• Any New Zealand location
• Skilled in applying effective Te Tiriti o Waitangi outcomes processes in government agencies.
• Skilled in developing an effective partnership between Crown and Māori.
• Competency in Te Reo me ōna tikanga.
• Full time

Ko wai mātou — Who we are

The Health and Disability Commissioner (HDC) is tasked with independently promoting and protecting the rights of people who use health and disability services in New Zealand. As an organisation, the HDC is an independent watchdog, providing people who use health and disability services with a voice, resolving complaints, and holding providers to account for improving their practices at both an individual and a system-wide level.

Independent of government policy, the HDC both protects and promotes consumer rights in New Zealand. Under the Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994 (the Act), the HDC is required to promote and protect the rights of health and disability services consumers and facilitate the fair and efficient resolution of complaints relating to infringement of those rights.

The HDC Executive Leadership Team is committed to honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi and to further developing systems that ensure that HDC processes are accessible and meet the needs of Māori. For that reason, a new position of Kaitohū Mātāmua Māori — Director Māori has been created to bring Māori worldviews and mātauranga (Māori knowledge systems) into the development and accountability mechanisms of HDC.

Te āhua o Te TÅ«runga — The nature of the position 

The principal role of the Kaitohu Mātāmua Māori — Director Māori is to assist the Commissioner to achieve the functions as prescribed in the Act. The overarching intent of the position is to bring mātauranga into all development and accountability mechanisms of HDC, as well as to contribute to the shared leadership actions that uphold, honour, and action Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

As a crucial member of the Executive Leadership Team, the Kaitohu Mātāmua Māori — Director Māori will contribute to the strategic management and development of HDC, ensuring that the organisation further promotes and protects consumers' rights. The Kaitohu Mātāmua Māori — Director Māori will support the development of a Te Tiriti o Waitangi programme operationally, and enable HDC to fulfil its functions in an equitable way for Māori.

The role will be centric in the provision of providing expert technical advice and Māori worldviews on interventions for improving Māori health outcomes and for reducing Māori health and disability inequities.

Facilitating and enabling access to expert cultural advice for HDC to support complaint assessment and resolution, on a strategic level the Kaitohu Mātāmua Māori — Director Māori will be taking a lead role in the management and development of long-term organisational strategies and structures, actively contributing to the development of key strategy documents via the application of a bicultural lens.

Providing leadership and strategic direction on the development and implementation of an engagement plan to progress partnerships and relationships with Māori, the Kaitohu Mātāmua Māori — Director Māori will establish priorities and approaches focussed on engaging with Māori communities who use health and disability services, and their whānau.

Operationally, the Kaitohu Mātāmua Māori — Director Māori will have direct relationships with consumer and provider groups, local and national iwi authorities, Māori organisations including kaupapa Māori services, and Māori leaders in government agencies. Working across different levels of local and national government, the Kaitohu Mātāmua Māori — Director Māori will have extensive working relationships with the Ministry of Health, the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission, Health NZ, the Māori Health Authority, the Health Quality and Safety Commission, regulatory authorities, and registration bodies.

Establishing and maintaining collaborative relationships and networks with key stakeholder groups, with emphasis on local and national iwi authorities and Māori organisations, is a key element of the position. Understanding of the needs of health and disability services consumers and of the social and religious beliefs and values of different cultural and ethnic groups in New Zealand is prerequisite in this position.

The Kaitohu Mātāmua Māori — Director Māori will have a track record that has seen you able to broker meetings, facilitating content and leading direction at a senior stakeholder level. Internally fostering close ties with expert cultural advisors and the National Advocacy Service, you will seek to work in a seamless manner, calling on specialist skill and knowledge sets in order to establish a holistic organisational viewpoint.

Ngā tino Pūkenga/Whēako — Essential skills/experiences for the role

Experience, proven skill set, and knowledge base required for application is to include:

• Current knowledge and understanding of the New Zealand health and disability sector at a governance level.
• A highly developed knowledge application of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Crown obligations to Māori.
• Significant experience in applying effective Te Tiriti outcomes processes in government agencies and in developing partnership approaches between the Crown and Māori.
• Extensive experience providing strategic leadership and technical advice in a related field.
• Proven experience engaging with iwi, hapÅ«, and Māori organisations, supported by a competency in Te Reo me ōna tikanga.
• Strong critical analysis and writing skills, and extensive experience applying these in senior roles.
• Operational knowledge of current trends and issues within Māori health and social services.
• Effective skills as a public speaker with excellent facilitation skills and the capability to bring people together, reinforced with the skills to influence, persuade, and inspire.
• A demonstrated understanding of relevant Acts and legislation, as well as experience within political government processes.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• The personal mana to support, uplift, and empower others.

Te tono — How to apply:

If you're keen to see the direct impact that your contribution can have for the health and disability sector, this is your opportunity to see the positive outcomes first hand. Apply now if you're ready to make a difference.

All applicants must complete an online HDC application form to be considered.  Please visit the HDC website for the position description and to complete the online application form:  https://www.hdc.org.nz/job-vacancies

E-mail enquiries to recruitment@hdc.org.nz

ONLY APPLICATIONS MADE ON HDC WEBSITE WILL BE CONSIDERED. DO NOT CLICK ON THE APPLY BOTTON BELOW.