Occupational Therapist - Mental Health

Occupational Therapist – Mental Health

North Community Mental Health Team, Mental Health Addictions and Intellectual Disability Services, Dunedin

Salary Band – $77,087 - $110,210 p.a pro rata + Kiwisaver

• Permanent, full time (1.0 FTE), 40 hours per week
• Competitive salary + subsidised gym
• Rewarding and unique opportunity to work in both the community and inpatient environment.

About the Role

You will be a Registered Occupational Therapist, ideally with experience however open to New Graduates applying, to work with the North Community Mental Health Team, based at Dunedin Hospital in Dunedin.  In this role you will work in an outreach capacity and a clinic model, providing time limited support to clients in the community. You will act as a Key Worker for a defined caseload, achieving quality mental health outcomes.

You will have sound skills in occupational therapy assessment, treatment planning, implementation and evaluation.  As an excellent communicator you will thrive on having the opportunity to build and develop relationships with a wide range of disciplines, you will have excellent organising and time management skills, and you'll also need to have a client centred approach and a strong recovery focus.

In this role you will work alongside experienced clinical staff and be an integral member of the team.

Ideally, you'll bring to this role experience working within a community adult mental health environment, exceptional communication skills, your non-judgmental attitude, and your positive manner.

• Work collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary team to assist consumers with serious complex mental health issues.
• Create user-centred goal planning using evidence-based best practice for consumers.
• Provide guidance and support to families, whanau, and agencies to ensure successful care and outcomes for consumers.

View position description

This is a permanent, fulltime role, requiring a NZ Registered Occupational Therapist, and a current annual practicing certificate.

All employees of Te Whatu Ora - Southern, working with in Mental Health and Addiction Services are expected to demonstrate a commitment to  “The Seven Real Skills” (Te Pou Workforce Development, see www.tepou.co.nz/letsgetreal).

About You

• Experienced Occupational Therapist, with current Annual Practicing Certificate and NZ Registration.
• Demonstrated skills in assessment, treatment, planning, implementation, and evaluation.
• Exceptional communication skills, with a natural ability for building relationships and rapport with people at all levels.
• Client-centred approach, with a strong focus on consumer recovery.
• Excellent organisational and time management skills.

Our preferred candidate will also require a full, clean NZ driver's license.

Salary range:

This role belongs to the PSA/DHBs Allied, Public Health and Technical Multi-Employer Collective Agreement and falls between Step 1 ($77,087 p.a) and Step 8 ($110,210 p.a pro rata) of the Degree-Based Allied, Public Health and Technical scale.

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 Friday 15 May 2026. If you have any questions about the role, please contact: james.boyd@tewhatuora.govt.nz

We will review applications as received and may proceed with the recruitment process, before the closing date of this advert.