Programme Facilitator at Ara Poutama Aotearoa (Department of Corrections), Otago (Otakou)

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

Programme Facilitator –  Dunedin 

‘Kotahi anō te kaupapa, ko te oranga o te iwi' – ‘There is only one purpose to our work: the wellness and wellbeing of our people.

• Make a real difference, every day
• Grow your career, not just your job
• Look after yourself while you look after others

Mō te tūnga | About the role

Our Programme Facilitators work with the people in our care within our prisons and out in the community to support them to understand and address the causes of their offending and assist them to create crime-free futures. Programme Facilitators do this through delivering a range of clinically designed therapeutic programmes, either individually or with a co-facilitator.

We appreciate the different skill sets within our team who come from different backgrounds, cultures, education, and experience – they all share the ability to motivate and work alongside others to support them to make positive changes in their lives.

We have 2 x opportunities for committed individuals to undertake the role of Programme Facilitator in a fulltime permanent role working within the Otago, Southland region, so travel will be required to meet operational needs.

Please note, this specific role will not be based in a Special Treatment Unit although it is mentioned in the job description.

Mōu | About you

We're looking for people who can actively listen and understand the people in our care and are keen to help them gain insight into their harmful behaviours. To undertake this role, you will need to be comfortable walking alongside people on their journey while consistently reflecting on your own practice.

Life experience is important to us, along with an alignment to our values you will also be able to demonstrate the following:

• Excellent communication skills with a natural ability to engage and build relationships.
• Cultural understanding including working under a tikanga Māori framework.
• Resilience and flexibility – no two days will be the same.
• Self-insight, wellbeing with a focus on a strong work/life balance
• Understanding of de-escalation and conflict resolution

Ngā painga | The benefits

• Learning and development opportunities and a clear pathway for career growth
• A supportive team-environment
• Health and well-being benefits including access to EAP, eye care benefits, health checks and more.

The salary range for this role is $70,825 – $89,406 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: Sunday 10th March, 2026 and expect to condict interviews the week of 18th May 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.

For more information on this role, please refer to the attached Position Description.