Practice Leader - Youth Focused Organisation

Jora New Zealand will close on 9th September 2026. Thank you for being with us, we are cheering you on as you continue your career journey. Practice Leader - Youth Focused Organisation Te Aka Ora Charitable Trust – Gisborne, North Island As Practice Leader, you will help strengthen the quality, consistency and confidence of social work practice across Te Aka Ora. You will work alongside Social Workers, supervisors, leadership team and community partners to provide practice guidance, develop capability, encourage reflective practice and ensure services continue to deliver positive outcomes for rangatahi, tamariki, whānau and communities. The role has a strong focus on professional practice leadership, continuous improvement and supporting staff to exercise sound professional judgement. You will also contribute to developing the workforce through professional development, reflective supervision, induction and opportunities for ongoing learning. Key responsibilities Lead, influence, and support Social Workers to exercise professional expertise, decision making and judgement Identify areas needing practice improvement and work with the management team to implement strategies and plans to strengthen practice Facilitate the implementation of practice initiatives, tools and systems Ensure practice policies are promoted, enhanced and adhered to Support provisions for supervision within the organisation Lead the development, implementation and evaluation of the Professional Development Plan in conjunction with the Operations Manager Provide leadership and influence to facilitate transfer of learning from training and other learning opportunities Strengthen the climate of critical thinking and reflective supervision on site Support induction of new staff and maintain knowledge currency within the site Identify trends and developments in practice and apply a continuous improvement approach to service delivery About you Qualified Social Worker with a recognised tertiary Social Work qualification Current registration with the Social Workers Registration Board (SWRB) Significant practical experience working within social work, social services or a related community setting Demonstrated experience in practice leadership, supervision or professional advisory work Experience working with rangatahi, whānau and communities, with a strong understanding of Youth Development and Community Development approaches Ability to support Social Workers to strengthen their professional practice, critical thinking, decision-making and reflective practice Understanding of contemporary social work practice, relevant legislation, professional standards and ethical responsibilities Ability to confidently navigate complex practice and casework Demonstrated culturally responsive practice and comfort working within kaupapa and environments informed by mātauranga Māori Excellent communication, relationship-building and leadership skills About us Te Aka Ora Charitable Trust's work is grounded in supporting whānau to identify their strengths and aspirations, mobilising resources and opportunities that enable whānau and communities to realise their potential. We are a whanau first, kaupapa Maori organisation based in Gisborne Tairawhiti. dThe vision is to embody the qualities of Mihingaretanga – love, faith and hope modelled by Te Karaiti – in everything we do. APPLICATIONS CLOSE: 16TH SEPTEMBER 2026 AT 3PM #J-18808-Ljbffr