Team Manager – Waikato Services

• Permanent, full-time position (40 hours per week)

• Position is based at our hub in Rototuna

• Working hours are Primarily Monday – Friday, however the service operates 24/7 on a rotating roster and may require occasional evening or weekend work

About Ember Korowai Takitini | Nga Matapono

Ember Korowai Takitini blends professional expertise and lived experience to offer a range of services and supports for anyone with mental health, addiction or intellectual disability needs

At Ember we support people to live the lives they choose and we challenge the systems that hold them back.

We desire a society that better understands and responds to mental distress, addiction and intellectual disability

Ember offers:

• Additional leave, including recreation days and study leave

• A comprehensive Health & Wellbeing programme, including health checks, flu vaccinations, and Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), and more

• Training opportunities for upskilling, personal & professional development, and career progression.

• The opportunity to make a meaningful impact every day in a values-led organisation

About The Service | Ko Te Whare O Waikato Services

Our Waikato services are responsible for delivering individual and clinical support programs for tāngata whaiora with high and complex needs who have been referred to us from adult and forensic mental health services.

Together, we form a talented, effective, and multi-disciplinary team who pride ourselves on our ability to utilize our different skills, knowledges, and experiences (both personal and professional) to support our tāngata whaiora. By empowering tāngata whaiora to build daily routines and by offering them on-going tools and encouragement, we support tāngata whaiora to develop, grow, and flourish as individuals and within their communities.

About the Role | Nga mahi

We are seeking a committed and values‑driven Team Manager who leads with mana and empathy, and who strives to ensure we provide a safe and empowering environment for those we support. In this role, you will work in close partnership with two fellow Team Managers and a Clinical Manager. Collectively, this leadership team supports a multidisciplinary workforce of 30 kaimahi, including community support workers, peer support workers, and registered health professionals.

Key responsibilities include:

• Providing day-to-day leadership, supervision and coaching

• Ensuring services are delivered in a safe, culturally responsive and recovery-focused manner that aligns with Ember’s values and clinical standards

• Supporting staff performance and development through regular supervision, training needs identification and capability building

• Coordinating service rostering and resource allocation to meet tāngata whaiora needs and service demands

• Managing operational tasks including incident reporting, quality improvement, risk management and contract compliance

• Building and maintaining strong working relationships with external stakeholders, funders and partner agencies to support pathways for clients

• Contributing to service planning, evaluation and continuous improvement activities, including data collection and reporting

• Role-modeling Ember’s equity, tikanga and inclusion commitments and promoting a workplace culture of safety, respect and learning

You will bring | Nga Pukenga

• Proven leadership experience in mental health, addictions, disability, social services, or a community setting.

• Understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and commitment to working in a culturally responsive way.

• Knowledge of complex mental health needs and recovery-oriented practice, and experience supervising and developing multidisciplinary teams, with a strengths-based and trauma-informed approach

• Strong knowledge of quality and risk systems, and experience with incident management and continuous improvement

• Excellent interpersonal, communication and problem-solving skills with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders

• Ability to encourage and role model positive behaviours, participation, and communication in all activities and in line with our values.

• Competency in managing teams, rosters, and service operations, and some competency in financial management to support Ember’s procedures

• Registration and a current practicing certificate in one of the following fields is required: Nursing, Social Work, Occupational Therapy, DAPAANZ, and/or Counselling

• A Full New Zealand Driver’s license (required)

• Valid/current work visa, residency, or citizenship allowing you to work in NZ indefinitely (required)

Don't meet every single requirement? We still encourage you to apply — you might be just the right person for the role.

When applying please provide | Kia Whakauru

• An up-to-date CV

• A cover letter detailing the following:

  • Why you are interested in this role

  • The skills, competencies, and experience to you would bring to the role.

Please note: We are currently experiencing technical issues with our recruitment system. If your application was successfully submitted, you will have received a confirmation email. If you did not receive this email, please reapply. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

“He aha te mea nui o te ao? Maku e ki atu, he tangata, he tangata, he tangata”

What is the most important thing in the world? It is people, it is people, it is people.

Ember is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome and embrace diversity and inclusion in the workplace and are committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for all. We particularly welcome applications from our Māori, Pacific and Rainbow communities.

We will interview candidates as applications come through rather than waiting until the advertisement closes. The vacancy may be filled earlier if a suitable candidate is identified.