About the College
The Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM) is a not-for-profit organisation responsible for the training, assessment and continuing professional development of emergency physicians as well as the advancement of professional standards in emergency medicine in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.
We are a specialist medical College of over 130 employees driven by a strong purpose, positive environment, and a CEO and Executive Leadership team who are dedicated to upholding our commitment to supporting our membership base, staff and core values of Equity, Respect, Integrity, and Collaboration.
What's on Offer
ACEM offers excellent staff benefits including:
- Working for an organisation with a purpose
- Flexible work arrangements, within a hybrid work environment
- Access to Member Advantage, offering a range of discounts across travel, dining, shopping and health and wellbeing
- Health and wellbeing initiatives
- Option to work 9 days in a fortnight but be paid for 10 days
- Active corporate social responsibility
- Convenient location close to the Wellington office.
The Position
We are seeking an experienced and highly respected Māori Strategic Advisor to provide executive-level strategic advice and leadership to the Board, Chief Executive Officer and Executive on matters relating to Māori health equity, cultural safety and Te Tiriti o Waitangi obligations.
This is a senior, identified role operating within a complex health and regulatory environment in Aotearoa New Zealand. The position will play a critical role in supporting the integration of te ao Māori perspectives, mātauranga Māori and tikanga across ACEM’s governance, strategy, policies and organisational practices.
Working closely with senior leaders, the Māori Strategic Advisor will contribute to the implementation and monitoring of ACEM’s strategic commitments, including the 2025–2030 Strategic Plan and Te ACEM Rautaki Manaaki Mana: Excellence in Emergency Care for Māori, ensuring these translate into meaningful, measurable outcomes that improve health equity for Māori.
The role also provides high-level advice on cultural, reputational and systemic risks and opportunities, and supports ACEM to strengthen culturally safe practice and uphold Te Tiriti-consistent approaches across its operations and influence.
About you
You are a trusted advisor with deep expertise in Māori health, equity and governance, and bring a strong understanding of the Aotearoa New Zealand health system. You are confident working at an executive level and able to influence strategic decision-making through culturally informed, evidence-based advice.
You will bring:
- Demonstrated experience providing strategic advice at a senior or executive level
- Strong knowledge of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its application within governance and organisational contexts
- Deep understanding of Māori health equity, cultural safety and system-level drivers of health outcomes
- Proven ability to identify and manage cultural, reputational and systemic risks and opportunities
- Experience supporting or advising on governance structures, accountability frameworks and organisational reform
- Strong relationship management skills, including experience engaging with iwi, hapū, Māori organisations and sector stakeholders
- Highly developed communication skills, with the ability to influence and guide senior leaders
ACEM recognises that Māori leadership is demonstrated through a range of pathways. Candidates may bring a combination of:
- Established Māori leadership experience within community, iwi, health, or professional contexts
- Cultural authority, lived experience and deep connection to Māori communities
- Experience influencing at a strategic or governance level
- Understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its application within organisational and health contexts
- Equivalent experience is valued alongside, and in place of, formal qualifications.
This is an identified Māori position. In accordance with relevant New Zealand employment and human rights legislation, being of Māori descent and having strong connections to te ao Māori is a genuine occupational requirement of this role.
This is a unique opportunity to shape and influence the College’s approach to Māori health equity and cultural safety at the highest level. You will play a key role in ensuring ACEM delivers on its commitments to Māori and contributes to improved outcomes across the emergency medicine system.
While this role offers flexibility to work remotely, there is an expectation that the successful candidate will attend the Wellington office, as well as as visits to our Melboune, Australia office, required by arrangement.
Applications will be assessed as they are received, so we encourage you to apply early.
To be considered, you must have the right to work in Aotearoa New Zealand and your application should contain a cover letter and a resume.
For further information or questions about the position please contact People, Culture and Experience via recruitment@acem.org.au.
ACEM acknowledges and pays respect to the Traditional Custodians of the lands across Australia on which our members live and work, and to their Elders, past and present. We pay respect to the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Custodians of the unceded land on which ACEM's office stands.
ACEM acknowledges Māori as tangata whenua and Treaty of Waitangi partners in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Everyone is welcome: ACEM is dedicated to fostering a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment that welcomes people with all physical and cognitive abilities and all neuroprocessing patterns, as well as individuals from all racial, ethnic, linguistic and national backgrounds, and with all sexualities, gender identities, ages, religions and educational and socioeconomic statuses.
