Clinical Director – Pathways

• Executive clinical leadership role within one of Aotearoa’s leading NGO providers of mental health and addiction services, guiding national clinical excellence across Pathways and Real.
• Lead clinical governance, service quality and culturally grounded best practice, ensuring tāngata whai ora, taiohi, whānau and communities receive safe, trauma-informed, recovery-oriented and equitable support across the motu.
• Influence national strategy, strengthen workforce capability, and provide sector thought leadership, representing Pathways at a national level while advancing innovative models of community-based mental health care.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Pathways and Real, are nationally recognised leaders in community-based mental health, youth wellbeing and recovery-focused support. With more than 1,100 kaimahi delivering services across Aotearoa, the organisation plays a critical role in shaping the future of NGO-delivered mental health and addiction care.

Pathways is distinctive as the only NGO provider in Aotearoa with a psychiatrist embedded at this level of leadership, reflecting its commitment to strong clinical governance, sector influence and best practice.

This is a pivotal opportunity for an experienced clinical leader to guide the ongoing evolution of national service quality, uphold the organisation’s kaupapa of hope and connection, and strengthen trauma-informed, culturally responsive and recovery-focused practice.

Operating within a complex and dynamic health landscape, including strengthened partnerships with Te Whatu Ora, Oranga Tamariki, primary care providers and other NGOs — the Clinical Director will play a key role in influencing best practice across the system, while ensuring Pathways continues to be recognised as a highly clinically capable, innovative and values-driven provider.

The role offers significant scope to contribute at both a strategic and sector level, shaping national conversations, strengthening workforce capability and building high-trust relationships with Māori and Pacific communities.

It is also structured with flexibility in mind, with the potential for a four-day week to enable the appointee to remain connected to clinical practice if desired.

THE ROLE

Reporting to the Chief Executive and serving as a key member of the Pathways Executive Team, the Clinical Director provides national clinical leadership, governance and expertise across all Pathways and Real services.

This is a leadership-focused role for a qualified psychiatrist, providing organisation-wide influence through others rather than direct clinical delivery. Ensuring the organisation delivers safe, high-quality, evidence-based and Te Tiriti-aligned services that reflect contemporary mental health and addiction practice.

Working closely with the Executive Team, Child & Youth Director, Kaihautū, Peer Leadership and senior clinical leaders across the sector, the Clinical Director will:

• Provide robust clinical governance and oversight across services, policy and practice
• Lead a trauma-informed, learning-focused approach to risk, including oversight of critical incident review processes
• Strengthen clinical capability and workforce development through teaching, mentoring and system-wide influence
• Guide strategic service development and contribute to innovative, evidence-based models of care
• Build and maintain influential relationships across Health NZ, NGOs, primary care and national sector forums
• Contribute to organisational and national strategy, including advocacy for the NGO clinical workforce

This is a highly strategic and influential role, requiring a confident leader who can operate at a national level while remaining grounded in clinical practice and connected to the realities of frontline service delivery.

THE CANDIDATE

The ideal candidate will be a respected qualified and registered Specialist Psychiatrist with contemporary experience across community mental health, multidisciplinary environments and recovery-oriented practice. They will bring strong clinical networks, a deep understanding of the mental health landscape, and the credibility and confidence to influence at senior levels across the system and represent Pathways as its senior clinical voice.

They will be a values-led, relational leader who demonstrates:

• The ability to influence best practice and contribute as a clinical thought leader at a national level
• Strong clinical governance capability, with experience in quality systems, risk and continuous improvement
• Confidence and presence to engage at Executive and sector leadership level, including advocacy and representation
• A collaborative, relational approach, with the ability to work effectively across a diverse workforce and stakeholder group
• A passion for building capability in others, including teaching, mentoring and supporting workforce development
• Cultural competence and a genuine commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and equity in practice
• Emotional intelligence, sound judgement and the ability to navigate complexity with professionalism and care

Importantly, this role will suit a clinically grounded psychiatrist who is ready to step into a more strategic, leadership-focused position, maintaining connection to clinical practice while operating primarily through others, someone who embodies Pathways’ “whatever it takes” wairua, understands the communities they serve, and is motivated to make a meaningful impact at both organisational and system level.

For a confidential discussion, please get in touch with:

David Price
​National Manager, New Zealand
​M. +64 (0)21 0239 2211 | E. dprice@hardygroupintl.com

HOW TO APPLY

The closing date for applications is Thursday, 7th May 2026

The reference number to include in your application is H25_5482.