Associate Charge Nurse Manager - Outpatients

Location: Kenepuru and Wellington Regional Hospital Contract: Permanent, 1.0 FTE About the Company Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is dedicated to upholding the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, ensuring that we serve all New Zealanders effectively. We are committed to building an integrated health system that emphasizes partnership, equity, sustainability, and whanau-centered care, while striving for excellence in all aspects of our service. About the Role We are looking for an Associate Charge Nurse Manager (ACNM) to join our Outpatient Services team. In this senior leadership position, you will provide both clinical and operational direction, working alongside the Charge Nurse Manager to deliver safe and high-quality care across a range of specialties, including both elective and acute services. A significant aspect of this role is fostering the education and professional development of staff. You will promote a culture of continuous learning, clinical excellence, and reflective practice. The ACNM will coordinate First Specialist Assessments (FSAs) and Follow-Up (FU) appointments across multiple outpatient sites, ensuring compliance with government health targets and equity goals. This includes optimizing patient flow, staffing, and supporting clinical teams in effectively managing increasing service demands. You will play a crucial role in quality improvement and change leadership, implementing initiatives that enhance patient safety, reduce variations in care, and improve access to our services. In partnership with the Charge Nurse Manager, you will help cultivate a high-performing, accountable team culture through visible leadership, mentorship, and a strong focus on staff development. The salary range for this role is MECA Step Grade 2 Step 1-3, depending on experience. This position is essential in delivering equitable, patient-centered care and driving ongoing service improvement in a dynamic and high-demand ambulatory care environment. About the Team/Service/Location Our Outpatients team operates across both Kenepuru Community Hospital and Wellington Regional Hospital, providing high-quality ambulatory care to a diverse and growing patient population. Our team consists of Registered Nurses, Enrolled Nurses, and Health Care Assistants, who collaborate in an inclusive and culturally diverse environment while engaging with various stakeholders throughout the hospital and Health New Zealand. Each team member enjoys a significant level of autonomy in managing their own clinics across a broad range of specialties. We serve as a crucial link in the patient journey, ensuring safe, timely, and effective care from initial community referral through to discharge. This role is vital in fostering a high-performing team culture and meeting the increasing demands of outpatient services in a continually evolving healthcare landscape. About You We are seeking a confident nurse leader with experience in outpatient or ambulatory care. Ideally, you will be on the Expert or Senior PDRP and hold or be working towards a Master’s degree. You should possess a patient-centered approach, strong clinical judgment, and a commitment to equity, excellence, and continuous improvement. However, we also welcome applications from nurses ready to transition into leadership roles, as we offer mentorship and development opportunities. You thrive in a dynamic environment and are adaptable to change, with a proven ability to coordinate services across multiple sites. Your collaborative style, sound clinical judgment, and capacity to mentor others are key attributes. You communicate clearly and responsively, leading by example to foster a positive, accountable, and inclusive team culture. You are passionate about improving systems, enhancing patient flow, and ensuring safe, high-quality care for all. Working at Health New Zealand At Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora, we are committed to improving the health and well-being of the communities we serve. Our people are at the core of everything we do, and we are dedicated to being exemplary employers while honoring our equal employment opportunity responsibilities. We embrace diversity and encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds.