Candidate Coordinator at Ara Poutama Aotearoa (Department of Corrections), Canterbury (Waitaha)

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

• Take on a role in a fast paced, versatile environment with a supportive team
• Support our recruiters, hiring managers and candidates with high-touch service
• Join our Southern team and contribute to excellence

  Mō te tūnga | About the role

We have a fixed term opportunity from now until 2 October 2026 for a candidate coordinator to join our Southern team, who deliver admin support from Taranaki to Hawke's Bay down to Southland. This team is responsible for a wide geographic coverage with diverse operational needs.

Our candidate coordinator will support our team of Recruitment Advisers and Senior Recruitment Advisers, guide candidates through our process and leave a great first impression of recruitment with them.

Mōu | About you

You may already have recruitment/HR experience or be a skilled administrator/coordinator who has worked in a high-volume or corporate space and is looking for something extra special in their day-to-day work.

Our successful candidate will be an enthusiastic Candidate Coordinator who is able to showcase their initiative, you will not be shy in picking up the phone or cross functional collaboration to continue ensuring a seamless recruitment journey for our recruiters, candidates and hiring managers.

Ngā pūkenga me ngā wheako | Skills and experience

Our ideal candidate will possess:

• High attention to detail and a willingness to go the extra mile
• Awesome prioritisation and time management skills – a real sense of urgency.
• Confident in a front facing role – you will be working directly with internal managers, candidates, and supporting our of advisory team
• A people focus- you're motivated to make every experience with you top quality
• A growth mindset- and a commitment to becoming a master of your role

You are an enthusiastic, energised team-player who can ideally show some understanding (or an openness to developing an understanding) of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its application to the work of our government department.

Ngā painga | The benefits

We will empower you to make this role your own, will offer ongoing mentoring from our experienced advisory team to ensure that you will get the most out of this opportunity.

The salary range for this position starts at $60,094 with $71,651 being the midpoint (100%) of the range. 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: Thursday 16 April 2026

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