Grievance Panel Member - Christchurch

Two Vacancies 

• Requiring 2 x Grievance Panel members for our Te Oranga residence, which is a 10-bed care and protection residence in Christchurch

• Approx 5-10 hours per month

• Hourly rate contracts

Mō mātou | About us  

Oranga Tamariki—Ministry for Children has a commitment to putting tamariki and rangatahi at the heart of what we do. In our work, we aim to demonstrate these values: 

• We put Tamariki first 

• We believe Aroha is vital 

• We respect the Mana of people 

• We are Tika and Pono   

• We value Whakapapa 

• We recognise that Oranga is a journey 

We are committed to ensuring that New Zealand is the best place in the world to be a child. We are also committed to ensuring Oranga Tamariki partners with hapū, iwi and Māori organisations to find appropriate solutions for tamariki in need.  

Te Oranga care and protection residence re-opens 

Oranga Tamariki plans to re-open Te Oranga care and protection residence on 1 September 2026. Te Oranga residence is required to have grievance panel members in place and operational as soon as it re-commences receiving admissions. As the appointment process for grievance panel members, who are Ministerial appointments, can take about six months to complete, we are commencing the recruitment process now.  

Mō te tūnga | About the role 

Grievance panels are established under Regulation 29 of the Oranga Tamariki (Residential Care) Regulations 1996 (the Regulations).

Each Oranga Tamariki residence has in place a grievance procedure, Whāia te Māramatanga, as set out in the Regulations. This provides a forum for tamariki and rangatahi placed in residences to voice their concerns and to have their complaints addressed.

An independent grievance panel is required for every Oranga Tamariki operational residence and is appointed by the Minister for Children. Grievance panels provide independent oversight and an independent voice to Whāia te Māramatanga.

Each panel is comprised of two community members and one tangata whenua member who is nominated by the local iwi from the location of the residence.

Important note: as this role includes the grievance panel members visiting the tamariki and rangatahi at the residence, you must reside in the area in which the residence is situated.

Under the Regulations, each grievance panel has three key roles in relation to the grievance procedure at the residence:   

• independent monitoring;   

• investigation; and   

• reporting.   

About the impact you will have

• Promoting and upholding the mana of the grievance process which is a platform for tamariki and rangatahi to voice any concerns while in residence.

• Providing independent oversight to the grievance process within the Oranga Tamariki residences.

• Building professional relationships with tamariki and rangatahi, residence staff and management by visiting the residence on a regular schedule.

• Ensuring investigations are robust and child centred by overseeing investigations carried out by the residence.

• Conducting independent investigations or reviews as requested by tamariki and rangatahi.

Hours of work and remuneration

The role of grievance panel members is casual and does not have predetermined hours of work. It is estimated that panel members will each spend approximately 5 – 10 hours each month carrying out their duties, depending on the size of the residence. The amount of time spent engaging in panel duties may fluctuate depending on what, if any, issues arise in relation to the oversight of the grievance process.  

Fees for the role are set at $360 per day (pro rata) for members ($45 per hour) and $499 per day (pro rata) for the Chair ($62.40 per hour) in accordance with the Cabinet Fees Framework.

Me pēhea te tuku tono | How to Apply 

• Apply online with your CV and Covering Letter

• If you have any questions about the role, please contact Grievance_Panel_Coordinator@ot.govt.nz

• Please note: We are not able to consider your application if you are an existing Oranga Tamariki employee or hold a contract with Oranga Tamariki.

Applications close Sunday, 8th February 2026.

For more information see the Grievance Panel Member Position Profile on our Website.