• Part-time (20 hours per week/0.5 FTE) permanent opportunity
• Days of work to be negotiated
• Utilise your passion for working with babies and children in a tertiary setting and develop your skills in an experienced team
• Based at Christchurch Health Campus

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is firmly grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is committed to building a health system that serves all New Zealanders.

About the Role

We are seeking a skilled, motivated, and NZSTA registered Speech Language Therapist (SLT) to join our high performing Haumanu Reo ā Waha team, working with the paediatric population in the acute inpatient setting at Christchurch Hospital.

Our paediatric SLT team provides services across all paediatric clinical areas in the acute hospital setting, including neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), medical and surgical wards, high care and critical care. We also work within multidisciplinary outpatient clinics and provide individual outpatient support for children with swallowing difficulties/dysphagia.

In this role you will be a key member of the multidisciplinary team working in neonatal care, and across the paediatric SLT service in line with prioritisation guidelines. The NICU is an acute service providing secondary/tertiary care to newborn babies born prematurely or with surgical/congenital and medical complications following birth. The NICU is currently a 44-bed unit with refurbishment plans underway to increase the capacity to 54 beds.

This role contributes to high quality, evidence based clinical care in a fast-paced tertiary environment, supporting babies, children and their whānau during acute episodes of care. Collaboration is central to this role - you will work closely with the multidisciplinary team to optimise functional outcomes and ensure services are responsive, culturally safe, and equitable.

If you are excited about working within acute paediatrics and have existing skills and experience in this environment, we want to hear from you.

In this role, you will:

• Provide holistic, culturally safe Speech Language Therapy services
• Complete assessments in line with professional standards, including instrumental swallowing assessments
• Develop and implement treatment plans in partnership with patients, whānau, and the MDT
• Educate patients, whānau, and colleagues to support wellbeing and safe care
• Contribute to service development, quality improvement, and patient safety initiatives
• Maintain up to date, evidence-based practice and engage in ongoing professional development

Why join us?

You will be part of a vibrant, supportive, and high performing team, with experienced clinicians available as valuable learning resources to support your growth in complex acute care practice.

• Be part of an innovative, collaborative team with a strong culture of learning
• Work in a tertiary acute hospital with broad clinical exposure
• Regular professional supervision and individualised coaching
• Opportunities to develop skills in VFSS, as appropriate to meet service needs
• Access to professional development opportunities
• A workplace grounded in Te Tiriti o Waitangi and committed to equity, cultural safety, and inclusive care

About You

Having a genuine interest in working with babies, children and their whānau in the acute care setting, aspiring as a life-long learner and being motivated to continue to work towards equity for our patients will make you a great fit for our team.

You will bring:

• A commitment to high quality, equitable care for patients and whānau
• Knowledge and understanding of te ao Māori, tikanga, and te reo Māori or a commitment to your journey and taking ownership of your learning and growth
• Demonstrated skills in assessing and managing paediatric feeding and swallowing disorders
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Strong reflective practice and self-awareness
• Ability to work autonomously and as part of a high performing MDT
• Effective caseload management, prioritisation, and adaptability
• A minimum of two years’ experience working with a paediatric caseload, including feeding and swallowing management
• Preferably at least two years’ experience in an acute hospital setting
• Experience with paediatric VFSS and FEES is desired
• Registration with the New Zealand Speech-language Therapists Association (NZSTA) and current Annual Practicing Certificate, or eligibility to obtain (essential)
• Full New Zealand working rights

We look forward to hearing from clinicians who are passionate about acute care, committed to evidence based practice, and eager to grow within a supportive, expert team.

Working at Health New Zealand

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of New Zealand. We embrace a workforce that is diverse and inclusive so that we are better positioned to understand and service our community. We welcome applications from our diverse Māori, Pacific, disabled, and rainbow communities.

How to Apply

To apply please click “apply now.” All applications must be submitted through our online careers’ portal by 29th October 2026. If you have any questions about the role, please contact Courtney Bell at

Please note, we will be reviewing applications when received and may proceed with the recruitment process, before the closing date of this advert.