Chief Executive Officer
Personnel Resources / Whānau Ora
Location: Rotorua Central
CEO (CEO & General Management)
Perm/Temp/Part Time: Full time
- A strong focus on professional development
- An attractive benefits package including health insurance, flexibility, and five weeks’ annual leave
- A fully maintained work vehicle provided to support you in the role
Lead with purpose, integrity and impact - shaping the future of whānau wellbeing across the Te Arawa rohe.
E kimi ana, e hahau ana mātou i te tangata, e pēnei ai te titikaha. Ko tā te tūranga nei, me noho hai Pou Tokomanawa e Maire tū ai te whare o Te Arawa Whānau Ora; Ko tā te Pou Tokomanawa, he manaaki i te kaupapa, he whakatau i ngā kaupapa maha e kōkiri whakamua ai te whakakitenga nui o Te Arawa Whānau Ora. Me he rite tēnei tangata ki te Pou Herenga Waka, e whakakotahi ai, e urungi atu ai tōna tira haere ki te anamata, e motuhenga ai, e pupuri ai ki te pae tawhiti me te pae tata o Te Arawa Whānau Ora ki tōna anō taumata.
Our client, Te Arawa Whānau Ora (TAWO) is seeking a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to lead their organisation into its next chapter of growth, clarity and collective impact. This is a role for a courageous, visionary and values-driven leader who can weave together kaupapa Māori practice, strategic excellence and community leadership to uplift the wellbeing and aspirations of Te Arawa whānau.
As the collective lead for the Te Arawa Whānau Ora provider network, they deliver kaupapa Māori services, enable strong partnerships, and steward the systems, resources and relationships that support whānau across our rohe to thrive. We are looking for a CEO who can honour their legacy, strengthen their identity, and confidently guide them into the future.
About the Role
The CEO will bring integrity, cultural depth and strategic clarity, ensuring Te Arawa Whānau Ora delivers high-quality, whānau-centred services while upholding our responsibility as the collective lead, a respected sector leader, and a kaupapa Māori community organisation serving Te Arawa iwi, hapū, whānau and the wider community.
The CEO brings extensive kaupapa Māori leadership experience, high emotional and cultural intelligence, and the ability to connect vision to action while upholding manaakitanga, tika and pono in all decisions and relationships.
This role is pivotal in shaping their strategic direction, strengthening their organisational identity, and leading a committed team through a period of renewal and opportunity. The CEO will guide systems, people and relationships to realise the aspirations for whānau and serve our community with excellence.
You will be responsible for organisational performance across ten leadership domains, including:
- Māori leadership and cultural integrity
- Vision, strategy and identity
- Whānau-centred outcomes and impact
- People and high-performance culture
- Relationships, partnerships and sector influence
- Governance, reporting and accountability
- Contracts, funding and sustainability
- Finance, risk and compliance
- Innovation and growth
- Systems, insights, data and organisational performance
Our ideal candidate will have:
- Extensive senior leadership or CEO experience within kaupapa Māori, iwi, Whānau Ora, Health and Social sector or community-based organisations.
- Strong strategic and commercial capability across people, finance, risk and organisational performance.
- Proven ability to lead complex change and operate confidently in political and sector-wide environments.
- Highly skilled relationship builder, able to engage from whānau through to governance and Ministers.
- Grounded in Te Ao Māori, with the integrity, judgement and resilience to lead with mana.
This role requires a leader who can nurture, coach and empower kaimahi, build trust and unify teams, and confidently bridge governance and operations. Courageous and forward focused, you will be comfortable leading change while upholding the kaupapa of Te Arawa Whānau Ora.
How to Apply
If you are an experienced CEO or senior leader aligned with the responsibilities outlined above, we would love to hear from you. Please apply and attach your Covering Letter and CV.
Applications Close: Monday 19th January 2026
Our Area Manager, Angelique Scott and Consultant, Emma Clapperton look forward to reviewing your application.
For more information, please contact our team Erika, Eden, Haley, Alex, Emma or Angelique on (07) 348 2424.
You must be eligible to work in NZ, have NZ residency, or hold a valid NZ work permit.
Personnel Resources Disclaimer:
Personnel Resources is a well-established Bay of Plenty based recruitment agency with offices in Rotorua, Tauranga and Whakatane. We are committed to sourcing top candidates for the roles we recruit whilst ensuring confidentiality and following an equitable recruiting process. We specialise in placing candidates into Temporary, Contract and Permanent opportunities that are inclusive and which encourage our people to be their best selves.
