Principal Analyst - Planning, Funding & Outcomes

• Permanent full-time role based anywhere across Aotearoa
• Work at the highest level and provide trusted analytical advice to senior leaders on complex, high-profile health and investment issues.
• Use your expertise to influence commissioning and investment decisions that affect health services and outcomes across Aotearoa.

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is the country's largest employer, delivering universal public healthcare to 5 million New Zealanders.

We provide essential hospital, specialist, and community health services across 80+ locations — from large urban centres to rural towns and remote communities.

Our goal is to improve health outcomes for all New Zealanders by delivering equitable, accessible and innovative care.

About the Role

As a Principal Analyst, you'll operate at the most senior analytical level within the Health Planning & Insights team, providing high-quality statistical analysis, modelling and health insights that directly influence commissioning, investment and service planning decisions at national, regional and local levels.

This is a role where your analysis will go well beyond producing reports. You'll turn complex data into clear, compelling insights that help leaders understand what is happening, why it matters and where action is needed. You'll lead sophisticated analytical work across areas such as cost modelling, investment planning, health outcomes, performance and monitoring, forecasting, segmentation, risk stratification and equity analysis.

You'll also be a trusted advisor and technical leader, partnering with senior stakeholders to challenge assumptions, identify emerging opportunities and risks, and shape evidence-based solutions. Alongside your own delivery, you'll mentor and coach analysts across the wider national analytical function, helping build capability, consistency and confidence across the profession.

About the Team/Service

The Health Planning & Insights team provides high-quality analytical advice and intelligence to support Health New Zealand's commissioning and planning functions. Working across national, regional and local contexts, the team brings together data, analytical expertise and health sector knowledge to inform investment, service development, performance improvement and system transformation.

You'll work alongside experienced analysts and health sector professionals and collaborate with stakeholders across Health New Zealand and the wider health and social sector. As a Principal Analyst, you'll have an important role in strengthening analytical practice and building capability across the wider function.

About you

You're a highly experienced analyst who can move confidently between complex data, strategic thinking and senior-level advice. You know how to ask the right questions, find the story within the data and translate technical analysis into practical recommendations that drive action.

You will bring:

• A relevant tertiary qualification in statistics, data science, business analysis, business insights or a related discipline, or equivalent experience.
• 10+ years' experience in analytical roles, ideally within a large and complex public or private sector organisation.
• Expert knowledge of analytical methodologies, statistical techniques and approaches for generating meaningful business and customer insights.
• Advanced experience with data visualisation, dashboard development, data cleansing, requirements gathering and process mapping.
• Strong capability in analytical modelling, forecasting, segmentation, risk stratification, performance monitoring and/or equity analysis.
• Advanced experience with tools such as Power BI, Qlik, SQL, MS Excel, R and/or Python, with knowledge of machine learning highly regarded.
• Experience integrating and analysing multiple datasets to answer complex strategic questions.
• A strong understanding of business intelligence, data visualisation platforms and data warehousing concepts.
• Exceptional communication and influencing skills, with the confidence to present complex findings, challenge assumptions and provide advice to senior leaders.
• Demonstrated ability to build trusted relationships and work collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong mentoring, coaching and knowledge-sharing skills, with a genuine commitment to developing analytical capability in others.
• Excellent judgement, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to balance competing priorities and deliver high-quality work to agreed timeframes.

It would be advantageous to also have:

• Extensive knowledge and understanding of the New Zealand health and/or government sectors.
• Experience putting Te Tiriti o Waitangi into action and applying an equity lens to analytical work.
• Experience leading complex analytical workstreams, programmes or projects.
• A demonstrated track record of improving analytical processes, introducing new tools and methods, and creating reusable analytical products.

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 11:59PM Monday 31 August 2026. For further information, please contact Lynda Francis on Lynda.Francis@TeWhatuOra.govt.nz

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