Volunteer Opportunity: Paediatrician Consultant Trainer - Vanuatu
Te Whāinga | Our Purpose is
Te Hono Tangata - Te Huringa Ora.
Ka hono a Te Tūao Tāwāhi i ngā tūao pūkenga ki ngā whakahaere me ngā hapori i te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa me tua atu, hei tautoko i ngā wawata kua tautuhia ā-rohe, ā, kia tutuki ai te panoni toitū.
Connecting People – Transforming Lives.
Volunteer Service Abroad connects skilled volunteers with organisations and communities in the Pacific and beyond to support locally identified aspirations and achieve sustainable change.
Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About the role
This is your opportunity to become a VSA Volunteer to share your experience, skills and knowledge to serve and build capacity in Vanuatu. Work alongside our local partner organisation to plan and create a brighter future for all.
We are looking for an experienced Paediatric Consultant Trainer or someone with the right level of transferrable skills, who understands and shares the spirit of volunteering, with a keen interest in building capability in the Pacific (while embracing a new cultural experience).
The length of this assignment in Vanuatu will be 6 months, with an option to extend.
VSA will support you by funding and organizing your flights, visas, insurances, accommodation, living allowance and utilities while you are on assignment.
Ngā tino Pūkenga/Wheako – Essential skills/experiences for the role
If you are interested in this opportunity, below are some of the key skills and experiences that we’re looking for.
- Paediatric Consultant Medical Qualification
- Extensive experience in assessing patients including initial assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and further management including referral (due to the local NPH resource constraints)
- Experience in teaching and mentoring medical interns and medical officers, as well as ED nurses and intern nurses
- Willingness to apply for Medical Registration in Vanuatu
- Certificate of good standing from the Medical Council in NZ (MCNZ)
Important note: Due to our VSA funding requirements, our volunteers must be a NZ citizen or NZ Permanent Resident to progress further in our recruitment process.
Our Partner Organisation – Northern Provincial Hospital / Ministry of Health (NPH)
The Assignment
This assignment is a partnership assignment between VSA and NPH. The Paediatric Department at NPH receives children from birth to 14 years old. Patients are from the Luganville Municipal area, rural health facilities from within Sanma Province as well as referrals from the three other northern provinces of Vanuatu. There is currently only one Paediatrician at NPH. The Paediatrician is supported by a Medical Officer at NPH and is responsible for running the Department 24/7 making the ability to create training opportunities for junior staff limited.
The volunteer will support the management of patients in HDU, NPH children’s ward, including the nursery and the children’s outpatient department. The volunteer would work with the Medical Officer to complete daily ward rounds and periodically attend the children’s outpatient department and attend any paediatric emergency that occurs in the emergency department. This may include attending caesarean sections and providing neonatal resuscitation. The volunteer would provide mentoring of the Medical Officer and the Nurse Practitioners and Nurses who staff the ward and support the lead Paediatrician in creating training opportunities.
The Country – Vanuatu
Vanuatu is situated on a volcanic archipelago of 86 islands where traditional lifestyles exist side by side with modern tourist resorts. Around 110 indigenous languages are still spoken by an average of only 2,000 people per language, making it the country with the highest density of languages per capita in the world.
The majority of people living in Vanuatu are Melanesian. It is a predominantly Christian country. Vanuatu culture retains a strong diversity derived from regional variations and an adherence to custom (traditional practices and lifestyles).
Vanuatu's economy is primarily agriculture-based and engages approximately 80 per cent of the population. Copra, kava and beef make up more than 75 per cent of total agricultural exports, with agriculture accounting for around 20 per cent of GDP.
Me pēhea te tuku tono | How to apply:
Please apply for this opportunity through our website. For more information or if you have any questions on this assignment, you are welcome to email our recruitment team at: volunteer@vsa.org.nz. Noting that due to our VSA funding requirements, our volunteers must be a NZ citizen or NZ Permanent Resident to progress further in our recruitment process.
Board Member - Whānau Āwhina Plunket
Board Member (Paediatric expertise)
- Seeking Paediatric clinical expertise
- Join our innovative and committed Board
Whānau Āwhina Plunket partners with whānau and communities across Aotearoa New Zealand to provide essential support for the health, development, and wellbeing of tamariki. We are the country's largest support service for children under 5.
