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About – Whakarongo Mai
VOYCE– Whakarongo Mai is an independent national organisation connecting tamariki and rangatahi who have been, or are, in care. At the heart of our kaupapa is the belief that the voices of tamariki and rangatahi must be at the centre of all decisions affecting them. Working together, we aim to build a community of care-experienced children and young people who feel empowered, valued, and heard.
This position is a wonderful opportunity to be part of the VOYCE Kaupapa and that of the Tamariki and Rangatahi we walk along side, leading a dedicated team of advocates across the Wellington region to deliver exceptional service and outcomes for those we serve.
About the role | Ko te mahi nei
This is an exciting leadership position within our National Operations Team, reporting to the National Operations Manager. This role leads and supports a regional team of kaimahi across the Midlands region (Waikato, Waiariki, Hauraki, Taranaki and Whanganui) to uphold our organisational purpose, vision and cultural foundations and deliver exceptional advocacy outcomes
aligned to organisational strategic objectives and operational goals. You will lead a small team, providing strong, values-based leadership across the region to ensure VOYCE-Whakrongo Mai delivers high quality, child centred, and mana enhancing advocacy service.
The Kaiwhakahaere ensures the effective and efficient delivery of services to Tamariki and
Rangatahi with a focus on excellence in practice, operational consistency, and continuous improvement. They lead people and practice in a way that fosters collaboration, wellbeing, and professional growth, enabling kaimahi to thrive and deliver exceptional advocacy outcomes that support organisational strategic and operational performance, goal achievement.
As part of this role you will:
- Providestrategic and empowering leadership to teams of Kaiwhakamana (Kaimahi),
ensuring the delivery of high-quality advocacy and connection services to
rangatahi across the region, including those living within group care
environments such as youth justice and care and protection residences.
- Champion service excellence and consistency by embedding best practice frameworks and
driving operational efficiency across all regional services.
- Ensure services are effective, efficient, and continuously improving through robust quality
assurance, monitoring, and evaluation processes.
- Oversee the case management of rangatahi to ensure alignment with organisational frameworks, statutory requirements, and best practice standards that safeguard wellbeing and enhance long-term outcomes.
- Actively contribute to organisational strategic planning and lead the development, implementation, and monitoring of the annual regional service plan to deliver on strategic priorities and outcomes.
- Demonstrate strong financial acumen and data analysis experience, capable of making sound data informed decisions.
About you | Ko Koe Tēnei
As Kaiwhakahaere, you will have an established understanding of the role independent advocacy plays within the social system and experience successfully leading and managing service delivery operations within a social work services context or comparable organisation. You lead with integrity and embrace the values of Tika, Pono, Aroha, Manakitanga. You are comfortable leading from a diverse and balanced perspective, embracing tikanga Māori and a Te Tiriti o Waitangi
informed approach.
We are looking for someone who has:
- A tertiary qualification in either social work, human services, education, community development or similar discipline
- Proven experience in successfully leading and managing service delivery operations within a social work services context or comparable organisation.
- An in-depth knowledge and experience of the Care Sector, including group care (e.g., Youth Justice and Care and Protection residencies)
- Proven experience leading high-performance teams
- Demonstrated knowledge of relevant national standards, legislation, regulations and an
understanding of theories and framework models including child protection, attachment theory, family violence, trauma informed, separation, grief and loss, change theories.
- Experience in management disciplines, including strategic and business planning, risk
management, human resources, finance, performance management, stakeholder engagement (including funding pathways) and information management.
- Demonstrated experience working within a national service delivery environment to deliver
client focused outcomes, and organisational strategic objectives.
- Proficiency or aspiration to learn Te Reo Māori with a commitment to the principles of the
Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
- The ability to form and maintain successful partnerships with iwi, whānau and hapu, and Māori organisations and demonstrate understanding of Māori tikanga and Te Ao Māori.
- Proven experience working with Pasifika aiga and organisations working alongside Māori and Pasifika communities.
- Highly developed written, verbal communication, interpersonal, and negotiation skills, (including the ability to resolve conflict and solve complex problems) with a range of diverse people, including service users and key stakeholders.
- Excellent computer literacy.
- Flexibility and availability for travel around the region, as well as further afield when required, at times requiring overnight stays.
What’s in it for you? He aha ngā hua ki a koe?
Working for VOYCE Whakarongo Mai allows you to contribute directly to the current and
future experience of Tamariki and Rangatahi care-experienced and have a
positive impact on those that walk along side them.
You will also benefit from:
- Access to training programmes, workshops and development opportunities
- Our comprehensive induction programme
- A comprehensive health-care plan, including dental
- The “Raise” Employee Assistance Programme
- Celebrated Birthday – Paid day off when your birthday is on a “working day”
Additional Information | Ko ētahi atu kōrero:
Hours of work: Monday to Friday, with
some after-hours and weekend work required from time to time
Position: Full-time, permanent
Location: On-site, primarily based at the Papamoa office
Closing date: Friday, 10 July 2026 at 5pm
At VOYCE – Whakarongo Mai, we are dedicated to building a
diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you’re interested in this
role but your background doesn’t align perfectly with the job description, we
encourage you to apply anyway.
We want to make the recruitment process as seamless as
possible for you. If you require any
support to help, put the best “You” forward for this role, please reach out to
us at pandc@voyce.org.nz
Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and interviews may take place prior to the close
date. This means we reserve the right to close a job ad before the advertised
close date.
