Pūkenga Ako me te Whakawhanake | Learning and Development Specialist

• Develop & shape capability, career pathways & learning across the organisation
• Scope to innovate, create, improve, and make an impact
• Full time position, fixed term contract, through to December 2027

About the role

Te Kaunihera Rata o Aotearoa | Medical Council of New Zealand is seeking a skilled and innovative Pūkenga Ako me te Whakawhanake | Learning & Development Specialist to support organisational capability and performance, and long‑term impact.

You’ll play a pivotal part in ensuring staff across the Council have the skills and knowledge to perform their roles effectively and continue to grow in an evolving environment. You’ll help shape a future-focused learning culture that strengthens both individual and organisational capability.

A key focus of the role will be leading the development and refresh of organisational capability frameworks, including the Council's overarching capability framework, a new leadership development framework, and team-specific capability frameworks and training plans.

Working closely with leaders, subject matter experts, and external providers, you’ll develop learning solutions that are effective, engaging, and aligned with organisational priorities. You will be helping to establish clear career pathways for key roles and emerging leaders to ensure capability development supports organisational strategy and future workforce needs.

This is a unique opportunity to help shape the future capability of a respected national regulatory organisation. Your work will directly influence how staff develop, how leaders grow, and how the organisation continues to evolve and protect the public effectively.

What you’ll do

• Assess and map the Council’s current capability and learning environment
• Identify workforce capability gaps and design practical and engaging L&D solutions
• Lead the review and refresh of the organisational capability framework to align with the Council’s strategy
• Develop and embed a leadership development component within the overarching capability framework
• Work with managers and teams to define and create capability frameworks for individual teams across the Council, and support the development of clear career pathways for key roles and emerging leaders
• Partner with internal subject matter experts and external providers to design learning content and solutions, and high-quality training programmes (both in person and digital)
• Facilitate/host training sessions and professional development workshops
• Contribute to key organisational projects and initiatives that strengthen capability and culture

What we’re looking for

• Proven senior-level experience in organisational development, learning, or capability and/or broader HR roles, with a good understanding of HR operations         
• Experience developing and implementing educational programmes, curriculum resources, learning content, and capability frameworks
• Commitment to continuous improvement, sharing knowledge, and supporting the growth and success of others
• An understanding of different capability development needs
• Experience coaching and supporting managers with navigating performance management matters
• Experience developing bi-cultural capability and embedding it into organisational practice
• A natural connector, with strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills, and ability to engage and inspire at all levels
• A strategic mindset with strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Strong facilitation and presentation skills
• Proactive, innovative, and solutions-focused
• Confidence working with technology, including MS Office, document management systems, intranets, and familiarity with LMS platforms
• A commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the ability to embed its principles in your work
• A tertiary qualification in HR, Organisational Development, Education, or similar.

Why join Medical Council?

Te Kaunihera Rata o Aotearoa | Medical Council of New Zealand is a regulatory authority established under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003. Its principal purpose is to ensure the health and safety of patients and protect the public interest by registering doctors, setting and promoting professional standards, monitoring competence and fitness to practise, and taking appropriate action when concerns arise.

The Council’s staff enjoy a welcoming and collaborative team culture, competitive remuneration, generous staff benefits, and a light-filled Wellington CBD office. Our team embraces genuine flexibility with most staff working from home two days a week, depending on their arrangements.     

We're looking for someone who brings credibility, enthusiasm, and a balanced mix of strategic thinking and practical delivery. You'll be a confident communicator who builds strong relationships across the organisation and quickly establishes trust and influence with a wide range of stakeholders.

If you're passionate about developing people, building organisational capability, and creating engaging learning experiences, we'd love to hear from you.

Attention your CV and a cover letter to Ngan Nguyen by Sunday 12 July 2026.     

A position description is available on our website at mclaren.co.nz or call us on 04 499 1069.      
Once applications have closed, we will commence the shortlisting process, which can take up to two weeks.  We will be in touch with you regarding your application during this time.    

View the position description by copying this link into your browser: https://mclaren.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/MCNZ-PD-Learning-Development-Specialist-June-2026.pdf