Senior Advisor - Planning, Funding and Outcomes at Te Whatu Ora, Wellington

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

• Wellington location, Permanent Full-time with a hybrid model – 4 days in the office
• high-impact advisory role where your analysis, insights, and recommendations directly influence healthcare investments are prioritise
• You'll be part of a collaborative, purpose-driven environment that values critical thinking, and professional growth

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 Senior Advisor, you will play a key role in supporting data and evidence-driven decision making across the Purchasing and National Contracts teams. You will provide high-quality analysis, develop papers and presentations, and contribute to the prioritisation of investment decisions within funded hospital services.

In this role, you will operate in a complex and evolving environment where sound judgement, critical thinking, and the ability to navigate ambiguity are essential. You will also support the External Agency Contracts team in developing and implementing a world-class delivery system for external agencies including PHARMAC, ACC, MSD, and the Ministry for Children.

About the Team and Location

You will be part of the External Agency Contracts and Purchasing teams within Health NZ, working closely with colleagues across finance, and clinical. The team operates at the centre of funding and purchasing decisions that support system-wide service delivery improvements.

About you

You are an experienced advisor who brings strong analytical capability, sound judgement, and a proven track record of delivering high-quality, evidence-based advice in complex environments. You are comfortable working across multiple stakeholders and navigating ambiguity, and you can translate data, insights, and competing priorities into clear, actionable recommendations for senior decision-makers. You bring a strong understanding of public sector systems and processes, and you are motivated by improving outcomes through thoughtful, well-reasoned analysis and effective collaboration. You will bring:

• A relevant tertiary qualification or equivalent senior-level experience in public policy, health, finance, analytics, or a related discipline
• 5+ years' experience in a Senior Advisor or equivalent role within a complex organisation, ideally in the public sector or health system
• Proven experience developing high-quality papers, reports, and presentations for senior stakeholders and governance forums
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, with the ability to interpret complex data and provide clear, evidence-based advice
• Experience working within government systems, including exposure to policy development, funding, purchasing, or contracting environments
• Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities, meet deadlines, and maintain accuracy and confidentiality under pressure
• Strong stakeholder engagement and relationship management skills across internal teams and external agencies
• Understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and demonstrated experience applying its principles in practice to support equitable outcomes

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, 08 June 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.