Behaviour Specialist - Wellington or Palmerston North

About Community Connections

Community Connections | Te Hāpori Āwhina Tāngata is a regional disability support organisation active across much of New Zealand's North Island. Grounded in a vision for an inclusive Aotearoa that values disabled individuals and supports them to live chosen lives, the organisation aligns its work with Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the New Zealand Disability Strategy, and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Community Connections invites applications from diverse backgrounds, prioritizing inclusion for Māori, Pasifika, LGBTQIA+ people, and those with lived disability or mental health experiences.

Role Overview

This full-time, fixed-term position through to 30 October 2027 is based in either Wellington or Palmerston North. Flexible working arrangements apply. As a Behaviour Specialist, you will collaborate closely with supported people, their whānau, service leads, and front-line teams to analyze behavioural concerns and craft person-centered strategies that enhance life quality.

Your role goes beyond drafting Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) plans; you'll embed these strategies into everyday practice by coaching, mentoring, and jointly solving challenges with operational teams to ensure lasting positive outcomes after your involvement concludes. You will conduct behavioral assessments, develop and review PBS plans, monitor progress, and partner with multidisciplinary professionals to keep supports effective and adaptive to best practices.

Your caseload will reflect your experience level. Reporting to the Behaviour Specialist Lead within the Quality Team, you will receive ongoing professional support and guidance.

Location and Travel

The position welcomes candidates based in either the Manawatū or Wellington areas. It requires periodic travel across Community Connections’ regions approximately every 6–8 weeks, including potential overnight stays.

Professional Development

Community Connections is devoted to your career growth and will invest in relevant training opportunities, including specialised PBS education, clinical workshops, and conferences.

Candidate Profile

You are an adept Positive Behaviour Support practitioner who thrives on partnering with others to foster practical, sustainable changes. You combine critical thinking skills with strong relationship-building abilities, translating complex behavioural theories into straightforward, implementable strategies for front-line teams. You are self-motivated yet collaborative, capable of working solo and engaging with operational leaders, allied health specialists, and whānau. Your passion lies in empowering both the people served and their support teams.

Mandatory Qualifications and Experience

• A relevant tertiary degree in psychology, behaviour analysis, social work, nursing, occupational therapy, or related field, or equivalent demonstrated behavioural support experience
• Proven skills in functional behaviour assessment, PBS plan development, and frontline coaching
• Thorough knowledge of Positive Behaviour Support principles and their application in disability services
• Familiarity with New Zealand's disability sector, including frameworks such as Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Enabling Good Lives
• Strong written and verbal communication, including the ability to produce accessible clinical documentation for diverse audiences
• Capacity for autonomous work across multiple regions
• Possession of a full New Zealand driver's licence and willingness to undertake regular travel, potentially overnight
• Consent to Police Vetting and reference checks
• Legal right to work in New Zealand

Preferred Attributes

• Postgraduate study in psychology, behaviour analysis, or related disciplines
• Experience in initiatives to reduce restrictive practices
• Delivery of staff training, coaching, or practice development
• Understanding of culturally responsive wellbeing models like Te Whare Tapa Whā
• Te Reo Māori proficiency or commitment to learning

Why Work Here?

Joining Community Connections means you'll contribute positively while advancing your own career within a supportive, team-focused environment dedicated to person-centered care. You will benefit through:

• Membership in an experienced, encouraging Quality Team
• Ongoing mentoring from the Behaviour Specialist Lead
• Collaboration with multidisciplinary professionals across services and regions
• A role making a genuine impact on disabled people's lives by enhancing frontline team capabilities
• A culture nurturing innovation, continuous improvement, teamwork, and professional excellence