The Mental Health and Addiction Directorate works to ensure mental health and addiction services are strong, sustainable and safe for all New Zealanders. Our focus is on delivering on He Ara Oranga – The Inquiry response priority programmes.  It brings together the 'end-to-end' activities and functions for mental health and addiction services, including strategy, policy, data analysis, service planning and improvement, commissioning and monitoring.  We are seeking a Principal Advisor to join the Addiction Group to support the delivery of priority work programmes and provides specialist & technical advice to design and implement addiction services.

 Te whainga poto o tÄ“nei tÅ«ranga – What is the purpose of this position?: 

The Principal Advisor Alcohol and Other Drugs and Gambling Harm is responsible for providing leadership, direction and delivery for key pieces of work, including strategic planning to inform investment decisions, managing alcohol and other drug service contracts, and providing high quality advice in support of the Addiction Group and wider Directorate teams as required. The Principal Advisor will also provide mentoring and support for other team members.

 Ngā PÅ«kenga me ngā Wheako – Skills & Experience: 

We're looking for someone with leadership experience, a proven record of delivering work programmes, and a strong commitment to enabling harm reduction approach to alcohol and other drugs. You will be a well-rounded team player with excellent oral and written communication and analytical skills, experience in implementing initiatives at a local, regional or national level. You will be a self-starter that understands government structures, processes and legislative requirements and how these impact on work in the core government sector. Lived experience of mental health and addiction is welcomed. Knowledge and/or experience in the alcohol and other drugs sector is highly desirable