Nurse Director - Tangata Whenua
Nurse Director – Tangata Whenua, Starship Child Health
- Starship - National Children’s Hospital of Aotearoa
- Outstanding key leadership opportunity
- Permanent, full-time position
Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is firmly grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is committed to building a health system that serves all New Zealanders.
About the role
We are seeking a dynamic and transformative Nurse Director - Tangata Whenua to provide professional, strategic, and operational Māori and Nursing leadership across Starship Child Health. This role plays a pivotal part in ensuring Starship delivers mokopuna-centric, whānau-focused, whānau-led, nursing services that sits at the interface of indigenous science and biomedical excellence advancing health equity for our tamariki, mokopuna and their whānau.
As a key member of Starship’s Leadership Team, the Nurse Director – Tangata Whenua co-leads the professional governance of over 800 nursing FTE. You will provide direction in nursing clinical excellence, cultural competence, workforce wellbeing and professional development, ensuring Te Tiriti o Waitangi is applied throughout all nursing practice.
As part of TamaAriki Ora (Starship’s Māori Leadership Office), you will work in close partnership with the Tumu Whakarae, Director of Nursing Māori, and Chief Nursing Officer, to build strong nursing leadership, and ensure continuous improvement in service delivery for tamariki, mokopuna and their whānau.
About the Service
Starship Child Health is a dedicated tertiary and quaternary healthcare service and major teaching centre, providing family centred care to neonates, children and young people throughout New Zealand and the South Pacific. Starship is a part of Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora and is the only comprehensive children’s hospital in New Zealand serving a population of approximately 1 million children.
About you
You are active within your own whānau, hapū, iwi systems, and bring strong nursing leadership grounded in Te Tiriti o Waitangi. With expertise in cultural competence and a deep understanding of the systemic drivers of health inequity, you influence meaningful change across the health sector. You have experience shaping policy, leading transformation, and strengthening health systems in dynamic environments. Passionate about workforce development, you empower nurse leaders, drive innovation, and foster a collaborative culture that ensures mokopuna-centric, whānau-focused, whānau-led care.
To be successful you will have:
- A professional nursing qualification, eligible for New Zealand registration and a current Annual Practising Certificate
- Post graduate qualification in nursing, health leadership or Māori health with leadership experience at a Senior level within a large complex organisation (preferably within a Healthcare setting)
- Demonstrated Te Tiriti o Waitangi knowledge and application to ensure Māori health gain
- Leadership experience and knowledge of the tertiary and quaternary healthcare at a regional or national capacity
- Change & Financial Management and Quality Improvement Experience
- Senior Nurse Portfolio (PDRP)
For all aspects of this role and experience/knowledge required please see the position description.
For further information about the position please contact Tumu Whakarae – Starship Director, Māori Health, Hera Watkinson on STolley@adhb.govt.nz
Working at Health New Zealand
Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of New Zealand. We embrace a workforce that is diverse and inclusive so that we are better positioned to understand and service our community. We welcome applications from our diverse Māori, Pacific, disabled, and rainbow communities.
How to apply
To apply please click on the ‘Apply’ tab below, outlining your experience and motivation to apply to this role and attaching your updated CV and Covering Letter.
If you have any accessibility or technical issues with the online process, please contact Anél Foord, Recruitment Consultant at Anel.Foord@TeWhatuOra.govt.nz quoting ADHB22570 to discuss how we can best support your application.
