Social Worker - Harmful Sexual Behaviour

Mō te tūnga | About the role The purpose of the Social Worker - Harmful Sexual Behaviour (HSB) role is to deliver person and family centred general scope social work services that promote the holistic wellbeing of NZDF members and their families. The role will see you deliver a wide range of intervention strategies and case work to meet the needs of tāngata whaiora living and working at Devonport Naval Base.
Additionally, the Social Worker (HSB) role will provide specialist sexual violence prevention and response services to NZDF personnel, uniformed and civilian. This will include case coordination, information management, provision of advice to command, and quality assurance of service provision to persons who have been involved in, or impacted by, harmful sexual behaviour.
Identifying issues and providing interventions to promote a healthy culture and enhance wellbeing and resilience across the NZDF workforce in Devonport will be a focus of this role.
Once you have undergone training and are up to speed, there is a requirement to be part of the on-call roster, for which you will be compensated for. The roster provides an after hours' response line between the hours of 0700 to 1900, 7 days a week. (duty split between a team of nine Social Worker (HSB) positions with an indicative frequency of approximately 3-4 two-week blocks per year).
Due to the nature of this role, there is no option to work remotely from home or consider part-time work arrangements. Ngā pūkenga me ngā wheako | Skills and Experience You will require a minimum of five years' post registration experience in social work practice, including case management and will be proficient in: * Working with individuals and families who have been affected by trauma and HSB; and/or sexual violence. * Providing brief therapeutic interventions using a trauma and violence informed, strength-based approach. * Delivering multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary service and care. * Delivering crisis intervention and providing advice to commanders and managers. * Understanding and applying relevant legislation, public policy and associated regulatory social work direction. * Delivering culturally safe and holistic social work services, including working with Māori and Pacific peoples, their whānau and other minority communities. In terms of qualifications, you'll need: * A relevant and recognised tertiary Social Work Qualification. * A current Annual Practising Certificate from the NZ Social Worker Registration Board (SWRB). * Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW) membership or the ability to gain this. You'll be: * A confident communicator with strong interpersonal skills. * Able to pro-actively build and maintain strong networks across the organisation. * Able to offer guidance and support to commanders and managers, and contribute to community development. * Aware of regional and national service providers and are committed to continuous professional development. * Available for rostered, after hours response line duties, between the hours of 0700 to 1900, 7 days a week. In addition, it would be desirable for you to have some of the following experience: * Good group facilitation skills. * Education and training skills, including programme evaluation and continuous improvement. * Experience working in areas of prevention or response for the topics of family violence, harmful sexual behaviour and/or individuals with experiences of trauma. Nōu te rourou | What's in it for you Your skills and dedication deserve recognition, and NZDF delivers with competitive pay matched to your experience. But that's just the beginning – safeguard your loved ones with a fully funded life cover of up to $300,000 and critical illness protection. Other benefits include discounted additional insurances, free will services and savings schemes for the Defence community. Get expert financial guidance and mortgage broker services. Find all our benefits and more on the Force 4 Families website.
NZDF champions diversity and inclusivity, valuing every member and fuelling their success. We embrace uniqueness, understanding that diverse teams drive creativity, innovation, and excellence. With an open door to all – irrespective of gender, ethnicity, ability, age, or family dynamics – NZDF offers a flexible, empowering work environment. Join us in shaping a brighter future, where everyone thrives. Me pēhea te tuku tono | How to Apply Applications close on Wednesday 29 July 2026.
Use the links on this page where you'll be directed to the Defence Careers website. Please Note: * All applications must be made online, via the Defence Careers website. Each listing contains the Position Description and a Contact Us option for any queries or technical issues. * Your cover letter will be a key part of our selection process, so please highlight how your experience relates to the key activities outlined in the Advert and Position Description. * Applicants will be required to undergo a pre-employment drug-screening test prior to any offer of employment being made. NZDF Employees/Members – please apply internally via the HR Toolkit; this will ensure that you are visible as an internal candidate.
NZDF Contractors – please apply via the Defence Careers website.
NZDF Reserves – please apply via the Defence Careers website if you cannot access the HR Toolkit. Please Note:
To be eligible for the required level of government security clearance with the NZ Defence Force, you need to meet certain citizenship and residency criteria. Here's what you need to know: Higher Level Security Clearance * You must be a New Zealand citizen or you must hold New Zealand Permanent Residence or have a current New Zealand Residency Class Visa. * At minimum, you must hold New Zealand Permanent Residence or have a current New Zealand Residency Class Visa, and you must be a citizen of and have lived in Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, United States of America or New Zealand continuously for the last ten (10) years. * You must have a ten (10) year background history that can be verified and assessed appropriately by the NZ Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) to determine if you are suitable for a security clearance at this level. If you do not meet the minimum criteria, unfortunately, your application will not be accepted. We do welcome your application at a time when you will meet the requirements.