WorkSafe New Zealand Board Member - Worker Perspective

About WorkSafe

WorkSafe New Zealand (WorkSafe) is New Zealand’s primary workplace health and safety regulator, established under the WorkSafe New Zealand Act 2013.

The Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 sets out the principles, duties and rights in relation to workplace health and safety. WorkSafe works collaboratively with other regulators, agencies and parties who have an interest in the health, safety and wellbeing system, to promote good workplace health and safety practices. Further information on WorkSafe can be found at the WorkSafe website.(external link)

Person specifications

Specific skills required

At this time, the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety is seeking candidates who wish to be considered for appointment to one of either of two member roles on the WorkSafe Board:

Role one – worker perspective

• ability to bring the perspectives of workers to the Board table
• strong worker group connections and networks
• understanding of the administration of workplace health and safety legislation management frameworks.

Foundational skills

• Members of the WorkSafe New Zealand Board are expected to possess knowledge and experience of, and capability in, the following:
• proven experience in governance roles, either public or private, with working knowledge of good governance practice
• financial acumen
• leadership
• strategic ability and thinking
• a clear sense of public accountability and understanding of the relationships between Government and Crown Entities
• interest in New Zealand’s work health and safety environment, including workplace illness and occupational disease
• understanding of, and ability to discuss, technological advancements, trends and uses, both at the Board and organisational level.

Collective and individual duties

Board members are subject to the collective and individual duties of members set out in sections 58 and 59 of the Crown Entities Act 2004.

The collective duties of Board members are to ensure the Board’s functions are performed efficiently, effectively and consistently in the spirit of the public service, and in a financially responsible manner.

The individual duties of Board members are:

• to act with honesty and integritydirec
• to act in good faith and not at the expense of the entity’s interests
• to act with reasonable care, due diligence and skill
• not to disclose, or make use of information that would otherwise not be available to them.

Members are expected to adhere to the Public Service Commission code of conduct(external link).

Further information on how the relationships between Crown entities, Ministers, and departments work in practice can be found on the Public Service Commission’s website(external link).

More information

For more information about this role, please see the position description: WorkSafe New Zealand Board Member
Applications close at 11.59pm on 25 May 2025.
For further enquiries about the position, email: boardappointments@mbie.govt.nz