18-month contract | Flexible South Island location | Transformational sector-wide role
The Te Waipounamu Hospice Collaborative is seeking an exceptional leader to help shape the future of hospice across the South Island by bringing together the hospice services of the Te Waipounamu to guide meaningful regional collaboration, strengthen shared capability, and ensure patients and whānau receive high-quality, consistent care no matter where they live.
He Whakaaro Nui | The Opportunity
As the Regional Programme Lead, you will serve as an independent resource coordinating key regional projects and advancing practical initiatives that improve efficiency, equity and sustainability across the sector such as:
Cross-region project planning, management and execution
Developing a hospice-specific Clinical Governance Framework
Facilitating shared best practice, data insights and system efficiencies
You will work in partnership with hospice CEOs and teams across the region, preserving local strengths while creating regional alignment where it adds value.
Ko Wai Koe | About You
We are seeking someone with:
5+ years’ project management experience, ideally in the health sector
A tertiary qualification or significant professional experience in a health-related field
Experience with clinical information systems and data
Strong communication, facilitation, negotiation and change-management capability
Ngā Whakaaetanga | The Details
Contract: 18 months, with potential to extend
Location: Flexible within Te Waipounamu; travel to participating hospices required
Hours: Negotiable (around 20 hours per week)
Remuneration: By negotiation
This role offers a rare opportunity to influence hospice care at a systems level.
Enquiries to: Ginny Green, ginny.green@otagohospice.co.nz:
To submit your application (Including CV and cover letter) please click the apply button. Applications close: 23 January 2026.
Job Description
Job Description
Purpose of Role
To bring Hospices together with efficiencies, shared best practice and aligned values and visions, ensuring our southern people get better, more consistent care across our island.
The role serves as an independent resource, leading and coordinating key projects as a programme-based lead, working on projects identified by the Collaborative. Projects will consider Te Waipounamu as a whole and treat the needs of each hospice equally.
The role will lead the advancement of practical initiatives, ensuring regional consistency while preserving local sovereignty and strengths. Specifically, it will lead some initial regional projects that will enable hospices to:
share best practices,
reduce inefficiencies,
identify underserved communities,
advocate for a sustainable funding model
Reports To
Te Waipounamu Hospice Collaborative with day to day reporting to the hosting CEO
Location
Flexible within Te Waipounamu (South Island, New Zealand); some travel to the participating hospices will be required.
Terms and Conditions
18 month contract with option to extend subject to funding and project milestones.
Hours per week will be negotiable and will align with meeting project goals – likely around 20 per week
Remuneration: By negotiation
Start date: To be negotiated
Key Responsibilities
In conjunction with the CEO’s, develop an 18 month work plan that includes:
1. Cross region project management – see appendix for project priorities
Project planning – develop plans, define scope, timelines and deliverables
Project leadership and execution - overseeing execution from initiation through completion while ensuring projects stay on track and within budget
Communication - facilitate effective communication between stakeholders, and serve as the primary point of contact for project updates
Risk management - Identify potential project risks early, develop mitigation strategies and inform the Collaborative
Provide transparent project reporting (timeline, risks, and budget)
2. Clinical Governance Framework Development
Recommend a hospice‑specific clinical governance framework based on Health Quality and Safety Commission guidance.
Form and then support the work of a regional Clinical Governance Group, ensuring representation from clinicians, management, consumers and iwi Māori.
3. Change Management and Stakeholder Engagement
Develop a comprehensive engagement plan for Hospice CEOs, clinical and operational teams and boards
Desired Skills and Experience
Desired Skills and Experience
Qualifications
Tertiary qualification or significant experience in a health or related field is essential.
Tertiary qualifications related to business, information systems, data analysis or technology would be desirable.
Formal project management or significant experience in managing projects would also be desirable.
Experience
More than 5 years’ experience managing projects, ideally in health settings.
Experience in working with clinical information systems and data. Clinical data project work would be desirable.
Knowledge and Skills
Understanding of New Zealand health systems and data standards (HISO, SNOMED CT, HL7 FHIR).
Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills
Excellent communication, facilitation, negotiation and change‑management skills.
Ability to build trusted relationships with clinicians, managers, consumers and iwi Māori.
Attributes and Values
Patient‑centred and equity‑focused.
Collaborative, inclusive leadership style.
High integrity, resilience and adaptability.
Commitment to continuous quality improvement and cultural humility.
Appendix 1
Te Waipounamu Hospice Collaborative - Proposed Project list (priorities in bold)
1. If funding is allocated regionally, hospices will prepare and advocate for the needs of Te Waipounamu. In the short term, this could begin with addressing inconsistencies in access to specialist palliative care services.
2. Explore new joint activities in education design and delivery, public awareness, marketing, online tools and fundraising ventures.
3. Pull together shared initiatives (clinical, knowledge, and innovation related) in a single location for the six hospices to access. Start with undertaking a Te Waipounamu-wide analysis of the data commons, cost id and HSVC work
4. Identify opportunities for shared back-office functions and initiate shared resources starting with areas of highest value. Consider rostering/payroll system.
5. Stocktake discovery for shared procurement, and initiate purchases with increased buying power from scale, e.g. Spark contracts.
6. A repository of policies (best of breed) centralised in a joint Quality Management System with a view to standardising into the future.
7. Six hospices adopt the national standardised model of care (if/when it is adopted) by working together locally and regionally.
8. The nature of leadership roles and geographical boundaries to be discussed if funding is allocated regionally.
9. Other collaborations, such as in reach services and aged residential care support services, to share strategies across and beyond the health sector. Establish a Te Waipounamu Māori Advisory Group.
