Chief Custodial Officer - Ara Poutama Aotearoa at Ara Poutama Aotearoa (Department of Corrections), Nationwide

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

Chief Custodial Officer

Shape the future of custodial practice across Aotearoa New Zealand  •  2-year fixed-term  •  National Office  •  International relocation support available

Ara Poutama Aotearoa (Department of Corrections) is one of New Zealand's largest government departments, and at its heart sits a single purpose: oranga, the wellbeing of people. Guided by our strategy Hōkai Rangi, we work alongside the people in our care and their whānau/family to achieve transformative, inter-generational change, improving wellbeing, reducing Māori over-representation, reducing reoffending and building safer communities.

We are looking for an exceptional custodial leader to become our Chief Custodial Officer. This is a rare, system-level role on a 2-year fixed-term. You will set the strategic direction for the custodial workforce, lead the design and implementation of evidence-based custodial practice, and act as a co-lead for Integrated Pathways: our vision for a simplified, person and whānau centred journey through the corrections system.

What you will do

• Champion the value and impact of custodial services and provide visionary, system-wide leadership for the custodial profession across the corrections and justice sectors.
• Develop and promote best-practice frameworks, policies, standards procedures and guidance for the management of custodial sentences, decluttered, streamlined and shaped by frontline insight.
• Provide high-quality, trusted advice directly to the Chief Executive, the Commissioner Custodial Services and the Executive Leadership Team on custodial risks and opportunities.
• Integrate kaupapa Māori practice and Te Tiriti o Waitangi obligations into frameworks, service design and decision-making, in partnership with Tumu Herenga – a group focused on Māori-centered practice.
• Cultivate high-trust relationships with international counterparts and key agencies, and represent the Department in cross-jurisdictional forums, coronial processes and the media.
• Lead a team of professionals to deliver a future-focused work programme that integrates policy, systems and the lived experience of people on sentence.

What you will bring

• A demonstrated custodial background with thorough knowledge of custodial operations and frontline practice.
• Proven strategic leadership — the ability to set and lead cross-functional initiatives at a system level, often influencing where you have responsibility but not direct line authority.
• Significant experience developing and communicating policy and practice change in a large, complex, high-risk environment.
• Confident senior communication — public speaking, large-scale presentations, and the credibility to represent the organisation in challenging settings including the Coroners Court and the media.
• The ability to operate effectively in a Māori cultural setting and to apply Te Tiriti o Waitangi consistently in decision-making.
• A relevant tertiary qualification (postgraduate preferred), a current driver licence, and the ability to obtain and retain an appropriate NZSIS security clearance.

You will also be:

• Deeply versed in custodial best practice, with an authoritative command of how high-quality custodial practice is designed, evidenced and embedded.
• Able to translate that practice into the New Zealand context — designing system processes and practice frameworks that align to our Hōkai Rangi strategy and our Te Tiriti o Waitangi obligations.
• Operationally grounded but no longer operationally focused — you bring a genuine operational understanding of custody, but this is a system-level practice-leadership role, not a site-management one.
• A natural collaborator with chief operational leaders and other Chiefs of Practice, working in close alignment with them while leading the profession from a practice rather than line-management footing.

He aha e nei? | Why this role, and why now

• System-level impact. You set the national direction for an entire profession — few custodial roles anywhere offer this reach.
• A defined, high-profile mandate. A 2-year fixed term lets you focus on delivering Integrated Pathways and a lasting practice uplift, with a clear remit and executive visibility.
• A distinctive model. Aotearoa's corrections system is internationally recognised for its commitment to indigenous partnership and humane, rehabilitative practice through Hōkai Rangi.
• Support to relocate. For the right candidate from overseas, we offer a comprehensive international relocation package (see below).

Utu ā-tau | Salary

The salary range for this role is $168,944 – $238,509.

Candidates relocating from overseas may be eligible for an international relocation package including freight forwarding, airfares for the travelling family, destination and stop-over accommodation, a rental vehicle on arrival and airport transfers.

Tono ināianei | Apply now

To apply, please submit your CV and a cover letter outlining your suitability against the key requirements. For a confidential discussion about the role, contact robert.jones@corrections.govt.nz

Applications close 11pm Wednesday, 26 August 2026. [Extended Close Date from 12 August]

Please include a tailored CV. As alignment to our workforce and kaupapa is essential, we encourage you to include examples that reflect our organisational values.

We are committed to building a workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve. If you need reasonable accommodations during the recruitment process, please let us know.