Release To Work Broker - Waikeria Prison at Ara Poutama Aotearoa (Department of Corrections), Waikato

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

Release to Work Broker – Waikeria Prison

• Make a difference to people's lives
• Use your networking and relationship building skills

As part of the Reintegration team you will contribute to reducing offending by providing prisoners with the opportunity to improve their work habits, experiences and skills in order to increase their chances of obtaining sustainable, post-release employment.  

If you are commercially savvy, a confident and professional communicator,  a strong relationship builder and the type of person who believes making a difference counts then this could be your dream role. 

About the role | Mō te tūnga

Release to Work Brokers take responsibility for managing relationships with external job placement agencies, Employers, Iwi, Community groups, other Government Departments and internal stakeholders. 

This role is based at Waikeria Prison, South of Hamilton where you will be working with approved prisoners to match their reintegrative needs and work skills with employment placements.

About you | Mōu

Your ability to lead and influence is paramount to your success as you liaise with prison teams and the employer to maintain conditions of release to work and provide ongoing monitoring of the work placement to ensure issues are resolved and plans are met.

To be successful in this role you will have good negotiation skills, a good understanding of the geographical area and associated economic challenges.  The successful person will be able to:

• Demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of labour market trends, with an ability to match job specifications to prisoner requirements
• Be resilient while remaining solutions focused
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with a variety of employers, from government agencies to commercial networks
• Have excellent decision making, professional judgement and risk analysis.
• Demonstrate strong planning, organisational and marketing skills
• Have the ability to communicate at all levels both oral and written

It is important that your previous work history demonstrates your commercial acumen and your ability to influence and work successfully with a wide variety of stakeholders.

A full drivers licence is essential as you will be expected to travel in the area.

Ngā painga | The benefits

The salary range is $70956 - $91307 per annum. Appointment and remuneration will reflect skills and experience relevant to the role.

Mō mātou | About us

Join Ara Poutama Aotearoa - Department of Corrections, where your work will contribute to improving public safety, reducing re-offending, and address the overrepresentation of Māori in correctional facilities. As a values-led organisation, we use the principles of rangatira (leadership), manaaki (respect), wairua (spirituality), kaitiaki (guardianship), and whānau (relationships) to guide our work and achieve the goals of our Hōkai Rangi strategy.

We value inclusion and diversity in our workforce, and as a Public Service organisation we are committed to building a workforce that reflects the public we serve. We strive to make our recruitment process fair, and we encourage you to discuss reasonable accommodations with us if required.

Tono ināianei | Apply Now

To submit an application and view the position description, click the apply link. All applications must be submitted through our careers site to ensure transparency – applications received via email will not be considered.

When applying, submit a tailored CV and a cover letter describing your motivation for joining the department highlighting relevant skills and experience and the alignment to our work.

Applications close on 11 March 2026.

If you have any questions or want to learn more about a career with us, contact bianca.jones@corrections.govt.nz, or visit careers.corrections.govt.nz.