We are seeking a new Trustee to bring clinical expertise and knowledge to our Board. Ideally a practising paediatrician or senior clinician with experience in child health, you will provide a strong board governance lens on ensuring our services are grounded in clinical best practice and are genuinely responsive to tamariki and whānau. This role offers a real opportunity to shape the direction of Aotearoa's most trusted child health organisation.
Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role
- Provide clinical governance oversight and advice to Management, ensuring Plunket's services reflect current best practice in child health and development.
- Collaborate with fellow Trustees to set and implement long-term goals that reflect the needs of the communities we serve.
- As a Tangata Tiriti organisation, help champion Plunket's commitment to biculturalism and Te Tiriti o Waitangi across all aspects of organisational strategy.
Ko wai koe | About you
- Practicing clinical expertise in paediatrics or a closely related child health discipline, with an understanding of governance responsibilities and accountabilities.
- An appreciation and working knowledge of te ao Māori and commitment to hauora Māori in reducing health disparities for tamariki and their whānau.
- Strong strategic thinking and the ability to contribute constructively to Board-level discussions.
- A collaborative approach and genuine alignment with Plunket's kaupapa and values.
As a Trustee, you will bring clinical depth to a Board committed to equitable, whānau-centred care. Your voice will help ensure Plunket remains responsive to the communities who need us most, now and into the future.
The time commitment is approximately 2-3 days per month. Trustees are paid a stipend.
Me pēhea te tuku tono | How to apply
For more information, please email Jo Bell or Amy Tea at info@amytea.co.nz
To apply, please submit your CV and a cover letter (preferably in PDF format) to apply@amytea.co.nz by Sunday, 31st May.
Paediatric Fellow - Whangārei Hospital
- Based in Whangārei, Northland
- Two fixed-term, full-time training roles from February 2027 to February 2028
- An opportunity to further your general and community paediatrics training
Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is firmly grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is committed to building a health system that serves all New Zealanders.
About the role
We have two well-established Paediatric Fellow positions available starting February 2027. This is a fantastic opportunity to further your general and community paediatrics training with superb hands-on opportunities in an enthusiastic team.
Based at Whangārei Hospital, this Fellow role will join a team of 17 consultants, 7 registrars, 8 house officers, trainee interns, and fifth-year medical students. The position offers an excellent mix of inpatient and outpatient general paediatrics, developmental outpatients, Gateway Clinics, level 2 neonates, visiting clinics to District Hospitals in Northland, and transport medicine. The role supports fulfillment of rural and developmental general paediatric training requirements, and we can also support one of the two positions to be a community trainee, with 8 of the 12 months accredited for Community training.
Rostered duties include one day each week on-call and 1:7 weekends as part of the consultant roster, well supported by consultant back-up.
We offer:
- local teaching
- journal club
- M&M and peer review
- opportunities to view weekly Starship update and grand rounds.
There is a wide range of possibilities and support to complete an advanced training project. You would be involved in teaching junior medical staff, medical students, and nursing staff.
We would be happy to discuss how we can tailor the role to meet your training requirements. Please feel free to reach out if you would like to discuss further!
View position description.
About the location
Alongside its warm climate, the "winterless north" offers excellent schools, affordable housing, scenic coastal areas, and a range of recreational activities. We are only a two-hour drive or 25-minute flight from the international hub of Auckland.
To learn more about our stunning location, click here.
For more information on living and working in Northland, click here.
About you
To be considered you must have, or be eligible for, general registration with the Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ).
Ideally you will be in your final year of training, as it provides the opportunity to function as a supervised "Junior Consultant". Applicants who are trainees in their third or second year of advanced training with the RACP are preferred. A job-sharing situation could also be considered if two suitable trainees applied together with an agreed job-sharing arrangement.
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. If you have any questions about the role, please contact Dr Vicki Cunningham, Consultant Paediatrician vicki.cunningham@tewhatuora.govt.nz or Dr Oliver Hainsworth, Clinical Director oliver.hainsworth@tewhatuora.govt.nz
We will review applications as received and may proceed with the recruitment process before the closing date of this advert.
We only accept online applications. Please apply via our website.
