Mental Health & Addictions Professional

Job description

Mō tēnei tūranga | About the role The Mental Health and Addictions Professional role is both dynamic and diverse and will see you working as a part of a collaborative 24/7 shift team, supporting a range of essential services as part of the National Telehealth Service. These services include alcohol and drugs, depression and mental health, gambling and counselling. You will provide mental health and addiction support to tāngata whai ora (service users) accessing a range of National Mental Health and Addiction Telehealth Services. Working from a trauma-informed and recovery-oriented perspective, you'll support people through distress, assess and respond to risk, and help them develop practical plans that support their wellbeing and next steps. Working in a fast-paced virtual environment, you'll help people navigate available supports and access urgent services when required. As a 24/7 service, flexibility to work a variety of shifts is essential. We are looking for kaimahi who are available to work 0.6–0.8 FTE, with most shifts being overnights and early mornings, including weekends (shifts available between 10:30pm– 11:00am). This position is aiming to commence on Monday 14 September 2026 for a two-week induction. Ngā haepapa matua | Key responsibilities Provide mental health and addictions support including assessment, interventions, support planning, referrals, risk identification and appropriate escalation for support, while respecting backgrounds and cultural needs. Communicating with tāngata whai ora via phone, email, SMS and webchat. Provide coaching and clinical support to Mental Health & Addictions kaimahi as requested. Maintain accurate and timely documentation in line with professional and organisational standards using various IT systems. Participating in continuous improvement of quality and service developments, always ensuring ethical service delivery. Undertake shift supervision duties on a weekly roster and having oversight of the services and call flows. Ensure practice is trauma informed, culturally responsive, and aligned with Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Ngā hua mōu | What's in it for you Work from home anywhere in Aotearoa New Zealand A supportive, clinically robust telehealth environment Opportunities to contribute to service development and clinical leadership Ongoing professional development and reflective practice support The opportunity to influence equitable mental health and addiction outcomes nationally Access exclusive discounts with Boost and Samsung Mōu ake | About you You are a compassionate and grounded practitioner with experience supporting people through mental distress and addiction challenges. You can hold space for tāngata whai ora while remaining calm, organised, and responsive, and you understand how trauma, inequity, and systemic barriers shape wellbeing. You bring cultural humility and confidence working within Te Tiriti–informed frameworks. Comfortable in virtual environments, you use digital systems with ease and make sound clinical decisions within structured protocols. You provide clinical guidance in a way that is collaborative, approachable, and values‑led, and you role‑model accountability, ethical integrity, and reflective practice. Ōu wheako ōu mātauranga hoki | Qualifications and Experience Qualification in counselling, addictions, psychotherapy, psychology, or a related field Current registration and practising certificate with a recognised professional body such as NZAC or DAPAANZ Understanding of trauma informed, recovery oriented, and values-based practice Relevant experience working in mental health and/or addictions Demonstrated experience delivering brief intervention support and risk assessment and identification Experience supporting individuals to access urgent services when required Experience providing clinical guidance, supervision, or coaching is desirable Ōu āheitanga ōu pūkenga hoki | Skills and Competence Strong listening and communication skills with the ability to build rapport quickly in virtual environments Confidence using digital systems and communication platforms Ability to work within established protocols, documentation standards, and clinical governance frameworks Cultural responsiveness and commitment to equity Professional resilience, accountability, and reflective practice Strong professional judgement and ability to make timely clinical decisions Excellent communication skills with the ability to build rapport quickly in telehealth contexts Confidence using digital platforms and documentation systems Cultural competence and commitment to equity and Te Tiriti o Waitangi Capacity to work effectively in a 24/7 service environment If you're excited about this role and think you have what it takes, but your experience doesn't align 100%, we still want to hear from you and would encourage you to apply. Ō mātou uara | Our values E kimi ana mātou i ētahi tangata e kaha whakanui i ēnei uara - We are looking for people who align naturally with these values and will champion them Mahia te mea tika / Do the right thing Hihiri e te kounga / Motivated by quality Ngākau nui ki te pai ake / Passion for better Pokohiwi ki Pokohiwi / Shoulder to shoulder To tatou tikanga | Our Culture Our kaimahi (employees) are passionate people, each driven to contribute to better health outcomes, with a focus on populations expereincing inequity. We are focused on hiring kaimahi who live and work in the communities they serve. Whakarongorau Aotearoa is committed to understanding and improving mana taurite (equal status) starts with the understanding of self and how we, as health professionals, think and behave each minute of each day to serve the health needs for Aotearoa. We are committed to ensuring our workforce reflects the community we support. Ko wai mātou | About us Whakarongorau Aotearoa (Whakarongorau), a social enterprise, is a digital health and social services organisation with a proven record of connecting people seamlessly with care when they need it. Whakarongorau has the privilege of running free to the public, virtual health, mental health, and social services for the people of Aotearoa. We want to give everyone in Aotearoa the opportunity for wellness. We focus on the connected world of digital care, where we can help join all the dots, and select the right services, advice, support and help for the right need. We use our healthy imagination to solve big problems by understanding the tiny ways that people are blocked from getting the care they deserve. Our imagination comes from our people and our partners and their drive to never give up.