He Pikinga Waiora - Founding Leadership Roles

About the Role

Join the Founding Leadership Team | He Pikinga Waiora

Help build something that could change the future for tamariki, rangatahi and whānau.

He Pikinga Waiora is a new kaupapa Māori initiative delivered in partnership by Te Puawaitanga ki Ōtautahi Trust and Purapura Whetū Trust.

Funded through the Government's Social Investment Fund, this four-year pilot has been designed to strengthen outcomes for tamariki, rangatahi, and whānau experiencing complex and intergenerational challenges.

He Pikinga Waiora brings together one integrated multidisciplinary team working alongside whānau through mentoring, education, wellbeing, therapeutic support, practical life skills, and cultural connection. Support will be delivered from a purpose-designed community hub and in the homes and communities where whānau live.

This is more than a new service. It is an opportunity to help shape a new way of working.

We're looking for three exceptional leaders to become the founding Kaihautū Leadership Team and establish this innovative kaupapa from the ground up.

Kaihautū Kaupapa | Programme Lead

Lead implementation. Build partnerships. Bring the vision to life.

The Kaihautū Kaupapa provides strategic, operational, and relational leadership across He Pikinga Waiora. This role brings people, priorities, and workstreams together to ensure the initiative remains connected to its kaupapa while moving confidently from establishment into delivery.

Working alongside two other Kaihautū, you'll lead implementation, build strong relationships with partners and stakeholders, coordinate programme activity, and help navigate the complexity that comes with establishing an innovative new service.

This role will suit someone who enjoys building new initiatives, connecting people, solving complex problems, and leading through collaboration.

You'll bring

• Experience leading complex programmes, services, or multidisciplinary teams.


• Strong relationship-building and stakeholder engagement skills.


• The ability to balance strategic thinking with practical implementation.


• A commitment to kaupapa Māori and whānau-centred practice.


• Confidence leading through change and uncertainty.

Kaihautū Tū Manawa Ora | Practice and Pastoral Lead

Grow people. Strengthen practice. Create the culture.

The Kaihautū Tū Manawa Ora provides practice, pastoral, and relational leadership across He Pikinga Waiora. This role supports kaimahi to deliver exceptional kaupapa Māori practice while fostering a workforce culture that is safe, reflective, connected, and sustainable.

Working across both hub and home environments, you'll strengthen integrated practice, workforce wellbeing, supervision, coaching, and professional growth while ensuring the kaupapa is experienced consistently through everyday practice.

This role is ideal for someone who leads through relationships and enjoys helping others thrive.

You'll bring

• Experience leading practice, supervision, workforce development, or pastoral support.


• A strong understanding of trauma-informed and whānau-centred practice.


• Excellent coaching, communication, and relationship-building skills.


• Experience working within multidisciplinary environments.


• A commitment to kaupapa Māori and collaborative leadership.

Kaihautū Arotake | Quality Lead

Turn learning into better outcomes.

The Kaihautū Arotake leads quality, evaluation, continuous improvement, and organisational learning across He Pikinga Waiora.

This role helps the team use data, research, evaluation, and whānau voice to continually strengthen practice and improve outcomes.

You'll help build a culture where reflection, learning, and innovation are part of everyday work while ensuring the pilot generates meaningful evidence for future growth.

This role is ideal for someone who enjoys connecting quality with practice and turning insight into action.

You'll bring

• Experience in quality improvement, evaluation, research, implementation, or organisational learning.


• Strong analytical and systems-thinking skills.


• The ability to communicate complex information in practical ways.


• Experience supporting continuous improvement within multidisciplinary teams.


• A commitment to kaupapa Māori and evidence-informed practice.

Why join He Pikinga Waiora?

You'll be joining more than a new service. You'll be joining a kaupapa that has the potential to influence how integrated, kaupapa Māori support is delivered into the future.

You'll have the opportunity to:

• Be part of the founding leadership team.


• Help establish an innovative kaupapa Māori pilot from the ground up.


• Work collaboratively across two respected Māori organisations.


• Shape a service designed around whānau rather than systems.


• Influence a model with the potential to inform future investment and service delivery across Aotearoa.


• Lead alongside others in a collaborative leadership model where responsibility is shared and success is collective.

Salary is dependent on qualifications and years of experience.

The hub will be open in the evenings and on Saturdays. The ability to work flexible hours, including some evenings and weekends, to support programme delivery and whānau engagement is a requirement.

About our partnership

He Pikinga Waiora is delivered in partnership by Te Puawaitanga ki Ōtautahi Trust and Purapura Whetū Trust.

Together we bring decades of experience supporting whānau across Waitaha through kaupapa Māori approaches that strengthen wellbeing, belonging, identity, and opportunity. This partnership combines the strengths of both organisations to deliver a new, integrated model of support that places tamariki, rangatahi, and whānau at the centre.

To find out more about our organisations, please visit our websites https://www.pw.maori.nz/ and https://tepuawaitanga.maori.nz/.

Applications

If you're excited by the opportunity to build something new, work collaboratively, and help shape the future of kaupapa Māori service delivery, we'd love to hear from you.

Position descriptions are available on our websites -

https://tepuawaitanga.maori.nz/job-opportunities/

https://www.pw.maori.nz/job-vacancies/

For further queries on these roles, please contact [email protected]

Please submit your CV and a cover letter outlining the role you're applying for. Let us know about your key strengths and what attracts you to He Pikinga Waiora. Applications need to be made via our website. Applications close 31st July, 2026.

We will be reviewing applications as they are received and progressing to interviews quickly. We reserve the right to close advertising early if the position is filled during the advertising period.

What we offer: 

• A kaupapa Māori work environment and culture where hauora is prioritised


• Education, training and ongoing development opportunities


• A commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi


• Free flu vaccinations


• A day off on your birthday


• Fun daily whanaungatanga sessions

At Te Puawaitanga Ki Ōtautahi Trust, we are dedicated to working with whānau across the lifespan as they navigate all aspects of their health and wellbeing.

Please note, only applications submitted via our website will be considered. Please go to https://tepuawaitanga.maori.nz/job-opportunities to complete the online application form and provide a cover letter detailing your skills and relevant experience as well as an up-to-date CV.

For the full Job Description click here:  2026 He Pikinga Waiora

We will be reviewing applications as they are received and progressing to interviews quickly. We reserve the right to close advertising early if the position is filled during the advertising period.