Psychologist - Hamilton

Psychologist - Hamilton at Ara Poutama Aotearoa (Department of Corrections), Waikato

"Ehara taku toa I te toa takitahi engari he toa takitini"

– Maori proverb (

my strength is not the strength of my own, but the strength of many)

We're in the business of facilitating positive change.

If that sounds like something you are interested in, please read on and apply!

Registered Psychologist (To cover parental leave; 3 November 2025 to 17 April 2026)

Fixed term Contract / Secondment, Full-time (40 hours)

Tai Aroha Residential Community of Change; Hamilton

An opportunity to be involved in an exciting transition to a new permanent site

Mo te tunga | About the role

Exciting times are ahead.

This role would see you supporting the Tai Aroha team during a period of relocation to their new permanent site in Hamilton.

The Tai Aroha programme has been running in the Hamilton community since 2010.

It is one of several rehabilitation and reintegration services helping people make positive changes to turn their lives around and work towards a violence free future.

While in the Psychologist role at Tai Aroha, you would be working alongside other programme facilitators, psychologists, kaupapa maori practitioner, reintegration coordinators and other support staff to help our residents address the causes of their offending and build pathways to a crime-free life.

We appreciate the different skill set within our team who come from different backgrounds, cultures, education, and experience – they all share the ability to motivate and work alongside others to support them to make positive changes in their lives.

We're looking for someone who can actively listen and understand those we work with and are keen to help them gain insight into their harmful behaviours.

To undertake this role, you will need to be comfortable walking alongside people on their journey and consistently reflecting on your own practice.

To be considered for this role you must be registered with the New Zealand Psychologists' Board and hold a current Annual Practicing Certificate.

We are seeking someone who :

Is an effective listener and communicator and who can build strong positive relationships with colleagues, participants and other stakeholders

Have knowledge of, or are willing to learn about Maori culture, protocols and peoples and be able to implement Maori-centred practice in their work

Have experience in delivering and facilitating therapeutic interventions, either individual or, ideally, group therapy

Have experience in delivering and facilitating therapeutic interventions, ideally, to people with high-risk of violence

Have life experience that means you can work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds and ethnic groups

Are comfortable having their practice viewed and are receptive of regular feedback on their practice

Have experience with report writing

Applicants must be a New Zealand citizen, New Zealand Resident Permit holder, Australian citizen or an Australian resident who holds a current Australian Resident Return Visa.

Applicants must also hold a full NZ driver licence.

Please note that this is Fixed Term Contract or Secondment.

The position is full-time and front-facing (based on site Monday to Friday), with a start date in early November 2025.

The support of your substantive manager is required for any expression of interest in a secondment opportunity.

The salary range for the role is $83,286 - $133,370 per annum.

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

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.

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.

Employer : Ara Poutama Aotearoa (Department of Corrections)

Note : You may be redirected to the employer's careers website.

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