Principal Advisor Population Health at Te Whatu Ora, All Locations

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

• Provide the strategic advice and evidence that shapes a healthier future for Aotearoa
• Work alongside highly skilled and passionate professionals in a collaborative environment
• Permanent full-time role based anywhere across Aotearoa

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is the country's largest employer, delivering universal public healthcare to 5 million New Zealanders.

We provide essential hospital, specialist, and community health services across 80+ locations — from large urban centres to rural towns and remote communities.

Our goal is to improve health outcomes for all New Zealanders by delivering equitable, accessible and innovative care.

About the Role

As a Principal Advisor you will play a strategic role in improving the health and wellbeing of communities across Aotearoa. Working at a national level, you'll provide expert population health leadership, technical advice, and intelligence that informs planning, commissioning, performance, and system design.

You'll use high-quality evidence, , and analytical insight to identify opportunities for prevention, improve equity, and support better decision-making across the health system. Working collaboratively with clinical, operational, commissioning, and policy colleagues, you'll help ensure health services are informed by robust evidence and a whole-of-system, life-course approach.

This is a varied and influential role where you'll lead complex projects, provide strategic advice to senior leaders, contribute to ministerial responses, and champion culturally safe, evidence-based practice.

What you'll be doing

• Provide expert strategic advice and population health intelligence to inform national decision-making
• Identify opportunities to improve health outcomes and reduce inequities through evidence-based recommendations
• Support planning, commissioning, performance improvement, and service design across the health system
• Lead complex projects from initiation through to successful delivery
• Develop high-quality reports, briefings, and advice for senior leaders and Ministers
• Collaborate across multidisciplinary teams to deliver culturally safe, high-quality outcomes
• Champion continuous improvement and strengthen population health capability across the organisation.

About you

You'll be an experienced strategic advisor who combines strong analytical capability with a passion for improving health outcomes through evidence-based decision-making. You thrive in complex environments, enjoy solving challenging problems, and build trusted relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.

You'll bring:

• A relevant undergraduate qualification in health or a related discipline, with postgraduate qualifications preferred
• At least five years' experience working within the health system
• Significant experience in providing strategic and technical health advice
• Strong expertise in population health, health intelligence, data analysis, and evidence synthesis
• Experience applying a life-course and prevention-focused approach to improving health outcomes
• Demonstrated experience implementing Te Tiriti o Waitangi in practice and supporting equitable health outcomes
• Strong critical thinking and analytical skills with the ability to translate complex information into practical recommendations
• Experience leading projects and applying project management and quality improvement methodologies
• Outstanding written, verbal, and presentation skills with the ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences
• A collaborative, approachable style and a genuine commitment to sharing knowledge and supporting others.

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 11:59PM Sunday 19 July 2026. For further information, please contact Lynda Francis on Lynda.Francis@TeWhatuOra.govt.nz

Whilst Health New Zealand is undergoing change, affected kaimahi will be given preference and priority for this position.

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