Technical Head, Department of Forensic Pathology, LabPLUS, Auckland

• New Zealand’s leading Forensic Pathology Service
• Opportunity to develop and lead a whanau-focussed team in a medicolegal environment
• Join a well-established leadership team and work in a collaborative and supportive environment

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 looking for an experienced manager to lead our team in this challenging and rewarding position based at Auckland City Hospital.

In this role, you will work alongside the Clinical Director, Forensic Pathology and Operations Manager with the responsibility for the delivery of the administration, scientific and technical components of the service, including accreditation, within a medico-legal coronial framework legislated by the Coroner’s Act 2006, and a transparent environment.

This will involve providing leadership and managing the technical and administration staff, resources, and systems in order to achieve the department’s business and operational goals.

The key responsibilities include:

• Maintaining technical, scientific and administrative service requirements including resources and staffing to ensure continuous service delivery
• Assist in leading the service to deliver outstanding high quality, operational efficiency, effectiveness, and service for the population of Auckland / Tamaki Makaurau
• Promoting quality coronial and family focused outcomes
• Responsible for on-going staff development
• Ensuring cultural competency and service delivery
• Support, initiate and implement process improvements
• Maintain strong relationships within the organisation, particularly with LabPlus
• Develop and maintain relationships with external stakeholders, including with overseas services

For further details, please refer to the position description here.

About the Team/Service/ Location

The department is the largest and busiest forensic pathology department in NZ, dealing with over 1000 coronial autopsies per annum, covering the full spectrum from homicides & suspicious deaths to sudden natural deaths, and also providing a key role in mass fatality events.

The department operates a 7 day a week on-call service covering the upper half of the North Island and is accredited for training by the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia. Within the department are a dedicated CT scanner suite, infectious suite and homicide theatre. The department also provides a busy regional perinatal post-mortem service.

The department is staffed by full-time forensic technicians, forensic pathologists, perinatal pathologists, registrars, administration staff, Quality/IT and an Operations Manager.

The service is accredited by IANZ and was the second department outside of the USA to hold accreditation by the National Association of Medical Examiners.

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About you

As the ideal candidate for this role you will have excellent communication skills and a track record of success in mortuary management. You will have demonstrated the ability to lead performance improvement, innovation and efficiency in a complex stakeholder environment with a collaborative style. Importantly, you will have a strong commitment to working with a team to deliver best quality service and care.

This position is suited to an experienced manager with strong interpersonal skills and mortuary operational knowledge, who can clearly communicate, while inspiring commitment to the goals of the department and the organisation. An understanding of the New Zealand coronial context and cultural obligations is required. You will have qualifications and experience allowing registration with the NZ Medical Laboratory Sciences Council either as a Medical Laboratory Scientist or Medical Laboratory Technician. Previous mortuary operational experience is essential.

You will possess a well-developed ability to work professionally with a range of internal and external stakeholders. We know you’ll be proactive, highly committed and service driven and be able to meet the demands of a fast-paced role with ease. You will be surefooted and need to be across the necessary detail to manage complex issues and agile enough to make the most of opportunities.

For more information about this role, please contact Dr Simon Stables, Clinical Director, Northern Forensic Pathology Service on sstables@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 “apply now.” All applications must be submitted through our online careers’ portal by Friday 5 September. If you have any questions about the role, please contact Aaron Chamberlain at Aaron.Chamberlain@tewhatuora.govt.nz

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