Designated Pharmacists - Oncology and Haematology

• Primarily based at Jim Carney Cancer Treatment Centre, Whangarei Hospital
• Major uplift in medical oncology treatment services across Aotearoa!
• Join a leading cancer and blood service across Northland
• 2 permanent positions, full or part-time opportunities available
• Remuneration as per PSA Allied Health MECA (Expert Pharmacist – Designated Grade C; Advanced Pharmacist – Designated Grade B)

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. Driven by the manaakitanga of all patients, whānau and communities we serve, the Northern Region Cancer & Blood Service aims to establish sustainable cancer care capacity, elevate patient and whānau voice and experience, and achieve equitable cancer outcomes.

About the Role

We have an exciting opportunity for 2 clinical pharmacists with extensive knowledge and experience in oncology/haematology as well as strong leadership capabilities to join our progressive Cancer and Blood Pharmacy Service in Te Tai Tokerau – Northland.

In the past year, the New Zealand Government has increased funding in the medicines budget by over $600 million over four years, for publicly funded provision of 33 new cancer and 33 new non-cancer medicines. It is estimated that 92,240 patients across the country will access these medicines in the first year.

This was accompanied by new funding for Health NZ to ensure the increased capacity to deliver these medicines is in place and care can be distributed into communities and rural settings. This is a brilliant opportunity to provide care closer to where people live. These roles will provide a comprehensive, effective and safe pharmaceutical service to patients and staff, supporting the Cancer and Blood Service in the treatment of their patients across Northland.

Cancer and Blood services are provided across two sites at Te Tai Tokerau – Whangarei based Jim Carney Centre (where the roles will be predominantly based) and additional clinics at Bay of Islands hospital in Kawakawa. Our service is growing due to newly funded medicines, and these roles will support expanded services and provision of care to additional rural centres.

Our clinical pharmacists mainly operate within a team-based model of care as part of the multi-disciplinary team. The Advanced/Expert Clinical Pharmacists in Cancer and Blood Services are viewed as specialists who are highly knowledgeable and skilled in different areas across Oncology/haematology and able to provide valuable pharmacy input to optimise care, especially for those who are co-morbid and clinically complex. As a senior member of the team, the pharmacist also plays an important role in education and training of junior staff as well as supporting the Pharmacy Leadership team in daily operations and continued service development and quality improvement.

We are looking for motivated clinical pharmacists with the relevant experience and leadership qualities that fulfil the expectations of an Expert or Advanced Pharmacist.

Click here to view the position descriptions for Advanced and Expert Pharmacist.

About the Team/Service/Location

Whangarei Hospital is a medium sized (approximately 300 beds) secondary hospital located in Whangarei (approximately 2 hours north of Auckland), unique in terms of the diverse, high-needs population we serve. Our service is committed to providing excellent patient-centred care and achieving equitable health outcomes through collaboration, continuous improvement and innovation.

With a talented team of approximately 20 pharmacists, we provide clinical pharmacy services to inpatient areas across Medicine, Surgery, Older People’s Health & Rehabilitation, Critical Care, Emergency Medicine, Children’s Health, Mental Health, Infectious Diseases & Antimicrobial Stewardship, Cancer and Blood services and Renal services.

For more information on living and working in Northland, click here

About you

• Applicants must hold or be eligible to hold a current Annual Practising Certificate from the Pharmacy Council of New Zealand. If you are applying from outside New Zealand, please tell us the registration route that applies, and what stage of that process you are currently at.
• Relevant postgraduate qualifications– at minimum, working towards postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy or equivalent; Pharmacist Prescriber qualification to be discussed on a case by case basis
• For an expert appointment; at least 7 years’ of pharmacist experience including at least 5 years in a hospital setting or similar, and at least 2-3 years of experience in oncology/haematology
• For advanced appointment, at least 5 years’ of pharmacist experience including at least 3 years in a hospital setting or similar, with dedicated experience in oncology/haematology
• Patient-focused, enthusiastic and able to lead self, people and teams
• Effective communicator with sound problem-solving skills
• Supportive team player and able to teach and train other pharmacy staff and students
• Demonstrates excellent clinical leadership capability with a keen interest and experience in quality improvement and service development
• Competency with te ao Māori, tikanga, and te reo Māori or a commitment to starting your journey and taking ownership of your learning and growth
• Experience in projects / initiatives which give effect to Te Tiriti principals and frameworks, and the application of Mātauranga Māori and Kaupapa Māori approaches, particularly as they apply in healthcare settings.

Applicants must submit a minimum of a cover letter and a current CV with your application.

What we can offer you

Competitive remuneration for this role, dependent on experience as per the PSA Allied, Public Health, Scientific & Technical Collective Agreement.

Additionally, we will provide you with individualised support and ongoing learning opportunities.

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 “apply now.” All applications must be submitted through our online careers’ portal by 22nd February 2026. If you have any questions about the role, please contact Olivia Matthews at NL-jobs@tewhatuora.govt.nz.

We will review applications as received and may proceed with the recruitment process, before the closing date of this advert. Please note from the 20th December 2025 - 4 January 2026, there may be a delay in review of applications.