Executive National Director – Public Health, Funding and Community

• Lead one of New Zealand’s most strategically significant health portfolios, shaping how public health, commissioning and funding support better outcomes for communities.
• Partner with the Chief Executive and Executive Leadership Team to strengthen national commissioning, funding and public health capability while shaping critical services and Government priorities.
• Build trusted relationships across government, providers and the wider health sector while leading a nationally significant portfolio with influence across policy, investment and service delivery.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Few executive opportunities offer the chance to shape the future of healthcare for an entire nation.

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is seeking an exceptional executive to establish and lead a newly formed national business group that brings together public health, commissioning, funding and service planning into a single portfolio responsible for improving health outcomes across New Zealand. Reporting directly to the Chief Executive and joining the Executive Leadership Team, you will lead one of the organisation’s most strategically significant portfolios.

Leading a workforce of approximately 2,500 people you will influence national health priorities, investment decisions and models of care that will shape healthcare for current and future generations.

Beyond leading one of the country’s largest executive portfolios, you will have the opportunity to establish a new senior leadership team and set the foundations for how this critical business group operates into the future. Success will come through strong relationships, sound judgement and the ability to build confidence across government, the health sector and communities.

This is a rare opportunity to help build a health system that is more accessible, sustainable and prevention-focused while delivering meaningful and lasting impact across Aotearoa New Zealand.

THE ROLE

As Executive National Director, you will establish and lead a newly integrated national business group responsible for public health, planning, funding and commissioning.

Working alongside the Chief Executive and Executive Leadership Team, you will help shape Health New Zealand’s strategic direction while strengthen commissioning capability, improve contracting approaches and continue evolving models of care that deliver better outcomes for New Zealanders.

A key early priority will be rapidly understanding the operating landscape, maintaining delivery against Government health targets, ensuring continuity of critical commissioning and funding functions, and building trusted relationships across the sector.

You will work across government, iwi and Māori partners, clinicians, providers and communities to influence system-wide change, balancing strategic leadership with operational excellence to deliver better outcomes for New Zealanders.

WHY THIS ROLE?

This appointment sits at the centre of some of the most important conversations facing New Zealand’s health system, how services are planned, how investment decisions are made, how inequities are addressed, and how prevention is embedded across the continuum of care.

It is an opportunity to influence healthcare at a national level while leading meaningful reform that will improve outcomes for communities today and for generations to come.

For an executive who enjoys operating at the centre of government, building trusted relationships and improving how complex systems perform, this is a rare opportunity to influence health outcomes at a truly national level.

For a confidential discussion, please get in touch with:

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

HOW TO APPLY

The closing date for applications is Sunday, 16th August 2026

The reference number to include in your application is H26_5550