THE OPPORTUNITY
Reconnect Family Services Te Ope Pirita (RFS-TOP) is a purpose-led organisation working to empower and connect young people, whānau and communities. As the wholly owned service company of Reconnect Trust Board, RFS-TOP delivers services in pursuit of the Trust’s charitable purpose, guided by the values of Tika, Pono and Aroha.
This is an important governance leadership opportunity for an experienced director to serve as Independent Chair, leading an effective, future-focused Board and strengthening governance, assurance, strategic focus and organisational sustainability.
The opportunity will appeal to a governance leader motivated by:
- Purpose and impact – contributing to better outcomes for young people, whānau and communities.
- Governance leadership – leading a constructive, disciplined and high-performing Board culture.
- Strategic stewardship – maintaining focus on organisational performance, financial sustainability, risk and long-term direction.
- Group governance – supporting effective alignment between RFS-TOP and Reconnect Trust Board while respecting the distinct responsibilities of each Board.
- Constructive relationships – building trusted relationships across the Board, shareholder, Chief Executive and senior leadership while maintaining clear governance boundaries.
The Independent Chair has an opportunity to make a significant contribution to both the governance maturity of RFS-TOP and its continued ability to deliver sustainable social impact.
THE ROLE
The Independent Chair provides effective and independent governance leadership to the RFS-TOP Board, ensuring it fulfils its responsibilities within the wider Reconnect Group and operates in accordance with its Constitution, legislative obligations, governance policies, agreed delegations, shareholder arrangements and organisational values.
Central to the role is creating the conditions for the Board to govern well – maintaining a strategic and future focus, encouraging independent thinking and constructive challenge, drawing on the collective expertise of Directors and ensuring disciplined, well-informed decision-making.
Key responsibilities include:
- Leading Board effectiveness, including agenda setting, information flow, meeting discipline, constructive debate and collective decision-making.
- Maintaining Board focus on strategy, organisational performance, financial sustainability, material risks, quality, safeguarding, culture and long-term stewardship.
- Ensuring effective governance-level assurance, accountability, delegations and reporting.
- Maintaining a constructive relationship with Reconnect Trust Board and supporting alignment across the wider Group.
- Building a strong and appropriately challenging relationship with the Chief Executive, who remains the Board’s primary executive interface.
- Supporting effective Board composition, evaluation, succession planning and ongoing governance development.
- Maintaining clear boundaries between governance and management while enabling appropriate access to executive expertise and assurance.
THE CANDIDATE
The successful candidate will be an accomplished governance leader with demonstrated experience as a director and the capability to effectively chair a Board or significant governance committee.
You will bring:
- Governance leadership – the ability to lead an effective Board, enable diverse perspectives, facilitate constructive debate and build collective ownership of decisions.
- Strategic and commercial judgement – the ability to think across the organisation and wider Group, critically assess opportunities and risks, and maintain focus on purpose, performance and sustainability.
- Governance and assurance expertise – a strong understanding of directors’ duties, financial stewardship, enterprise risk, policy governance, organisational assurance and accountability.
- Group governance capability – an understanding of parent-subsidiary governance and the ability to balance RFS-TOP’s legal and fiduciary responsibilities with the purpose, values and governance arrangements of Reconnect Trust Board.
- Relationship leadership – high emotional intelligence, diplomacy and influence, with the ability to build trusted relationships and reconcile differing perspectives while maintaining independence.
- Purpose and cultural alignment – commitment to Tika, Pono and Aroha, together with an applied understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and culturally responsive governance.
You will be comfortable providing constructive challenge and holding management to account while maintaining respectful and productive relationships. Importantly, you will understand where governance ends and management begins, providing leadership through the Board rather than becoming operational.
Experience within complex social services, youth, whānau, community or adjacent service environments would be advantageous. The Board will also value experience in areas such as government contracting and commissioning, commercial or partnership development, people and culture, stakeholder and government relations, digital enablement, quality, safeguarding or service transformation.
Above all, the Independent Chair will bring integrity, independence, sound judgement and inclusive leadership, creating an environment in which the Board can make its strongest collective contribution to RFS-TOP’s purpose and future.
Candidates must be Auckland based and have the capacity to actively participate in Board meetings, committee activities and other governance responsibilities as required.
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 Wednesday, 16 September 2026.
The reference number to include in your application is H26_5566.
