Tumu Whakarae

**Location: Auckland, New Zealand**
**Position: Permanent, Full-Time**

Starship Child Health, part of Te Toka Tumai, consists of 27 services across three areas; Starship Hospital, Starship Community and Te Puaruruhau (Starship Child Protection).

We are seeking a Māori leader who is passionate and experienced about the health and well-being of our tamariki and mokopuna throughout Aotearoa and is equipped with cultural and clinical competence. The **Tumu Whakarae** is a pivotal position that will advocate and lead transformational leadership throughout Starship Child Health. The role will focus on Māori health, ensuring equitable health outcomes for mokopuna Māori and their whānau across Starship Child Health.

As the **Tumu Whakarae**, you will sit alongside and work closely with the Starship Child Health Directors, with accountability to the **Chief Advisor Tikanga**. This collaborative and dual structure provides a unique opportunity for Māori leadership in both strategy, operations, and service improvement prioritising Māori Health Outcomes at every level.

**About the Role**:
Starship believes the future of Child Health exists at the interface of indigenous science and biomedical excellence. The Tumu Whakarae is responsible for leading this transformation strategically and implementing the Starship Strategy throughout the organisation by focusing on three key areas:

- Transforming mokopuna and whānau experience.
- Advancing the child health agenda regionally and nationally.

This role will also collaborate and at times work closely with other Directorates, including Māori Health Leads throughout Te Toka Tumai, and participate in building on the foundations set by **Pūmanawa Tāngata**, Te Toka Tumai's Māori Strategic Approach.

**Key Responsibilities**:
**Transformational Leadership in Māori Health**:

- Provide cultural and clinical expertise in senior decision-making, ensuring child health equity and Māori health outcomes are prioritized.
- Lead strategic and operational initiatives to enhance Pae Ora (health and wellbeing) and ensure the implementation of the **Starship Strategy**.
- Advocate for the provision of manaakitanga, pōwhiri, whanaungatanga, and tuku atu tuku mai, fostering a culturally and clinically safe and inclusive healthcare experience for mokopuna and their whānau.
- Lead the development and implementation of strategies that enable equitable health outcomes, with priority toward mokopuna Māori, and their whānau, to access appropriate healthcare.
- Champion cultural competence, ensuring systems are in place to eliminate inequities and advance health outcomes for Māori.

**Strategic and Operational Oversight**:

- Lead the implementation of Te Toka Tumai's strategic vision, emphasizing Child Health Equity.
- Direct the ongoing development and implementation of the **Starship Strategy**to integrate both indigenous science and biomedical excellence in child health services.
- Provide leadership in improving the design and delivery of services by Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the Starship Strategy.

**Equity and Business Planning**:

- Support the Directors and Leadership Teams in designing equity-focused business plans, ensuring alignment with the Starship Strategy and Māori health priorities.
- Monitor the effectiveness of equity initiatives and support the escalation of issues when necessary.
- Lead projects that enhance child health equity and service delivery for mokopuna and whānau Māori, and eliminate systemic health inequities.

**Workforce Leadership**:

- Lead initiatives to develop Starship’s Māori workforce through the **Toi Ora campaign**, focusing on retention, well-being, and cultural safety.
- Support the development and implementation of Toi Ora strategies to build the competence of Starship’s workforce in delivering equitable care.

**Key Skills and Experience**:

- Proven leadership in Māori health, with over 5 years experience in an advanced clinical role desirable.
- Experience in developing and implementing strategies to improve health outcomes for tamariki/mokopuna Māori and their whānau.
- Competence in Tikanga Māori with extensive knowledge of implementing Te Tiriti o Waitangi strategies and initiatives, and, Māori health frameworks and approaches.
- Experience leading and driving system change to eliminate health inequities and enhance service delivery.
- Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills, with the ability to influence senior leadership, clinicians, and external partners.
- A deep commitment to cultural competence, equity, and the integration of Māori values in health systems.

**Why Join Us?**

Starship Children’s Hospital offers an opportunity to lead transformative change and make a significant impact on Māori health equity within one of the most respected pediatric hospitals in New Zealand. As part of a dynamic and supportive leadership team, you will have the autonomy to influence policy, services, and practices that directly benefit tamariki