Associate Professor/Professor of Community Nursing

Located in Ōtautahi | Christchurch, Aotearoa | New Zealand 

• Full-time, 37.5 hours per week
• Continuing (permanent) position
• Generous annual leave provisions and professional development opportunities 

Kia hiwa rā, kia hiwa rā!
He hiahia, he pūkenga nōu ki te mahi a te Pūkenga Matua / Ahorangi Tuarua? Nāia te pōwhiri nā Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha kia tono mai i te tūranga nei.

What You Will Do
Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | The University of Canterbury and Nurse Maude invite applications for a continuing joint appointment at the level of Associate Professor or Professor. Nurse Maude and UC are prominent and well-established organisations in Te Wai Pounamu (South Island – New Zealand), and this co-funded partnership reflects a shared commitment to advancing nursing as an academic discipline. By combining UC’s strengths in research and education with Nurse Maude’s longstanding expertise in high-quality community healthcare, this role creates a vital bridge between academic scholarship and clinical practice.

This senior academic position has a substantial research focused component offering a unique opportunity to provide strategic research leadership and academic stewardship across two collegial, high-performing, and future-focused organisations. It reflects a joint commitment to advancing community-based healthcare, education, and research excellence in nursing. The Professorial Chair in Community Nursing/Nursing will engage with both UC and Nurse Maude, to lead initiatives that enhance research, education, and clinical practice, positioning both organisations at the forefront of innovation and evidence-informed nursing.

The successful candidate will play a key role in strengthening the research profile of both the Faculty and Nurse Maude by driving a clear and ambitious research agenda aligned with local, national, and international priorities. They will bring a sustained record of research excellence, demonstrated through high-quality publications, success in securing external research funding, and the ability to lead high-performing multidisciplinary research teams. Experience translating research into clinical practice and broader impact will be essential.

In addition to research leadership, the successful candidate will contribute to teaching and course development and take an active role in academic leadership through participation in Faculty and University committees. The role also involves fostering a collegial and inclusive research environment by mentoring nursing researchers across both organisations and supporting initiatives that strengthen the nursing community. The candidate will build strong relationships within UC, Nurse Maude, and beyond, while developing local, national, and international partnerships. More broadly, you will support strategic objectives by enhancing research reputation, strengthening industry engagement, and securing external funding.

This appointment represents a significant opportunity for an accomplished academic leader to shape the future of nursing research, education, and practice and to contribute meaningfully to institutional, national, and global health priorities.

Who You Are

We are seeking an established academic leader with a PhD in Nursing, Health or a related field.  As the Nurse Maude Professor of Nursing you will lead a research programme aligned with shared strategic priorities developed in partnership with Nurse Maude and UC. The role includes conducting and publishing high-quality research, securing external research funding, and strengthening research capability through supervision and mentoring of staff across both organisations. The Professor will also actively engage clinical staff, organisational partners, and the wider community in research and its dissemination, supporting continuous learning and the advancement of best practice.

You will bring:

• Recognised expertise in nursing, with a strong commitment to advancing evidence-informed practice and improving health outcomes within community nursing contexts.
• A distinguished record of leading innovative, impactful research programmes, demonstrated by high-quality publications and sustained success in securing competitive external research funding
• Proven ability to build, lead, and inspire multidisciplinary research teams, and to mentor academic and clinical colleagues to develop research capability
• Extensive experience supervising postgraduate research students to completion, with a commitment to developing the next generation of nursing researchers
• An established national and/or international reputation, evidenced by leadership, collaboration, and influence within your discipline
• Demonstrated leadership in the design, coordination, and delivery of high-quality undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in nursing
• Strong, well-developed networks across healthcare, industry, government and academic sectors, with the ability to build partnerships that support research translation and impact
• A commitment to inclusive teaching practices and reflective professional development.
• A strong track record of engaging with multiple stakeholder groups to advance community nursing practice
• Active commitment to upholding the values, tikanga (protocols and processes), kawa (rules) of cultural practice and traditions as guided by mana whenua, Ngāi Tūāhuriri, and valuing te reo Māori 

