Project Lead - Dementia Workforce Development

• 12 month fixed-term + Based in either Auckland or Hamilton
• Flexible + Hybrid working model + Work-life balance
• Join a team that values collaboration, innovation, equity and continuous learning

Lead work of national significance and influence Helping to build the workforce that people living with dementia and their whānau need.

Tēnā koutou katoa,
Tuhia ki te rangi,
Tuhia ki te whenua,
Tuhia ki te ngākau o ngā tāngata.
Tihei mauri ora!

Greetings one and all,
What is written in the sky,
is written on the earth,
and written on the hearts of people.
Let life reign!

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role
Every day, people living with dementia (mate wareware) and their whānau get support from a wide range of workers. They include clinical staff, aged care staff, community workers, disability support workers, housing providers and many more. Right now, Aotearoa New Zealand has no contemporary shared national picture of what those workers need to know, where the gaps are, or how to prepare for growing demand.

You’ll lead work to help change that.

Te Pou is looking for an experienced project leader to scope and develop an Aotearoa-specific Dementia Workforce Development Framework. You’ll build a foundation for national workforce planning and investment for years to come.

What you’ll achieve
In 12 months, you’ll lead work that delivers:

• A national dementia workforce framework covering health, disability, aged care, community, social services, housing and whānau support
• Baseline workforce data that gives the sector a shared starting point
• A clear view of capability gaps, and of the opportunities to close them
• A stronger case for investment that supports the Dementia Action Plan 2026–2031

How you’ll do it
You’ll work alongside Dementia NZ and other sector organisations, providers, government agencies, whānau and people with lived experience. You will:

• Lead the project from scoping through to delivery
• Bring diverse stakeholders together through workshops, forums, webinars and presentations
• Analyse workforce data, capability, education pathways and future need
• Make sure diverse voices, including Māori, Pacific peoples, lived experience and whānau, shape the work from start to finish
• Turn your findings into practical, system-wide recommendations
• Work with Te Pou’s specialist teams to produce high-quality resources

This is a full-time, fixed term role for 12 months. You will be working Monday to Friday, 32 – 40 hours per week. Worked flexibly you can be based in either our Auckland or Hamilton office.

Mōu | About you
You’re a strategic thinker who builds trust quickly and gets people moving towards a shared goal, even when the path isn’t clear yet.

You’ll bring:

• Significant experience leading complex projects, programmes or strategic initiatives
• A relevant tertiary qualification in health or a related field
• Experience in health, mental health, addiction, aged care, disability, community or social services
• Strong skills in stakeholder engagement, facilitation and influencing
• Knowledge of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and tikanga Māori, and how they apply in practice
• A commitment to equity and culturally responsive approaches
• Clear, confident writing and reporting
• Comfort working with complexity and changing priorities

Nice to have: experience in workforce planning and development, change management or implementation.

About Te Pou
Te Pou is a national centre of workforce development that supports the mental health, addiction and the wellbeing workforce in Aotearoa New Zealand. Blueprint for Learning is our partner learning and development organisation. We work alongside organisations to strengthen workforce capability through evidence‑informed practice, practical resources, education, training and system leadership.

Our work is grounded in recovery, equity, human rights and Te Tiriti o Waitangi, with a strong focus on improving outcomes for people, whānau and communities.

Ngā āhuatanga kei a mātou | The Benefits

• Flexible work environment, work-life balance
• Hybrid work model
• Perk plus discount app
• Discounted premiums with Southern Cross
• Wise Group House, Contents and car insurance plan
• Financial risk and planning review
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)

Position Description: To view a full position description, please copy and paste the link below into your browser: https://www.wisegroup.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Project-Lead-Dementia-Workforce-2026.pdf

Contact | Whakapā: Amanda Bradley, National Manager – consumer, peer support, lived experience on Amanda.Bradley@tepou.co.nz if you have any questions.

Applications close | Rā Katinga: 18 November 2026. This advert may close sooner if a suitable candidate is found.

For more information please visit https://www.tepou.co.nz