Team Leader - Patient Services Nutrition and Food Service

• Team Leader Patient Services - Nutrition & Food Service
• Waikato Hospital
• Permanent Fulltime (40 hours)

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

As Team Leader – Patient Services, you will provide day-to-day leadership, coordination and operational support to Patient Services and Nutrition & Food Service teams across Waikato Hospital.

Working in partnership with the Patient Services Manager, you will help ensure the effective delivery of patient meal services across inpatient wards and service areas. You will provide visible leadership during daily operations including the lunch and dinner tray line services, support staff development and wellbeing, coordinate workforce requirements, and contribute to continuous service improvement initiatives.

This is a hands-on leadership role where no two days are the same. You will work closely with frontline staff, clinical teams, dietitians, and hospital services to ensure patients receive a high-quality, safe and responsive meal service that supports their clinical care and wellbeing.

This position is ideal for someone who enjoys leading people, building strong relationships, solving problems, and making a positive difference to the patient experience.

Click here to view the position description.

About the Team/Service

Nutrition & Food Services provides high quality, safe, and efficient food services that support the nutritional wellbeing of our patients and community.

Our teams prepare and serve more than 2500 patient meals every day, provide Meals on Wheels services and support a range of retail food operations across the Waikato Hospital campus.

Patient Services staff play a critical role in connecting food service operations with patients and clinical teams, ensuring meals are delivered safely, efficiently and with a strong focus on customer service and patient care.

About you

You will be an approachable and supportive leader who enjoys working with people and helping teams succeed. You will bring experience coordinating staff within a busy operational environment and have a strong commitment to service excellence.

• Experience leading, supervising or coordinating staff in a service delivery, hospitality, healthcare food service or operational environment
• Strong communication and relationship building skills
• Experience managing staff rosters and workforce resources
• A proactive and solutions-focused approach to operational challenges
• The ability to foster a positive, inclusive, and high performing team culture
• Sound computer skills, including Microsoft Office applications
• An understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and a commitment to achieving equitable health outcomes for Māori and all communities
• A passion for delivering excellent customer and patient service.

How to Apply

To apply please click “Apply online” or apply via our Waikato Careers website by clicking here.All applications must be submitted through our online careers’ portal before 11:59 pm on 20 September 2026. If you have any questions about the role, please contact Ekeraam Jones at Ekeraam.Jones@TeWhatuOra.govt.nz

We will review applications as received and may proceed with the recruitment process, before the closing date of this advert.