Deputy Chief Medical Officer (Anaesthesia)

• Part Time
• Application Closes 09 Oct 2026
• Auckland - Central Auckland
• Medical and Health Services Manager

Deputy Chief Medical Officer (Anaesthesia)

National Support Office

Mō te Tūranga | About the Role

Are you a respected senior medical specialist looking to extend your influence beyond clinical practice? As Deputy Chief Medical Officer (Anaesthesia), you will work closely with the Chief Medical Officer and provide trusted medical leadership across our national network of wholly owned and joint venture hospitals. As Southern Cross Healthcare’s subject matter expert in anaesthesia, you will play a key role in clinical governance, medical specialist credentialling, scope of practice and quality improvement, working closely with our National and Hospital Clinical Governance Committees and senior clinical leaders. You will build strong, trusted relationships with our credentialled medical specialist community, provide expert advice on complex clinical matters and help ensure contemporary best practice is embedded across our network.

You will also contribute to the strategic direction and development of anaesthetic services, support the review of clinical events and emerging risks, and strengthen connections with professional colleges, associations and national and international clinical networks. When required, you will deputise for the Chief Medical Officer, providing an authoritative medical perspective and advice to our CEO, Executive Leadership Team and senior leaders on clinical matters, innovation and the future delivery of healthcare.

This is a permanent and highly flexible role, ideally based at our National Support Office in Auckland CBD, although other locations may be considered for an exceptional candidate. The minimum commitment averages approximately one day per week, providing the flexibility to combine this influential leadership position with ongoing clinical practice or other professional commitments.

Ngā pūkenga me ngā wheako | Skills and experience

• Anaesthetic Fellowship and a current Annual Practising Certificate, with a high level of professional standing, such as FANZCA.
• An established professional profile within the anaesthetic and wider medical specialist community, with significant senior medical leadership experience.
• Strong clinical governance experience, with a sound understanding of governance frameworks, clinical quality, patient safety, risk and continuous improvement.
• Demonstrated experience with medical specialist credentialling, re-credentialling and scope of practice, including the ability to provide sound judgement on complex credentialling and professional practice matters.
• Significant experience operating within complex healthcare environments, ideally with an understanding of private hospital and specialist healthcare.
• A track record of leading or contributing to service development, clinical quality initiatives and improvements in patient outcomes.
• The credibility and confidence to provide authoritative medical advice at executive and senior leadership level and constructively challenge or influence where required.
• Exceptional stakeholder and relationship-management skills, with the ability to build trusted partnerships with medical specialists, clinical governance leaders, executives and external professional bodies.
• Sound judgement and the ability to navigate complex, sensitive and sometimes ambiguous clinical and professional matters.
• A collaborative and future-focused leadership approach, with a commitment to clinical excellence, patient-centred care, innovation and best practice.

Ngā mea ka taea e mātou te tuku I a koe | What we can offer you:

• Competitive Rewards: Attractive remuneration package, relocation allowance, and employee referral bonus scheme.
• Health & Wellbeing: Funded health insurance, a comprehensive wellbeing programme, and generous Christmas/New Year breaks.
• Flexibility & Growth: Flexible working arrangements and a Nursing Council of New Zealand-approved PDRP.
• Perks & Community: Discounts from a range of partners and the opportunity to join our Employee Network.

Ko wai matou | Our Organisation

At Southern Cross Healthcare, our values shape everything we do:

• Care First – We lead with compassion, delivering care that’s deeply human through genuine manaakitanga.
• Better Together – Collaboration is our strength. We unite diverse skills and perspectives to create better outcomes for all.
• Pursue Excellence – We strive to improve, innovate, and excel every day—never settling, always aiming to deliver our best.

We’re proud to bring together over 4,000 skilled professionals—including 2,000 nurses and anaesthetic technicians—working alongside more than 1,200 specialists, surgeons, anaesthetists, and allied health experts. Together, we’re one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest and most trusted healthcare providers.

Driven by a strong ‘for purpose’ ethos, we think beyond financial quarters—planning for generations to come.

If you have specific needs or would like to discuss how we can support you, please contact our Talent Acquisition team at careers@schl.co.nz for a confidential conversation.