Transformation Management Board - Appointments in progress
Whaikaha - Ministry of Disabled People would like to thank everyone who has expressed an interest in being part of the Transformation Management Board.
We received an incredible response to the opportunity to serve on this board and are very pleased with both the calibre and diversity of the people who applied.
After receiving feedback from family/whānau of disabled people who are in receipt of disability support services, it was decided to increase the membership of the Transformation Management Board to include family/whānau. All applications have now closed.
We would like to thank all applicants for their patience and understanding as we work through the recruitment process.
We hope to have completed the recruitment process and informed all candidates of the outcome by Christmas. The first meeting of the Transformation Management Board is scheduled to take place in February 2024.
What is Disability System Transformation?
Disability System Transformation is a Cabinet agreed programme of work under the Disability Action Plan 2019-2023 and involves fundamental changes to the entire disability support system, so it will support “disabled people, tāngata whaikaha Māori, and their families and whānau, to live a life they are seeking.”
In Budget 2022, Cabinet approved a tagged contingency “to extend Enabling Good Lives to more of the disabled population and their whānau, progressing towards a national rollout of the Enabling Good Lives approach”. In September 2023, the Government announced that Whaikaha could access $73.7 million over the next four years and an additional $40.5 million each year in the following years to support our disability system transformation work.
The contingency funding supports the establishment of a tripartite Transformation Management Board and a Transformation Management Office to oversee the implementation of initiatives to:
- Support the disability community as they lead the growth of partnership groups and networks, independent voice mechanisms and communities of practice to guide improvements.
- Support disabled people who are at risk of abuse through a mix of prevention (including safeguarding skills), early responses and greater community connects and intensive response (and advocacy), when needed.
- Improve equity of access to disability support services by extending Enabling Good Lives supports to historically underserved communities.
- Transform existing services by intervening early and supporting transitions, through changing what support is available.
- Build the system infrastructure required to support and embed the Enabling Good Lives approach, including through IT, data and insights, and legislative and policy settings.
It is important to note that the initial focus of the funding is to build the system infrastructure to ensure that the foundations required for transformation are in place.
Purpose of the Transformation Management Board
The Transformation Management Board is one of many partnerships both underway and being established to transform the disability support system, so it improves the lives of disabled people and tāngata whaikaha Māori throughout Aotearoa New Zealand.
Transformation Management Board members will primarily provide advice to support the implementation of transformation initiatives funded through the Budget 2022 contingency.
The Board members will be responsible for:
- reviewing the progress of the transformation programme
- approving the allocation of funding to specific initiatives
- identifying the potential areas for re-prioritisation to better support transformation
- agreeing on what responsibilities need to be managed nationally, where consistency is required and where regional and local flexibility will lead to better outcomes for disabled people and their family/whānau and carers.
Who will be on the Transformation Management Board?
Whaikaha has committed to having tripartite partnerships between disabled people, tāngata whaikaha Māori and the Crown. The tripartite Transformation Management Board will have eleven members:
- three tāngata whaikaha Māori
- three disabled people
- one whānau of tāngata whaikaha Māori
- one family member of a disabled person
- three senior Whaikaha leaders including the Chief Executive.
The Board members will be appointed by the Chief Executive of Whaikaha, alongside a panel of disabled people and tāngata whaikaha Māori who are not seeking Board appointment.
Board members will be appointed as individuals. They will not be appointed as representatives of Disabled Persons Organisations or community groups. Board members will be required to abide by the code of conduct guiding public servants.
The Board will be appointed from December 2023 until December 2025.
Independent evaluation
An independent evaluation of the Board will be conducted to help support continuous improvement of how the Board operates and shape future structures and processes. This reflects the commitment of Whaikaha to working in, and improving, the tripartite partnership approach.
What being on the Transformation Management Board will involve
The Board will meet five times per year with face to face meetings in Wellington preferred. Board meetings will be held over two days, generally the afternoon of day one and the morning of day two.
Whaikaha will organise overnight accommodation and travel to meet the needs of members. Whaikaha will provide reasonable accommodations as necessary.
Preparation and post-meeting activity is expected. Members will be paid a daily fee of $600 for each meeting day, this fee includes preparation time.
What we are looking for in Board members
Disabled people and tāngata whaikaha Māori members of the Management Board will collectively reflect a combination of the following skills.
- Disabled person or tāngata whaikaha Māori life experience. Reflects and respects the wide diversity of experiences, needs and strengths among the disabled community and brings these to the decision-making table.
- Able to embed Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles. Experienced in embedding Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles into the design and delivery of policy, supports and monitoring and evaluation.
- Strategic leadership. Comprehends the big picture and maintains a strategic outlook; demonstrates the capacity to think holistically and strategically, balancing diverse needs of stakeholders. Examples could include guiding the strategic direction of organisations or groups.
- Assurance leadership. Has a questioning mindset; focuses on results; able to understand and assess risks that need managing. Examples include overseeing ongoing projects, services, or investments to make sure they are producing the desired results and taking corrective action where necessary.
- Transformation. Understands the difference between transformational and ongoing improvement initiatives, and ideally with experience in working in a transformation environment. Examples could include developing innovative responses and changing how organisations or groups work.
- Governance. Understands the difference between governance and management, and ideally has had experience in governance roles in a public sector context.
- Programme/portfolio management. Having experience in programme and/or portfolio management disciplines. Being able to relate to the work of the Transformation Management Office and hold it accountable for carrying out agreed transformation programmes.
- Financial/investment management. Experience with a variety of financial and investment management principles, as well as knowledge of managing budgets and trade-offs. Planning and managing work schedules and budgets are some examples.
- Experience in Enabling Good Lives initiatives. Brings insights and experience including lessons learned from the Enabling Good Lives initiatives.
- Whaikaha connection. Brings insights and connection with the wider work of Whaikaha.
- Network connections. Brings connections and relationships that enable connection disabled people and whānau. For example, this could include groups like the Disabled Persons Organisations Coalition, Regional Leadership Groups, National Enabling Good Lives Leadership, Te Ao Marama o Aotearoa, Faiva Ora and Mana Pasifika leadership group and insights alliance.
- Relationship management. Capacity to build trusted and credible relationships with multiple stakeholders.
Personal attributes we are looking for
- Objective thinker. Able to debate and demonstrate the benefit of independent thought through frank and open communication.
- Integrity and openness. Truthful, trustworthy, demonstrates integrity and is fair-minded.
- Positive and constructive attitude. Emotionally intelligent, respectful of diversity and other points of view.
- Innovative. Is creative and original in addressing issues and assessing priorities for action.
How to apply
If you are whānau of tāngata whaikaha Māori or a family member of a disabled person we would like to hear from you.
Please send a cover letter explaining how your skills and experience match some of the types of skills and attributes being sought and outlined above and CV to transformation@whaikaha.govt.nz by 5pm on Wednesday 6 December 2023.
You can also send your application via post or as audio or NZSL.
If you have any questions, please contact transformation@whaikaha.govt.nz
Applications from disabled people or tāngata whaikaha Māori to join the board closed on 25 October 2023.