Principal Analyst - Planning, Funding and Outcomes at Te Whatu Ora, Wellington

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

• Wellington Based | Permanent Full-time | Multiple Positions Available
• Lead national health data analysis and insights to drive strategic decision-making
• Access opportunities for continuous learning, mentoring, and leadership development in a national organisation.

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 Analyst in the Central Region Health Analytics Team, you will be responsible for leading programmes of work that deliver valuable, high-impact data and insights across Health New Zealand.

We are searching for people who can focus on one of two main areas:

1. Building our regional Health Analytics dashboards and insights assets, bringing together our district and national datasets to create cohesive regional reporting.
2. Leading our regional insights, turning our data into a meaningful story for our key regional decision-makers.

On a typical day, you'll lead advanced data analysis projects, translate complex datasets into actionable insights, and provide strategic intelligence to inform decisions across Hospital & Specialist Services, Commissioning, and other directorates. You'll respond to parliamentary questions, OIA requests, and media inquiries, while developing innovative reporting frameworks and advanced visualisations that influence national health policy. This is a unique opportunity to make a tangible impact on the health outcomes of New Zealanders while leading cutting-edge analytics initiatives.

About the Team/Service/ Location

You will be part of Health NZ's central region analytics and intelligence function, collaborating with teams across all directorates and building strong relationships with key external stakeholders, including the Ministry of Health, Ministry for Disabled Peoples, and Cancer Control Agency. Based in Wellington, this role also offers flexible hybrid working arrangements, allowing you to balance collaboration with autonomy.

About you

As a Principal Analyst, you are a highly skilled and experienced analytics leader who combines technical expertise with strategic insight and exceptional communication skills. You thrive on transforming complex datasets into actionable intelligence that drives high-level decision-making and shapes health outcomes across New Zealand. You are confident working with senior stakeholders, including government agencies and organisational leaders, and have a proven ability to guide teams, influence strategy, and implement innovative solutions.

You bring a blend of technical and professional skills, including:

• Advanced expertise in data analytics, statistical modelling, and machine learning using tools such as R, Python, SQL, PowerBI, Qlik, and Excel.
• Proven ability to integrate, manipulate, and interpret large, complex datasets from multiple sources, including national collections, district-level data, and rapid datasets.
• Experience designing and implementing robust business intelligence frameworks, reporting systems, and visualisation dashboards to support strategic decision-making.
• Ability to lead exploratory and predictive analyses, providing insights to inform policy, parliamentary questions, OIA requests, media inquiries, and organisational strategy.
• Strong stakeholder management and collaboration skills, with the ability to communicate complex technical insights clearly to non-technical audiences.
• Leadership, mentoring, and coaching experience, fostering high-performing and capable teams.
• Strategic, solution-focused thinking with the ability to balance long-term objectives and urgent priorities.
• Commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles, equity, and culturally safe practices in analytics and reporting.
• Highly organised, adaptable, and resilient, able to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Innovative and proactive, driving continuous improvement in data processes, tools, and organisational insights.

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, 25 January 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.