Lead nationwide health promotion strategy and enable local teams to implement

Director, Health Promotion - National Public Health Service

Provide national strategic leadership for health promotion, prevention and early intervention across NPHS. Champion Te Tiriti, equity and Māori health gain through strong partnerships and nationally consistent, locally responsive approaches. Full-time, permanent position, preferably based in Auckland or Wellington.

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 Director Health Promotion, you will provide strategic and operational leadership for Health Promotion within the National Public Health Service (NPHS), helping shape a nationally coherent approach to prevention, early intervention and health promotion across Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora. As a member of the NPHS leadership team, you will set national direction, priorities, standards and enabling frameworks, while supporting regional and local teams to translate these into effective, evidence-based approaches that respond to the needs of communities and whānau.

Working across Health New Zealand and in partnership with Māori and Pacific partners, the Public Health Agency, providers, agencies and communities, you will strengthen health promotion capability, performance and delivery across the system. You will champion Te Tiriti o Waitangi, equity and Māori health gain, ensuring health promotion approaches support better access and outcomes while enabling locally responsive action and care closer to home.

About the Service

The National Public Health Service (NPHS) within Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora, work towards Pae Ora (healthy futures) for all by engaging with the wider determinants that impact people's health, focusing on oranga/wellbeing, prevention, protection, and population-level intervention. We are connected across boundaries to deliver public health services that are nationally planned, regionally delivered and locally tailored.

About you

You will be a highly credible and influential senior leader with extensive experience in public health, health promotion or a related field, and the ability to lead effectively across complex national systems. You will bring strong strategic thinking, relationship management and people leadership skills, alongside a deep commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, equity and improving health outcomes for Māori and Pacific communities.

You will also bring:

  • Significant senior leadership experience within a large, complex health or public sector environment.
  • Strong knowledge of health promotion, prevention and population health approaches, with the ability to translate strategy into effective delivery.
  • Proven ability to build and maintain trusted partnerships with Māori, Pacific partners, communities, providers and key stakeholders.
  • Demonstrated experience leading and developing high-performing teams and building capability across a distributed workforce.
  • Excellent strategic, analytical and influencing skills, with confidence navigating complexity and leading change.
  • A relevant tertiary qualification and demonstrated commitment to ongoing professional development.

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 Sunday, 18 October 2026. If you have any questions about the role, please contact Maria Bennett via maria.bennett1@tewhatuora.govt.nz

Job details

Job Reference: HNZ/1948870

Location: New Zealand - All Locations - Work from where you are

Job type: Permanent Full time

Expertise: Non-clinical - Management

Closes: 18-Oct-2026

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