Legal Internships - Summer 2024/25

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

Join Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora at a key time of change where you will meaningfully contribute to our kaupapa of creating a more equitable, accessible, cohesive and people-centered health system.

Te whiwhinga mahi | The Opportunity

This is an exciting opportunity to join the newly formed Health New Zealand I Te Whatu Ora (Health NZ) Legal team in our inaugural summer internship programme. 

The Health NZ Legal Team has offices across New Zealand, supporting the operational work of our hospitals and community services. We are a collaborative, collegial and empathetic team united by a commitment to support quality health services and outcomes for all New Zealand's populations. Our work is broad-ranging and critically important including work on significant and often novel public law, regulatory, medico-legal and privacy issues, and major procurement, data & digital, commercial, construction, property, and litigation matters.

We are looking forward to welcoming 4 summer interns into the Legal Team, to be based in each of the following Regions: Northern (2), Central (1) and Te Waipounamu (1). This is a full-time, on-site internship that runs from 18 November 2024 – 14 February 2025 with 2 weeks leave over the Christmas period. You will provide valuable assistance in the provision of legal advice and support to the Legal Team supporting the Region in which you are placed and to other parts of the organisation as required.

The locations for these positions will be onsite at a working hospital – likely one each at Middlemore, Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch Hospitals.

Mōu | About you

You will be in your penultimate or final year of your law degree at a New Zealand university and eligible to work in New Zealand.  You will be passionate about experiencing working in the health sector and demonstrably interested in improving access to health care services and health outcomes of Māori. You will understand the significance of and obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi, including how these might be applied in a meaningful way through the Legal team. You will be a hard-working and enthusiastic member of the Legal team who is eager to learn and grow, enjoys a challenge and can take initiative. You will have strong written and oral communication skills.

In your application, please state which location/s you wish to be considered for.

Tō mātou whakahaere ki te tika, te rerekētanga, me te whai wāhi mai |Our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion

Our gifted name, Te Whatu Ora, means ‘the weaving of wellness'. Whatu is the combining together of people, resources, organisations, thoughts and actions for the betterment and wellbeing of all. Whatu is also a direct reference to the pupil of the eye, and the vision required of the new entity and system.

At Health NZ we acknowledge and respect our people's diversity and spiritual needs, ensuring a safe workplace that is a whānau orientated and supportive environment. We are working towards a system that better meets the complex demands of a growing population, addresses the persistent inequalities experienced by Māori and ensures greater access, experience and outcomes for those traditionally not well served by the system – Māori, Pacific and Disabled People.

Tō tūranga i roto i Te Whatu Ora | Your place in Te Whatu Ora

When you join us in this internship, you become part of a legal team assisting in the transformation of the health system. This is a once-in-a-lifetime change, that will touch the lives of everyone in Aotearoa, and future generations. We want to see the real you in your application and welcome the real you on board if you come and work with us. We particularly welcome applications from our diverse Māori, Pacific, disabled, and rainbow communities.

Me pēhea te tuku tono | How to apply

To view the position description and/or apply for the role (by submitting your cover letter, CV and academic transcript), please click “APPLY NOW.”  For tracking and reporting purposes, all applications must be submitted through our online career portal. If you have any questions about the role, please feel free to contact Judy Chappell, Senior Recruitment Consultant by emailing careers@tewhatuora.govt.nz.