Who You Will Work With

The Professor will be an employee of UC and also maintain a close working relationship with Nurse Maude as a strategic partner.  Te Kaupeka Oranga | Faculty of Health offers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and research activities that respond to the dynamic nature of the health and sport sectors and their workforce. We offer undergraduate programmes in Sport and Health as well as postgraduate programmes in Counselling, Social Work, Child and Family Psychology, Nursing, Health Leadership and various population health and clinical endorsements within the Postgraduate Diploma and Master of Health Sciences. 

For more information on our Faculty please visit us here. 

Nurse Maude is a leading provider of community-based healthcare services in Aotearoa me te Waipounamu, New Zealand, with a long-standing reputation for delivering high-quality, person-centred care across Te Wai Pounamu. As an innovative and trusted organisation, Nurse Maude supports individuals and whānau to live well in their homes and communities through a wide range of services, including district nursing, specialty nursing clinics, palliative care, residential care and home support services. With a strong commitment to continuous improvement, research, and workforce development, Nurse Maude plays a vital role in shaping responsive, integrated models of care that meet the evolving needs of the communities it serves. 

For more information about Nurse Maude, please visit us here. 

Within this role, the successful candidate will engage with both Nurse Maude and UC to inform their research programme and enable alignment between the strategic objectives of each organisation.

Why UC
Tangata Tū, Tangata Ora -– Engaged, Empowered, Making a Difference.  

We are committed to accessible higher education, service to the community and the encouragement of talent without barriers of distance, wealth, class, gender or ethnicity. The University explicitly aims to produce graduates and support staff who are engaged with their communities, empowered to act for good and determined to make a difference in the world.

Our values at Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha include manaakitanga, whanaungatanga and tiakitanga and these uara (values) guide our decisions and behaviour. Our values provide a roadmap for how we do things, affirming our commitment to the oranga (health, safety and wellbeing) of our students through mana-enhancing pastoral care and support. Ngā Uara (our values) challenge and inspire us to be the best we can be. They make UC a great place to work and study.

The University is committed to providing an excellent working environment, this includes:

• relocation support
• five weeks annual leave and five days university holidays
• UC Parental Leave (up to 9 weeks paid) + 26 weeks Government paid parental leave and onsite childcare facility
• widely accessible sabbatical provision
• generous employer contribution to superannuation (up to 6.75%)
• University and Faculty scholarship support for post-graduate students
• flexible working arrangements
• supportive working environment
• professional development and study opportunities
• living in revitalised Ōtautahi | Christchurch, Aotearoa New Zealand
• a unique working environment in a beautiful campus with access to UC facilities such as the recreation centre and Staff Club at discounted rates plus onsite cafés and eateries, and more.

For more information on our Benefits, please visit https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/joinus/benefits/  

This role sits within the Academic Staff, Associated Staff and Academic Support Staff Collective Agreement and the following salary scale applies: Associate Professor $155,592 - $167,718 p.a., Professor $178,257 – $224,115 p.a. 

The closing date for this position is: 20 October 2026 (midnight NZ time)

Please note, applications will be reviewed after the close date.

How You Apply

Applications for this position must be submitted on our careers website (via the 'Apply' button above) and should include the following:

• a cover letter which includes a 2–3-page statement outlining your research interests and goals and teaching philosophy (combined)
• a Resume which includes a list of relevant research publications and external research funding achievements (combined). 

We do not accept applications by email, however, we are happy to answer any queries at WorkatUC@canterbury.ac.nz 

For further information specifically about the role, please contact Laurie McLay:

laurie.mclay@canterbury.ac.nz 

For overseas applicants, please visit Immigration New Zealand website, to review the latest health and visa requirements for visiting and working in New Zealand.  

Position description 1 Associate Professor_PD.pdf

Position description 2 Professor_PD.pdf