District Chief Midwife

Provide professional leadership for midwives across Te Tai Tokerau Northland Lead midwifery excellence and shape the future of maternity care Contribute to high quality, timely care as part of the district senior leadership team Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is firmly grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is committed to building a health system that serves all New Zealanders. About the role Health New Zealand is seeking an exceptional midwifery leader to join us as Chief Midwife to provide professional, strategic and operational leadership and champion the delivery of safe, equitable and whānau-centred maternity care across the Te Tai Tokerau district. The District Chief Midwife forms part of the district senior leadership team and provides clinical partnership to the Group Director of Operations and other colleagues to ensure a clinical voice is part of senior decision making. The role provides an exciting opportunity to lead change and improvement for midwifery across Te Tai Tokerau, with a focus on Health NZ provided hospital and specialist services. Health NZ - Te Tai Tokerau provides health services to a diverse population of more than 210,000 people. Key aspects of the role include: Leading midwifery and maternity workforce development, professional standards and clinical excellence. Providing strategic clinical leadership, advice and input into service planning, quality improvement and operational decision-making. Leading and strengthening clinical governance, patient safety and quality systems across maternity services. Partnering with leaders across Health NZ, primary and community providers, iwi, hapū, education providers and national networks to improve maternity outcomes. Supporting service continuity, workforce sustainability, emergency response planning and achievement of organisational objectives. Contributing to regional and national programmes of work through an agreed professional portfolio. To view the full position description for this role, Click here About you You are an accomplished and respected midwifery leader who combines strong clinical credibility with strategic thinking, operational expertise and a passion for improving outcomes for whānau. You thrive in complex environments and are motivated by the opportunity to influence system-level change. You will bring: Significant senior clinical leadership experience within maternity and midwifery services. Extensive experience in service planning, workforce development, quality improvement and operational leadership. Demonstrated success in leading change, managing complexity and delivering strategic outcomes. Strong understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and a proven commitment to achieving equitable health outcomes for Māori. Outstanding relationship-building, communication and influencing skills across diverse stakeholder groups. Financial, operational and risk management expertise, with the ability to make sound decisions in complex environments. Experience developing high-performing teams and creating positive, inclusive workplace cultures. Registration with the Midwifery Council of New Zealand and a current Annual Practising Certificate. Working in Te Tai Tokerau Health New Zealand - Te Tai Tokerau offers a unique opportunity to lead meaningful health transformation in partnership with iwi, hapū, communities and clinicians. Youll be part of a system committed to equity, innovation and better outcomes, whilst enjoying the lifestyle, connection and natural beauty of Northland. Our main hospital site is located in Whangārei (where this role will be based), with three non-urban hospital in Dargaville, Bay of Islands and Kaitaia and multiple clinical sites across the district. We have our main birthing centre (with on-site obstetric support) in Whangārei with primary birthing units in Bay of Islands and Kaitaia. For more information on living and working in Northland, click here Why Join Us? This is an opportunity to make a lasting impact on maternity services, influence strategic direction, and support the development of a thriving midwifery workforce. You will join a committed and collaborative leadership team dedicated to delivering outstanding care for women, babies and whānau. Working at Health New Zealand Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of Aotearoa New Zealand. We embrace a workforce that is diverse and inclusive so that we are better positioned to understand and service our community. We welcome applications from our diverse Māori, Pacific, disabled, and rainbow communities. How to Apply To apply please click apply now. All applications must be submitted through our online careers portal by 2 nd August 2026. If you have any questions about the role, please contact Emma Hicks at [email protected]. We will review applications as received and may proceed with the recruitment process, before the closing date of this advert. #J-18808-Ljbffr