Lead. Inspire. Make a Difference in Central Otago.

COHSL is a unique community-owned rural health service provider delivering public and private health care to the Central Otago and Upper Clutha areas. COHSL is committed to playing its part in the implementation of the Health Reforms, the delivery of integrated models of care that stretch across the care continuum and reducing rural inequities.

Are you a senior registered nurse with leadership experience, ready to take on a pivotal role where no two days are the same? Vincent Ward at Dunstan Hospital is seeking a Charge Nurse to lead a talented nursing team across multiple care areas, providing both clinical excellence and strong team leadership in a supportive rural community.

Lead a team delivering exceptional care across Vincent Ward, your leadership journey starts here!

About the Role

As Charge Nurse, you will oversee Vincent Ward, which includes the High Dependency Unit, Assessment Area, and the Wanaka Overnight Acute Care Unit. This is a rare opportunity to lead a ward with diverse clinical areas, giving you both breadth and variety in your nursing practice while making a real difference to rural healthcare.

In this role, you will:

• Lead and inspire the nursing team across all areas of Vincent Ward, shaping team culture and guiding professional development.
• Oversee clinical coordination, quality, and risk management for the ward.
• Work closely with medical and multidisciplinary teams to ensure seamless, high quality patient care.
• Drive improvements in service delivery and clinical pathways, influencing care across multiple areas.

Why this role stands out:

• Breadth and variety: Gain experience across ward care, high-dependency, assessment, and overnight acute care, developing a wide-ranging skill set.
• Leadership opportunity: Be the nursing leader on Vincent Ward, mentoring staff, shaping care delivery, and making key decisions that affect patient outcomes.
• Community impact: Serve a close-knit, rural community where your leadership and clinical expertise make a tangible difference every day.
• Work–life balance: Enjoy predictable, weekday hours (Monday–Friday, 7:30am–4:00pm) while leading a dynamic and diverse clinical team.

The salary band for this role is $128,000 - $140,000 per annum.

About You:

• Registered Nurse with a current practicing certificate.
• Minimum 6 years post-registration experience, with extensive acute care expertise.
• Recent experience as a Charge Nurse.
• Excellent communication skills and a calm, confident approach to leadership.
• Dynamic, enthusiastic, self-motivated, and comfortable managing diverse clinical challenges.
• Passionate about rural healthcare and eligible to work in New Zealand.

Why Dunstan Hospital?

Dunstan Hospital is located in Clyde, Central Otago, a welcoming township with a strong sense of community and access to essential amenities. Living and working here gives you the chance to build meaningful relationships, enjoy a slower-paced rural lifestyle, and be central to delivering healthcare that truly impacts the local population.

Ready to Apply?

Please email for an Application Form and the Position Description.

To apply, please email your Cover Letter, CV and completed Application Form.

As we are not an accredited employer with Immigration NZ, you must have the current legal right to work for our organisation to apply.

Applications will remain open until Sunday 25 January 2026