Registered Mental Health Nurse For Specialist Maternal Mental Health

Location:  Wellington Region; Wellington, Hutt, Porirua / Kapiti

Contract: Permanent, Full Time (1 FTE), Monday to Friday.

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

Support wāhine/birthing parents and whānau at one of the most important times in their lives.

Are you a Mental Health Nurse who’s 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.

What you’ll be doing;
- Providing specialist, recovery-focused mental health care in a community setting
- Supporting wāhine experiencing moderate to severe mental health challenges such as mood disorders or psychosis, living in the Greater Wellington region
- Building strong therapeutic relationships with tangata whaiora and their whānau
- Completing comprehensive mental health assessments and contributing to care planning
- Working closely with midwives, GPs, and wider services
- Supporting continuity of care through direct care, co-working, consultation and liaison
- Promoting early intervention and positive outcomes for both parent and pēpi

About the Team/Service/ Location

The Specialist Maternal Mental Health Team provides services for clients who develop 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. SMMH provides a part time consultation / liaison role in the Wairarapa.

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 Nurse with a current APC and recognised NZ professional body membership
- Mental health nursing qualification (pre- or post-registration)
- 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 $75,773 - $106,739.

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

Ready to apply?
If you are ready to make a meaningful impact, we would love to hear from you.

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.

Position description Apply now

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