Project Manager - Planning, Funding and Outcomes at Te Whatu Ora, Auckland

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

• Based in Takapuna, Auckland, Permanent Full-time with Hybrid Model
• Manage high-impact initiatives from concept through to national delivery
• Collaborate with clinicians, academics, and partners across the health system.

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 Project Manager – Equity Development and Māori Health Pipeline, you will lead and coordinate projects that support Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora's commitment to improving equitable health outcomes across Aotearoa. Working within the Equity Development Team, you will help deliver programmes designed to address the life expectancy gap for Māori, Pacific peoples, and other priority populations through evidence-based interventions and implementation science.

In this role, you will manage complex projects from scoping through to national implementation, ensuring they are delivered on time, within budget, and to a high standard. You will work closely with clinicians, academics, senior leaders, and sector partners to develop programmes, support research and evaluation activities, manage risks and budgets, and ensure strong governance reporting. This is an opportunity to contribute to nationally significant work that drives meaningful improvements in health outcomes for communities across the country.

About the Team/Service/ Location

The Equity Development Team works across Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora to design, test, and scale interventions that improve health equity. The team leads the Equity Pipeline and Māori Health Pipeline, progressing initiatives through stages including scoping, prototyping, scaling, and national implementation.

You will work collaboratively with a wide range of internal teams and external partners.  The team operates nationally and values collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement to ensure programmes deliver meaningful impact for communities.

About you

As a Project Manager, you will bring strong programme delivery capability, excellent stakeholder engagement skills, and a commitment to improving equitable health outcomes.

You will have:

• A tertiary qualification in a relevant field or equivalent experience in project or programme management
• Demonstrated experience delivering complex projects or work programmes, ideally in the health, public sector, research, or policy environment
• Strong project management technical skills, including project planning, risk and issue management, governance reporting, milestone tracking, and benefits realisation
• Experience managing budgets, forecasting, procurement processes, and vendor or contract relationships
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with senior leaders, clinicians, academics, and multiple stakeholders across organisations
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including preparing reports, presentations, and governance papers
• Experience contributing to business cases, programme planning, or service improvement initiatives
• Ability to manage competing priorities, coordinate cross-functional teams, and maintain delivery in complex environments
• Understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the ability to apply its principles in programme design and delivery
• A demonstrated commitment to health equity and improving outcomes for Māori and Pacific communities, along with strong cultural awareness and relationship-building capability

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 Monday, 30 March 2026. For further information, please contact Jenita Spencer on Jenita.Spencer@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.