Kotahi anō te kaupapa: ko te oranga o te iwi', â€˜There is only one purpose to our work: the wellness and wellbeing of people'

Ara Poutama Aotearoa is committed to providing high quality psychological approaches to the people in our management.  Humanising and healing is one of the key principles of Hōkai Rangi, our over-arching strategic direction.

Are you a Registered Psychologist with post graduate qualifications in clinical or forensic psychology or an Intern Psychologist near completing your clinical training?

 Mō te tÅ«nga | About the role

We have opportunities available for Registered psychologists to join our team in the Dunedin Psychologists' Office to undertake clinical assessments and treatment in both prison and community environments across parts of Otago, Southland, Central Otago, and South Canterbury.  In order to service this wide geographic area, we have staff that are permanently based in both Dunedin and Invercargill, and at times you may be required to travel to outlying areas.

Working as a registered psychologist for the Dunedin Psychologists' Office provides a fantastic opportunity for you to use your clinical expertise to make our communities safer and to provide professional expertise and leadership in a diverse social service environment.  Working within a scientist-practitioner framework, your key role revolves around the provision of clinical services targeted to assist the people in our care to develop skills to reduce re-offending and live productive, pro-social lives.  In additional to direct clinical services, psychologists also provide supervision, advice, consultation and training within Corrections and allied agencies, write higher level reports for the Courts and Parole Board, and participate in service and research initiatives.

The Dunedin Psychologists' Office is a professional team that looks to attract psychologists who: 

• Are reliable and who have a robust work ethic;
• Have strong verbal and written communication skills;
• Are excellent problem solvers with the ability to work across cultures;
• Have an interest in delivering services through both individual sessions and/or group treatment contexts;
• Hold a minimum of a Masters Degree in Psychology, along with Clinical or Forensic training, and are registered /approaching registration in New Zealand as a Psychologist;
• Can demonstrate an understanding of Te Ao Māori/Tikanga Māori and bi-cultural practice
• Has commitment to contributing to the outcomes of Hōkai Rangi
• Hold a full NZ drivers licence;
• Are able to drive (and undertake overnight travel if required) in order to provide clinical services to outlying regions (e.g. Timaru, Oamaru, Gore, Alexandra and Queenstown);
• Are able to be flexible with hours when required.

 In return we can offer you: 

• A vibrant supportive team culture;
• World class criminal justice psychology training, mentoring and supervision.
• Cultural supervision to increase familiarity and comfort in Te Ao Maori
• Fantastic developmental opportunities and work variety; and
• A highly competitive salary scale ($76,860 – $117,300) with structured advancement opportunities.

Our staff come from a diverse variety of backgrounds, cultures, and experience.  Together, our purpose is to assist the people in our care to make positive changes in their lives, and, as a result, make our communities safer. 

COVID-19 vaccination requirements

All people working inside prisons will be required to be fully vaccinated as part of the COVID-19 Public Health Response (Vaccinations) Order 2021. People in prison are some of the most vulnerable to COVID-19 and due to the ease of transmission, extending the Vaccination Order supports the safety and wellbeing of our staff and people in prison.

Mō mātou | About us

Ara Poutama Aotearoa is a name that has been gifted to us and is our commitment to improving the oranga and safety of the people, whānau, and that of the communities we serve across the motu. 

As a values-led organisation, we use the principles of rangatira (leadership), manaaki (respect), wairua (spirituality), kaitiaki (guardianship) and whānau (relationships) to shape how we work and deliver the outcomes in our strategy - Hōkai Rangi (https://arapoutama.nz/hokairangi).

Tono ināianei | Apply Now

To apply, please submit a tailored CV and a cover letter describing your motivation for joining the department highlighting relevant skills and experience. Alignment to our kaupapa is critical to our success - we ask that you provide examples which reflect and demonstrate our organisation values. 

It is an exciting time to join us and we continue to seek out talented individuals who are committed to an inclusive, vibrant workplace. We recognise and celebrate the uniqueness of individuals, and that of the collective talent in our whānau.  All applications must be submitted through our careers site to ensure transparency. Applications received via email will not be considered. 

If you want to find out more about a career with us, visit careers.corrections.govt.nz or email our team at careers@corrections.govt.nz.