Senior Portfolio Manager, Older Persons (South)

• Based in Wellington, with a hybrid model – 3 days in the office | Permanent, full-time role

• Lead strategic commissioning, service redesign and portfolio optimisation across the health system

• Build trusted partnerships to improve equitable health outcomes and deliver sustainable value for communities

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 Senior Portfolio Manager – South, you will provide strategic oversight, management and optimisation of a portfolio of health commissioning contracts and programmes, with a strong focus on system and service redesign. You will help translate national and regional priorities into effective services and programmes that improve population health outcomes, strengthen equity and deliver sustainable value.

Working alongside portfolio and system design leaders, you will guide service planning, procurement, contracting, performance monitoring and continuous improvement. You will partner with Māori, consumers, whānau, clinicians, providers and other agencies to shape integrated models of care, lead investment and disinvestment activity, manage complex risks, and provide clear advice, business cases and proposals to senior decision-makers. You will also mentor Portfolio Managers and provide leadership and guidance across significant work programmes.

About the Team and Location

You will join the Planning, Funding and Outcomes team in South / Te Ikaroa, reporting to the Regional Manager, Health of Older Persons – Te Ikaroa. The team works across national, regional and local networks to plan and commission services, strengthen provider performance, and support integrated improvements across the health and social system. This role offers broad system influence and the opportunity to work with diverse partners to improve access, outcomes and equity for communities.

About you

You are an experienced strategic leader who can navigate complex, ambiguous and politically sensitive environments. You bring strong commissioning, service design and programme leadership capability, together with the judgement, relationship skills and equity focus needed to turn strategy into sustainable system improvement. You will bring:

• A relevant tertiary or professional qualification and a full Class 1 driver licence

• Senior-level experience developing and delivering service and investment strategies, including commissioning services

• Proven service design experience, bringing system partners together to improve services and outcomes

• Strong programme and project leadership across planning, design, delivery, implementation and monitoring

• Highly developed analytical, commercial, risk management and problem-solving capability

• Excellent written and verbal communication, political acumen, negotiation and influencing skills

• A strong record of building trusted relationships and partnerships across sectors and organisations

• A practical understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and a commitment to improving equity, access and health 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 on Monday 26 October 2026. For further information, please contact Jenita Spencer on Jenita.Spencer@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.