Senior Governance Advisor, Board Secretariat

• Permanent, full-time position (0.8FTE can be considered).

• Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch-based.

• Some domestic travel required.

Seeking a Governance superstar with a “go-to” attitude and an eye for detail. If you love governance, have an inherent ability to identify and design process improvements and reporting frameworks using SharePoint and Power BI, and are looking for the next step in your governance career, then come and join the Board Secretariat at Health NZ.

At Health NZ, the country's largest employer, you will work in a fast-paced environment, alongside supportive colleagues in a high-performing and supportive team. You will get to further develop your governance capability in an environment where the challenges are varied and the opportunities endless.

Health New Zealand delivers 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 role, which is functionally outside the management of Health NZ, reporting directly to the Board Secretary, will undertake the Board and Committee secretariat functions at a senior level alongside other Board Secretariat staff. The Secretariat is responsible for ensuring governance requirements are met, and the highest governance standards are maintained.

In addition, this role will support the Board Secretary to design and implement continuous improvements to HNZ's Board governance framework, ensuring that governance systems align with best practice and organisational priorities. The role will support the Secretariat's planning and reporting requirements by developing, maintaining and improving governance planning and reporting systems and providing analysis, insights and coordination that help the Secretariat operate effectively. The role will build and maintain strong, trusted relationships with senior leaders and Board members, and will engage with staff across Health NZ to provide support around the nature of advice required by the Board and its Committees to support its decision-making.

About you

You bring extensive experience supporting senior leaders, Boards or Committees within dynamic and complex environments. You demonstrate strong political and organisational awareness, with a solid understanding of the machinery of government.

You have in-depth knowledge of governance frameworks, best practice and statutory requirements, particularly the Crown Entities Act and the Official Information Act. Your background includes successfully supporting the implementation of governance improvement initiatives.

You have advanced knowledge and experience with tools like Excel, SharePoint Lists and Power BI, and are comfortable identifying process improvements, analysing information to provide meaningful insights, and developing dashboards.

You communicate with clarity and confidence, both in writing and verbally, and you know how to tailor your advice to suit your audience. You have an exceptional attention to detail, can influence effectively and are solutions-focused.

Calm and composed under pressure, you manage competing priorities with integrity, discretion and a high level of professionalism, and are a team player.

Working for 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 26 October 2026. For further information, please contact Nicole Rickard on Nicole.Rickard@TeWhatuOra.Govt.NZ.

The full position description is available on the Health New Zealand Careers site.

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