Associate Clinical Nurse Manager - Theatre Controller

Associate Clinical Nurse Manager - Theatre Controller Associate Clinical Nurse Manager – Theatre Controller Whanganui Hospital | Permanent Full Time 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 Are you an experienced perioperative nurse looking for the next step in your leadership career? Join our passionate and progressive perioperative team as an Associate Clinical Nurse Manager – Theatre Controller , where you'll play a pivotal role in ensuring the smooth coordination of our operating theatres while helping shape the future of surgical services in Whanganui. Working alongside the Clinical Nurse Manager and the Associate Clinical Nurse Manager – Perioperative Care, you will lead the daily operational coordination of our four-theatre suite, balancing elective and acute demands to ensure patients receive safe, timely and efficient care. This is a fast-paced role where every day presents new challenges, requiring sound clinical judgement, exceptional organisational skills and the ability to bring multidisciplinary teams together. As Theatre Controller, you will be at the heart of theatre operations—coordinating theatre lists, supporting patient flow, responding to changing clinical priorities and working collaboratively with surgeons, anaesthetists and nursing teams to maximise theatre utilisation and deliver outstanding patient outcomes. This is an exciting opportunity to combine hands‑on clinical leadership with operational management while contributing to service improvements and helping develop the next generation of perioperative nurses. Key responsibilities include: Leading the day‑to‑day coordination of elective and acute operating theatre activity. Supporting safe, efficient patient flow across the perioperative service. Providing visible clinical leadership and acting as a resource for the multidisciplinary team. Coaching and mentoring staff while fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement. Working closely with surgeons, anaesthetists and theatre teams to optimise theatre utilisation and service delivery. Supporting workforce planning, staffing allocation and operational decision‑making alongside the Clinical Nurse Manager. Driving quality improvement initiatives and promoting excellence in patient safety and clinical governance. About the Team Whanganui Hospital's Perioperative Service is a supportive, high-performing team delivering elective and acute surgery across four operating theatres. We pride ourselves on providing high-quality patient care while creating an environment where people genuinely enjoy coming to work. Our leadership team is committed to investing in our people, encouraging innovation and supporting professional growth. We value fresh ideas and empower our staff to influence service improvements that make a real difference to both patients and colleagues. If you're looking for a role where your leadership will be recognised, your ideas welcomed and your contribution valued, you'll feel at home in our team. About You You are an experienced perioperative Registered Nurse who thrives in a dynamic environment and enjoys bringing people together to achieve the best outcomes for patients. You have excellent organisational skills, remain calm under pressure and are passionate about supporting others to succeed. You will bring: Current registration with the Nursing Council of New Zealand and a current Annual Practising Certificate. A minimum of three years' recent perioperative nursing experience. Previous leadership or senior nursing experience. Excellent communication and relationship‑building skills. Strong clinical judgement, critical thinking and decision‑making abilities. A passion for quality improvement and delivering exceptional patient care. Expert or Senior PDRP, or be working towards Expert level. A relevant postgraduate qualification or a commitment to working towards one. Why Choose Whanganui? Imagine finishing work and being home within ten minutes. Spend your weekends walking black‑sand beaches, paddling the iconic Whanganui River, exploring mountain bike trails, or enjoying one of New Zealand's most vibrant arts and café communities. Whanganui offers the lifestyle many people are searching for—affordable housing, excellent schools, minimal traffic, and easy access to Wellington, Taranaki and the central North Island. Here you'll enjoy genuine work‑life balance without compromising your career opportunities. At Whanganui Hospital you'll become part of a close-knit team where your leadership is visible, your contribution matters, and you have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact every single day. Working at Health New Zealand Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of New Zealand. We embrace a workforce that is diverse and inclusive so that we are better positioned to understand and serve our communities. We welcome applications from our diverse Māori, Pacific, disabled, and rainbow communities. If you are looking for a leadership opportunity where you can grow professionally while enjoying an outstanding quality of life, we'd love to hear from you. Job details Job Reference: Job Reference: 08-CONT-5527 Location: North Island - Manawatu / Whanganui - Whanganui Job type: Job type: Permanent Full time Expertise: Clinical - Nursing - Registered Nurse Clinical - Nursing - Management Clinical - Nursing - Senior Nursing Clinical - Nursing - Operating Rooms/Theatres/Recovery #J-18808-Ljbffr