Mental Health Professional - Specialist Maternal Mental Health Team


Location: Based in Wellington, working in Porirua, Kapiti and Hutt Valley

Contract: Permanent, Full time or Part time (0.8-1.0 FTE)

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is firmly grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is dedicated to serving all New Zealanders. Through integration and collaboration, we’re building a health system underpinned by partnership, equity, sustainability, whānau-centred care, and excellence.

About the Role

  • Are you a Mental Health Professional who is passionate about supporting parents and pēpi during the perinatal period?
  • Join our specialist community team and use your skills to support wāhine and whānau through complex mental health challenges—making a lasting difference for both parent and child.
  • This is a unique opportunity to work in a secondary perinatal mental health service, supporting people during pregnancy and the first year after birth.
  • You’ll work in the community, building strong therapeutic relationships and walking alongside whānau as they navigate recovery, parenting, and wellbeing.

About the Team/Service/ Location

The Specialist Maternal Mental Health Team provides services for clients who experience moderate to severe mental health issues during their pregnancy, and/or in the postnatal period up to 12 months after delivery at the point of referral.

Clients experiencing moderate to severe mood, anxiety or psychotic disorder, living in the greater Wellington region (Greater Wellington and Hutt areas), are seen for assessment, treatment and intervention. The team works alongside other health care providers and offers consultation / liaison to health professionals involved in the care of this client group.

Opportunity to develop specialty knowledge and to work therapeutically with this client group and their baby and whanau at this motivating time in their lives is potentially life changing

About you

What you’ll bring

  • Registered Mental Health Professional (Occupational therapist, social worker etc) with a current APC and recognised NZ professional body membership
  • Mental health qualification (pre- or post-registration) or good level of experience in secondary mental health setting.
  • Experience in mental health (community or secondary care preferred)
  • Strong clinical skills, including assessing mood, anxiety, trauma and related presentations
  • Understanding of perinatal mental health, attachment and mother–infant relationships
  • Ability to work therapeutically with clients and their whānau
  • Confidence working collaboratively across services and independently
  • Full driver’s licence (community-based role with home visiting)

Why join us?

  • Supportive, specialist team environment
  • Meaningful work with long-term impact for whānau
  • Opportunities for professional and clinical development
  • A workplace that values wellbeing and inclusive practice
  • The salary range for this role is $79,014 -$112,965

Working at Health New Zealand

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is ‘the weaving of wellness’. We're dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of Aotearoa/New Zealand.

Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Health New Zealand are committed to being good employers and honouring our equal employment opportunity obligations. We embrace diversity and welcome application from all people, including all gender identities, ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and disability. A workforce that is diverse and inclusive means that we are better positioned to understand and service our community. We are pro-equity health organisation, with a particular focus on Māori, Pacific Peoples, and the Disability Community.

How to Apply

To apply please click “apply now.” All applications must be submitted through our online careers’ portal.

If you have any questions about the role, please contact Marianne.Lovgren@tewhatuora.govt.nz

We will review applications as received and may proceed with the recruitment process, before the closing date of this advertisement.

 

Apply now

Permanent, Permanent/Full Time, Permanent/Part Time

Job no: MHA074-26

Location: Wellington Hospital, Kenepuru Hospital/Porirua, Kapiti Coast, Hutt Valley, Wellington Community, Porirua Community

Closing Date: Monday, 31 August 2026