Catering Instructor- Waikeria

Whaaia te maatauranga hei oranga moo koutou; Seek after wisdom for the sake of your wellbeing.

Nau Mai, Haere Mai, we welcome you to join our team

• Full time Permanent Position
• Play a critical role within a high performing team
• Role based at Waikeria Prison

Mo te tunga | About the role

Catering Instructor – Waikeria Prison

Are you looking for a challenging position where you can apply your skills, develop others, and make a meaningful impact?

In this varied role as a Catering Instructor, you will be working with and providing direct supervision and practical training to the tane in our care within a commercial kitchen setting for general meal preparation, cooking, and delivery.

You will also oversee operations in the staff cafeteria and provide cover within the prison bakery as part of a larger team.

Catering :

The central kitchen at Waikeria Prison supplies three meals a day, seven days a week, for both high-security and low-security prisoners.

As a Catering and Laundry Instructor, you will also be responsible for providing catering for events within the facility.

The central kitchen aligns with the Department's commitment to providing meaningful learning activities for the tane by offering employment, work experience, and qualification training opportunities in food preparation and catering.

Additionally, the kitchen utilizes a cook-chill process for dinner meals, enhancing efficiency and meal quality.

Tane workers are always supervised by Corrections Instructors when working in any of the industry areas.

Staff Cafeteria :

The Staff Cafeteria is equipped to serve up to 75 staff daily, Monday through Friday.

It provides a range of meals and beverages, including barista coffee, with indoor and outdoor seating areas available for staff to enjoy their meals in a comfortable environment.

Additionally, staff can bring in and heat their own meals.

Tane workers assist in the cafeteria operations, contributing to their rehabilitation and skill development, and are overseen by Corrections Instructors.

Bakery : (experience preferred but not essential)

Operating Monday to Friday, the Bakery can produce 2,400 loaves of bread, 2,400 biscuits, 4,800 muffins, and 4,800 meat pies.

Tane workers are employed in bakery operations and are given valuable training and employment opportunities.

They are supervised primarily by specialized Bakery Corrections Instructors.

While this is not part of the main duties for this role, you may be called upon to provide cover.

Experience working in a commercial laundry is preferred but not essential.

Shifts / Operating Hours

The kitchen will be operational seven days a week, including public holidays.

The Bakery, Staff Cafeteria, and Laundry will operate five days a week.

All industry instructors will work 8-hour shifts, with operations running between 0700 and 1800.

If you want to learn more about being a Catering Instructor, click here to visit our role page.

Mou | About you

We are looking for a person who is qualified in Catering and commercial kitchens and holds a relevant trade qualification, and experience in a commercial laundry is preferred but not essential.

You will also need to have great people skills and the motivation to want to manage and develop the tane in Prison – This is a role with unique challenges and rewards.

This rewarding position will suit someone who possesses :

You will also need a Full New Zealand Drivers Licence and a legal right to work in Aotearoa.

Nga pukenga me nga wheako | Skills and experience

Our Industries Team are all about supporting the tane in Prison to improve their work habits, work experiences and skills so that they can increase their chances of obtaining sustainable and legitimate mahi on their release.

By providing this foundation to success, we reduce reoffending and keep our communities safer.

Nga painga | The benefits

The full salary range is $72,514 - $90,322 per annum.

Appointment and remuneration will reflect skills and experience relevant to the role.

Mo matou | About us

Join Ara Poutama Aotearoa - Department of Corrections, where your work will contribute to improving public safety, reducing re-offending, and address the overrepresentation of Maori in correctional facilities.

As a values-led organisation, we use the principles of rangatira (leadership), manaaki (respect), wairua (spirituality), kaitiaki (guardianship), and whanau (relationships) to guide our work and achieve the goals of our Hokai Rangi strategy.

We value inclusion and diversity in our workforce, and as a Public Service organisation we are committed to building a workforce that reflects the public we serve.

We strive to make our recruitment process fair, and we encourage you to discuss reasonable accommodations with us if required.

Tono inaianei | Apply Now

To submit an application and view the position description, click the apply link.

All applications must be submitted through our careers site to ensure transparency – applications received via email will not be considered.

When applying, submit a tailored CV and a cover letter describing your motivation for joining the department highlighting relevant skills and experience and the alignment to our work.

Applications close on : 13th October 2025

If you have any questions or want to learn more about a career with us, contact