Manager Psychological Services - Auckland Prison OCRU/PERU

About this role

• Lead a dedicated psychology service supporting OCRU and PERU
• Provide clinical leadership for some of New Zealand's most complex individuals
• Auckland Prison | Permanent or 12-month secondment opportunity

Mō te tūnga | About the role

The Organised Crime Reduction Unit (OCRU) is a specialist unit being established to manage individuals who present the highest organised crime risk across the prison network. We are recruiting a Manager Psychological Services (MPS) to lead a dedicated psychology team supporting both OCRU and the Prisoners of Extreme Risk Unit (PERU). The team will consist of four Psychologists (0.5 FTE each).  The MPS will work closely with operational and clinical staff across both environments. Based at Auckland Prison, this is a full-time position with both permanent and 12-month secondment options available.

OCRU and PERU manage some of the most complex and high-risk individuals in our care. As MPS, you will provide clinical and professional leadership across both units while supporting the delivery and development of high-quality psychological services. You will play a key role within the multidisciplinary teams supporting OCRU and PERU. This includes providing psychological advice and opinion on individuals housed within the units, informing day-to-day management approaches, supporting transition planning, assessing readiness for intervention, and contributing to understanding risk behaviours, interpersonal functioning, and risk mitigation strategies.

You will lead and support the psychology team, contribute to service development and governance, and make psychological expertise available to inform operational decision-making. Working closely with operational and clinical leaders, you will help shape how psychological services support these specialist environments while contributing to positive outcomes for people in our care and to public safety. Support will be provided to maintain professional practice standards, including appropriate supervision and ongoing professional development. This role offers the opportunity to lead psychological practice across two highly specialised environments, influence decision-making for some of the most complex people in our care and help shape the future direction of psychological services across OCRU and PERU.

Ngā pūkenga me ngā wheako | Skills and experience

To be successful in this role, you'll:

• Hold registration with the New Zealand Psychologists Board and a current Annual Practising Certificate.
• Bring extensive experience working in correctional, forensic, or other complex risk-focused environments.
• Demonstrate strong capability in psychological assessment, formulation, risk management and professional supervision.
• Have experience leading and developing psychologists or other professional staff.
• Build effective relationships across multidisciplinary teams and stakeholder groups.
• Provide trusted advice that informs decision-making and service improvement.

Ngā painga | The benefits

The full salary range for this position is $160,000 - $187,294 per annum. Appointment and remuneration will reflect skills and experience relevant to the role.

Mō mātou | About us 

Join Ara Poutama Aotearoa - Department of Corrections, where your work will contribute to improving public safety, reducing re-offending, and address the overrepresentation of Māori in correctional facilities. As a values-led organisation, we use the principles of rangatira (leadership), manaaki (respect), wairua (spirituality), kaitiaki (guardianship), and whānau (relationships) to guide our work and achieve the goals of our Hōkai Rangi strategy.

We value inclusion and diversity in our workforce, and as a Public Service organisation we are committed to building a workforce that reflects the public we serve. We strive to make our recruitment process fair, and we encourage you to discuss reasonable accommodations with us if required.

Tono ināianei | Apply Now

To submit an application and view the position description, click the apply link. All applications must be submitted through our careers site to ensure transparency – applications received via email will not be considered.

When applying, submit a tailored CV and a cover letter describing your motivation to join OCRU, highlighting relevant skills and experience applicable to the role.

Applicants seeking a secondment opportunity should discuss their potential release and secondment duration with their manager prior to submitting an application.

Applications close on: Tuesday 3rd November

If you have any questions or want to learn more about this opportunity, contact Tom.Nicholas@corrections.govt.nz.