Core Occupational Therapist For Our New Tamariki (Child) Team, Mental Health & Addiction Services

Mo tenei turanga mahi| About this role

Want to make a real impact? Heres your chance.

Were looking for passionate and skilled Mental Health Occupational Therapists with a special interest in working with primary and intermediate school-aged tamariki.

This is a full-time, permanent opportunity to be part of an exciting new service focused on making a meaningful difference in the lives of tamariki and their whaanau in South Auckland.

Kotahi te kohao o te ngira e kuhuna ai te miro ma, te miro pango, te miro whero.

This Tainui whakatauaakii urges us to develop connections and to work collaboratively towards a common vision.

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.

The Opportunity :

Were excited to be establishing a new Tamariki team and are seeking experienced Occupational Therapists to provide specialist mental health care for tamariki and their whaanau across South Auckland. Serving an ethnically diverse population, this new team will strengthen connections with local schools, primary care, and community networks. While the main hub is based in East Tamaki, clinicians will also work from various satellite offices across the region.

We are looking for highly motivated and experienced clinicians who are passionate about working with tamariki and whaanau. This is a unique opportunity to help shape a new service from the beginning. As a member of a multi-disciplinary team, you will provide consultation, assessment, and evidence-based treatment to tamariki presenting with mental health challenges. Youll also be involved in supporting whaanau, coordinating care, and working closely with schools, paediatricians, and other key stakeholders.

This role offers the chance to further develop your expertise in child and adolescent mental health within a supportive and dynamic team. If you are an experienced mental health Occupational Therapist with a strong interest in child and adolescent wellbeing or are looking for a fresh and rewarding career change wed love to hear from you.

Essential :

NZ Registration with OTBNZ

Current Annual Practicing Certificate (APC)

Minimum of 1 years post registration experience in Mental Health and Addictions.

Full, NZ drivers licence with no limitations

Post Grad Certificate in Mental Health or equivalent (eg. NESP)

Understanding of the Te Tiriti O Waitangi and cultural competencies required in the service

Desirable :

Understanding of child development.

Previous experience working with children.

Previous experience using therapeutic interventions with children.

Post Grad Cert in ICAMHS.

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 service our community. We welcome applications from our diverse Maori, 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 29th September 2025. To view the job description foroccupational therapist please click here.

For more information, please contact Avril on

• or Amy on

We will review applications as received and may proceed with the recruitment process, before the closing date of this advert.

At Counties Manukau Health people and their lives matter to us. We are a values based and inclusive organisation that is committed to delivering the best health outcomes for our community. To help us achieve this we need a workforce that reflects the population we serve. We strongly encourage applications from all backgrounds who share our values and have a passion to work in our community and would greatly value seeing applicants from our Maaori and Pacific communities. We are also committed to our Disability Strategy, which focuses on people with disabilities; they are our patients, whaanau, community and our staff - all carefully considered in our action plan. Together we will improve the accessibility needs for everyone who has a disability. Our values are Valuing Everyone- Whakawhanaungatanga , Kind Manaakitanga, Together Kotahitanga, Excellent- Rangatiratanga. If these are your values too, then join us today.