Clinical Nurse Specialist - Rimutaka Prison

Provide specialist mental health care in a unique prison environment. Support some of Aotearoa’s most vulnerable people to heal and thrive. Grow your leadership in a culturally safe, values‑led team Ngā kawenga.

As a Clinical Nurse Specialist Mental Health, you’ll join a skilled, multi‑disciplinary team delivering specialist nursing care within the prison environment. This is an opportunity to work at the forefront of mental health practice, supporting people with complex needs while contributing to meaningful, long‑term change.

In this role, you’ll lead clinical assessment, triage, and evidence‑based interventions, working across primary health and tertiary mental health services to ensure seamless, person‑centred care. You’ll play a key role in shaping rehabilitation‑focused practice, grounded in respect, dignity, and humanising, healing approaches to care.

As a senior clinician within the Intervention and Support Practice Team, you’ll also guide and support the professional development of fellow mental health practitioners. You’ll contribute to a collaborative, reflective team culture that values clinical excellence, strong supervision, and ongoing learning.

This is a role for someone passionate about culturally safe practice and meaningful partnership with Māori. Our teams honour the mana and inherent worth of all tangata and their whānau, and we are committed to care that is compassionate, equitable, and clinically robust.

We’re looking for an experienced, values‑aligned mental health nurse who brings both clinical expertise and cultural humility to their practice. You will:

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• Be a Registered Nurse with a current Nursing Council of NZ Annual Practising Certificate.
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• Ideally have 5+ years’ experience in mental health nursing.
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• Hold, or be working towards, a postgraduate qualification in Mental Health.
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Your experience may come from primary/community, secondary, or tertiary mental health settings, and you’ll be confident supporting people with acute and complex mental health and/or addiction needs. You’ll also demonstrate:

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• Strong understanding of professional, ethical, and legislative requirements for delivering mental health care within a prison context.
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• Proven cultural competence, including knowledge of TeTiriti oWaitangi and experience working with Māori, whānau, and iwi.
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• A commitment to reflective practice, collaboration, and leadership within a multidisciplinary environment.
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Experience working within the New Zealand health system, along with relevant NZ qualifications and registration, is highly desirable and will support a smooth transition into the role.

The full salary range for this role is $116,306–$123,873, with appointment and remuneration reflecting your skills, experience, and clinical competency.

We value diversity and are committed to a fair and inclusive recruitment process. If you require reasonable accommodations, we encourage you to discuss this with us.