[Hiring] Mental Health & Addictions Professional @Whakarongorau Aotearoa

Role Description

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
• 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.

Qualifications

• 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

Requirements

• 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

Benefits

• 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

Company Description

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.