Partnerships Manager

About us

Southern Cross Health Insurance is shaping a healthier Aotearoa New Zealand. Our purpose is simple: empowering our members to live well for longer. We're here to give peace of mind through timely access to quality care, inspire healthier living, and lead positive change across the health system. As a New Zealand-owned, member-based organisation, we're building a future where wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do -- delivering exceptional value for our members and creating an environment where our people thrive.

Now is an exciting time to join us. You'll be part of a high-performing, values-driven team where people are at the heart of everything we do -- and in return for your talent, you'll have the opportunity to grow, make an impact, and be proud of the difference your work makes.

About the role

As a Partnership Manager, you’ll manage a commercial portfolio of healthcare provider agreements – negotiating them, looking after them through their lifecycle, and making sure they deliver value for our members. 

You’ll work closely with a range of providers – specialists, surgical groups, and private hospitals – and the agreements you negotiate help shape the care our members can access and the premiums they pay. 

We’re accountable to our members for keeping health insurance affordable, so strong provider relationships and sound commercial outcomes go hand in hand. 

We’re looking for two Partnership Managers to join our Healthcare Partnerships team, each taking on a specialty portfolio. You’ll be part of a close-knit team that shares knowledge across portfolios and works with colleagues across the business. 

What you’ll do 

• Manage a commercial portfolio of provider agreements through their full lifecycle – new agreements, recontracting and variations – with timely, accurate documentation to support negotiations, relationship management and commercial processes. 

• Lead commercial negotiations on provider agreements, balancing member value, affordability, provider sustainability and service quality. 

• Develop portfolio and provider plans that line up with Southern Cross strategy, healthcare priorities and agreed commercial outcomes. 

• Use claims data, market insight and provider feedback to spot opportunities and variations in claiming behaviour and cost trends, and turn them into action plans that improve commercial and member value. 

• Build trusted, transparent relationships with providers and create a shared understanding of what’s expected of them under their Affiliated Provider (AP) agreement. 

• Give practical, evidence-based advice to internal stakeholders on provider markets, specialty portfolios and the commercial implications of projects and proposed changes. 

• Work across the business to evaluate new healthcare services, technologies and policy changes, and to manage claiming exceptions in line with our risk and compliance requirements. 

• Represent Southern Cross at provider forums, healthcare networks and industry events. 

What you’ll bring 

• Experience in commercial negotiation, contract management, or strategic supplier or provider partnerships. 

• Sound commercial judgement – you can weigh up value, risk and long-term sustainability, and represent our members’ interests in negotiations. 

• Comfort working with data and market information, and turning insight into practical recommendations and negotiation strategy. 

• Experience managing complex external relationships and balancing stakeholders with differing needs. 

• Knowledge of healthcare funding, delivery or provider markets is preferred. People in similar roles have come from clinical, healthcare services and pharmaceutical backgrounds – if that’s you, we’d love to hear how you’ve applied your commercial skills. 

• Clear written, verbal and presentation skills, and the ability to build credibility with internal stakeholders and with clinicians who are experts in their field. 

• High attention to detail and a disciplined approach to managing contract and portfolio information. 

• A collaborative, low-ego working style – you’ll share workloads and knowledge across the team. 

• A relevant tertiary qualification, or equivalent professional knowledge and experience. 

• A full New Zealand driver licence and the ability to travel as required. 

Who we are 

Ngākau nui. Āhurutanga. Tikanga. 

Join a proud diverse team, that’s always there, always real, always true. If you thrive in a caring, honest and open culture, we think you’ll love working with us. 

We know that it is our team’s culture and wellbeing that will drive us forward. That’s why we prioritise not only professional development opportunities but opportunities to thrive personally, too. We offer exceptional work/life balance and our employees are encouraged to — and rewarded for — living well. 

What we offer you 

Based at our Auckland office Te Kupenga, you’ll be supported to continually learn and grow your skills, share knowledge and ideas, and be part of a values-based culture where people are at its heart. Southern Cross employee benefits include: 

• Five days of wellbeing leave per year 

• Health insurance for you and your immediate whānau 

• Life insurance cover and discounts on pet and travel insurance 

• Extra parental leave benefits and financial wellbeing support 

• Participation in our workplace wellbeing programme 

That’s not all. Need more time to study, volunteer or support your whānau? You’ll have the opportunity to purchase flexi leave. Each year, you’ll also get to take part in a volunteer day, to contribute to a cause or community with your team. 

This role is Auckland-based. Some travel to meet providers will be required. While we appreciate interest from candidates in other locations, we’ll manage remote working options on a case-by-case basis for the right candidate. Have questions? Check out our FAQs for help with the application and recruitment process. 

We are proud to have taken the Pride Pledge, reflecting our commitment to inclusion and belonging. We also facilitate an active, employee‑led Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Forum, which includes our Rainbow Network, Māori Network, Pasifika Collective, and Neurodiversity and Whānau Support networks.

If you share our commitment and passion, we'd love to hear from you.