Portfolio Manager Primary Health, West - Planning, Funding and Outcomes at Te Whatu Ora, Te Manawa Taki

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

• Based in either Taranaki or Waikato | Permanent Full-time
• Play a pivotal role in transforming primary, community, and mental health services
• Build strong partnerships with clinicians, providers, and sector stakeholders to co-design and optimize services

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

This critical role is responsible for the end-to-end commissioning cycle—from planning through to procurement, contract management, and performance monitoring—for a portfolio of primary health services in the Taranaki and Waikato regions.  regions. You must be based in one of these locations within Health New Zealand's Te Manawa Taki region

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities

• This role sits at the intersection of strategy, design, and relationship management. Your key responsibilities will include:
• Co-Design & Prioritisation: Partner with internal colleagues and sector stakeholders to determine which services require development, redesign, or decommissioning, based on robust evidence and strategic alignment.
• Commissioning Expertise: Provide technical expertise and advice to inform funding and commissioning decisions for your portfolio.
• Equity Focus: Ensure all planning and service development actively advances health equity.
• Specification Development: Specify the required nature, scope, outcomes, and quality standards (KPIs) for services in comprehensive service specifications.
• Procurement Lead: Lead or contribute to procurement processes, including tendering, bid evaluation, and contract awarding for new or redesigned services.
• Performance Oversight: Negotiate and manage provider contracts, actively monitoring performance against specifications, identifying risks, and collaborating with providers on continuous improvement initiatives.
• Relationship Management: Manage outcomes through strong relationships across community, clinical, provider, and sector networks, preventing siloed thinking.
• Governance & Reporting: Produce clear, concise reports, business cases, and proposals for senior leadership and funding boards, ensuring high-quality advice and timely reporting.

About you

Are you a strategic thinker with a passion for designing and funding equitable health services?

We are seeking a skilled Portfolio Manager to join our Planning, Funding & Outcomes team (PFO). The PFO team is responsible for the commissioning of all funded primary, community, and mental health services across the Te Manawa Taki region.

If you are a driven leader ready to take strategic ownership of a significant portfolio and drive real system change, we want to hear from you.

What You Will Bring

• Experience (3-5+ years): Demonstrated experience within a commissioning environment, covering the full cycle from investment strategy through to provider management oversight.
• Commissioning Cycle: Proven experience in service and investment strategies and managing provider performance against contracts.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Excellent experience working with diverse groups, including clinicians, patients, providers, and management, to inform service design and integration.
• Analytical & Communication: Strong data analysis and interpretation skills coupled with excellent written and oral communication abilities.
• Relationship & Influence: Highly developed political acumen, negotiation, and influencing skills to maintain and build partnerships across sectors.
• Qualifications: A relevant tertiary or professional qualification.

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, 22 February 2026.

For further information, please contact Chloe Mercer on Chloe.Mercer@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