Head of Department of General Practice

Job Description

Head of Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care

Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor/Professor

• Attract, inspire and mentor the next generation of medical students to achieve their potential.
• Lead the Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care to have real impact on the health of all New Zealanders.
• Live and work in Aotearoa New Zealand's largest, most cosmopolitan and culturally diverse city.

The University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau is Aotearoa New Zealand's leading and most comprehensive, research-intensive university (#65 in 2026 QS World University Rankings), and in the top 30 of both THE University Impact Rankings (#28) and QS Sustainability Rankings for 2025 (#17).

The University's mission and values place a strong emphasis on both our student body and our scholarly community. We work with communities to advance the well-being of the people of Aotearoa, New Zealand, and beyond. The School of Population Health is located on our Grafton campus, within the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences and adjacent to Auckland City Hospital and Starship Children's Hospital.

The School of Population Health's mission is to collaborate widely to provide knowledge and skills needed to improve the health of all New Zealanders. The School is organised into six sections: General Practice and Primary Health Care, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Health Systems, Audiology, Pacific Health, and Social and Community Health. While the student body is primarily postgraduate, the School also offers an undergraduate Bachelor of Health Sciences and contributes to medical training from the second to sixth year.

The Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care leads rural health and immunisation initiatives, and offers extensive teaching and research programmes from undergraduate to doctoral levels. Staff are engaged in a broad range of research, including chronic disease management, mental health, health equity, and professional education. The Department also houses the Goodfellow Unit, providing continuing education to GPs, nurses and other primary health care professionals.

We invite applications from qualified GPs/Primary Care Physicians with an established research and innovative teaching profile in the field of General Practice and/or Primary Health Care. You will be enthusiastic about providing academic leadership in your field and continuing to grow your research profile. You will also demonstrate commitment to high-quality research-informed teaching and to supporting and mentoring postgraduate students and early-career researchers creating a positive, supportive, and collaborative environment in which they will thrive.

As Head of Department you will bring an inclusive and collaborative leadership style, contributing to an environment that fosters excellence in research, teaching and learning. Enable both clinical and academic staff to realise their potential and success.

The appointee will demonstrate personal credibility and interpersonal skills, essential to contributing to the leadership, relevance and reputation of the Department and Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences.

Appointed to a substantive academic role at a level consistent with the University of Auckland Academic Standards, you will have an MBChB or equivalent degree and ideally be a practising/registered GP with experience in tertiary teaching and research. For overseas candidates, we will provide support throughout your registration process with the Medical Council of New Zealand, including adjusting your FTE as needed to ensure registration is achieved within an appropriate timeframe.

The University of Auckland occupies a unique position in Aotearoa New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific as its largest university and an international centre of learning and academic excellence. Auckland is a vibrant, cosmopolitan, and rapidly growing city with a population of 1.8m and is the commercial heart of Aotearoa New Zealand. We have an abundance of natural features, including four stunning harbours and accessible coastline, native bush and moderate temperatures, which help us to retain our reputation as one of the best cities in the world in which to live.

We aspire to contribute to a fair, ethical, and sustainable society, reflecting our commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and our foundational relationship with tangata whenua. The University is committed to a culture that encourages and supports staff to reach their full potential in an inclusive and collaborative community of scholars. We welcome applications from Māori and Pacific candidates, as well as other applicants who will enhance the diversity of our staff and strengthen our links with diverse communities.

Applications must be submitted by 8 February 2026 (further details in the Candidate booklet).

For a confidential conversation about the role, please contact:

Dr Kathrin Soehnel, Academic Executive Search Consultant, University of Auckland,

Additional Information

Equity

The University is committed to meeting its obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi and achieving equity outcomes for staff and students in a safe, inclusive, and equitable environment. For further information on services for Māori, Pacific, women, LGBTQIATakatāpuiMVPFAFF+, people with disabilities, parenting support, flexible work and other personal circumstances go to