Psychologist, Special Treatment Unit - Spring Hill

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

• Become a part of a world-leading treatment unit for men with serious offending where you can develop and share your expertise as a treatment provider.
• Make a real difference in the lives of offenders, their whānau and the community.
• Be part of a close-knit, diverse and innovative team of passionate people.

Mō te tūnga | About the role

Puna Tatari Special Treatment Unit is a dedicated 40-bed therapeutic community at Spring Hill Prison, renowned for its success in supporting the rehabilitation and reintegration of men with histories of serious offending.

As a psychologist at Puna Tatari, you will be at the heart of a transformative journey. You will build meaningful therapeutic alliances with the men in our care, many of whom have faced significant challenges, and work closely with colleagues to create an environment where they feel secure enough to lower their defences and engage in real change.

Your work will involve recruiting, assessing and developing individualised treatment plans, report writing, and group work. In addition, as part of the role you will need to be holistic in your practice by embracing and contributing to a therapeutic community kaupapa. Throughout this time, you will have the ability to design and deliver complementary individual sessions as required.  

Due to the intensive nature of our work – it is essential that all staff interested in working at Puna Tatari have strong professional boundaries and understand the importance of proactively navigating transference issues to keep our clients and staff safe. All staff will get to benefit from the expertise of our full time Kaupapa Māori Practitioner who guides cultural practises in our unit. Senior psychologists will have further opportunities to provide clinical supervision and training.

Click here to learn more about being a psychologist at Ara Poutama Aotearoa. 

He kōrero mōu | About you 

Join Puna Tatari and work alongside a dedicated team to make a genuine impact. As a psychologist at Spring Hill Prison, you'll have the opportunity to empower individuals in our care to better themselves. We are looking for someone with a passion for creating positive change, strong relational skills, and adaptability.

In this role, you will navigate complex environments, collaborate closely with custodial staff, and contribute directly to positive transformations. Your resilience and creativity will be key as you balance multiple perspectives and engage in meaningful work. This is a chance to be proactive and reflective, combining your expertise with the satisfaction of making a real difference in the lives of those we serve.

Utu ā-tau | Salary

The salary range for the role is $83,286 - $133,370 per annum. Frontline Psychologists have the ability to work towards additional allowances and allocated professional development funding. Appointment and remuneration will reflect skills and experience relevant to the role.

In addition to your salary, you will receive a $2,000 annual professional development allowance and become eligible for five weeks of annual leave after one year of service, increasing to six weeks after four years of continuous service.

Ko wai mātou | About us

Ara Poutama Aotearoa is a name that has been gifted to us and is our commitment to improving the oranga and safety of the people, whānau, and that of the communities we serve across the motu.

As a values-led organisation, we use the principles of rangatira (leadership), manaaki (respect), wairua (spirituality), kaitiaki (guardianship) and whānau (relationships) to shape how we work and deliver the outcomes in our strategy - Hōkai Rangi.

It is an exciting time to join us, and we continue to seek out talented individuals who are committed to an inclusive, vibrant workplace. We recognise and celebrate the uniqueness of individuals, and that of the collective talent in our whānau. We strive to make our recruitment process fair and inclusive, and we encourage applicants to discuss reasonable accommodation with us if required at careers@corrections.govt.nz.

Tono ināianei | Apply Now

If you have any questions please contact: Tom.Nicholas@corrections.govt.nz

To view the job description, click 'apply' and you will be taken through to our careers site, where you can view this.

To apply, please submit a tailored CV and a cover letter describing your motivation for joining the department highlighting relevant skills and experience. Alignment to our kaupapa is critical to our success - we ask that you provide examples which reflect and demonstrate our organisation values. 

Applications close on: Sunday 20th April

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