clinical colleagues and Service Delivery colleagues.
• Provides thought leadership to enable a strong focus on system design, ensuring an organisational-wide view to deliver a better designed and better performing rehabilitation system.
• Drives better client outcomes across the rehabilitation system to deliver excellent case management, agreed pathways of care and effective health commissioning outcomes.
• Supports better client and Scheme outcomes through active rehabilitation provider management.
• Utilises data, evidence and insights to support rehabilitation system design and performance management.

Strategic Health Partnerships

• Establishes and maintains relationships with government agencies, strategic stakeholders and key community partners to enable the delivery of our strategy through partnerships across government, industry and communities and raise the visibility of ACC’s performance and opportunities across government.
• Leads the development of strong and consistent relationships with the provider market by being transparent, sharing insights, and leading system change through collaboration to ensure that ACC’s relationships with key providers and community stakeholders is in alignment with the new system focused commissioning strategy.
• Leads strategic engagement with the health sector, demonstrates credibility and develops strong partnerships with external parties which will improve trust and confidence in ACC.

View the full scope of these in the Position Description.

Qualifications in business, health or other relevant fields and demonstrated commitment to continuous professional and personal development.

1. Proven experience operating in an executive leadership role within a large, complex health or related organisation with a specific focus on improving health outcomes in line with organisational strategy.

2. Exemplifies leadership values, creating a people focused culture to achieve high engagement and performance.

3. Significant experience in leading the delivery and implementation of complex health sector strategies with the ability to demonstrate tangible results of improved health outcomes.

4. Demonstrated skills in establishing strong partnerships with key stakeholders, gathering insights, and proactively identifying risks and opportunities for the organisation, translating them into specific objectives and strategic priorities.

5. Extensive experience in the commissioning lifecycle from strategy and system design through to execution, monitoring and continuous improvement.

6. Strong financial literacy and analytical skills and an ability to glean, synthesise and act on insights from a range of information sources.

7. Experience in reporting to and advising a Board and servicing the Board with high quality documents and reports.

8. Significant experience in leading organisational strategic stakeholder management, and government and board support functions.

9. Significant experience in managing and influencing relationships with internal and external stakeholders, to support the delivery of enterprise-wide initiatives.

10. Strong leadership experience with demonstrated ability to build high performing teams across diverse functions.

11. Sound understanding and demonstrated leadership of the application of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

View the complete required skills, experience and knowledge in the Position Description.

The Deputy Chief Executive System Commissioning & Performance is a member of the Executive Team and reports to the Chief Executive of ACC.

Direct reports – see link to Organisational Chart.

A competitive salary commensurate with the scale of the organisation and leadership responsibilities.

Please discuss with HG Principal Consultant

Service Location: Wellington, New Zealand

Annual Budget: ACC - ~ $7 Billion
​ This DCE role oversees the ongoing management
​ of circa $4billion of provider contracts

Role Description

ACC Website

ACC Who we are

Our Minister, Board, CE and Executive

Corporate Documents

Organisational Chart

System Commissioning & Performance Organisational Chart

The closing date for applications is Friday, 25 April 2025

The reference number to include in your application is H25_5062

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: [email protected]

Your application must include:

1. 1.Cover letter addressed to the Principal Consultant;
2. 2.A written response addressing the key selection criteria; and
3. 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 Hughes
​National Manager, HG New Zealand
​M. +64 (0)21 286 4470
​E. [email protected]

Paul Ingle
​Chief Executive, HG New Zealand & Australia
​M. +64 (0)21 286 4470
​E. [email protected]