Commercial Partnerships Lead

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

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Commercial Partnerships Lead to join us on a 12 month fixed-term basis.

You’ll play an important role in developing strategic partnerships that support Southern Cross to create greater value for our members and advance our ambition to help New Zealanders live healthier lives.

Working across an evolving portfolio of opportunities, you’ll identify and assess prospective partners, develop compelling commercial propositions and lead opportunities from initial engagement through to agreement and implementation. You’ll also help establish the commercial frameworks and ways of working needed to support a growing partnerships capability.

In this role, you’ll:

• Identify and evaluate potential strategic partners, considering strategic alignment, member value, commercial potential and delivery feasibility.

• Develop partner engagement strategies and lead commercial discussions and negotiations.

• Build compelling partnership propositions and presentations that clearly articulate mutual value.

• Develop commercial models that create sustainable value for Southern Cross, our members and our partners.

• Establish practical frameworks for partner evaluation, contracting, governance and performance measurement.

• Collaborate across Product, Marketing, Legal, Commercial and other teams to take partnership opportunities from concept through to delivery.

About you

You’ll be an experienced partnerships professional who can confidently navigate commercial discussions, build trusted relationships and establish practical ways of working in an evolving environment.

You’ll bring:

• Experience in commercial partnerships, ideally within loyalty, rewards or a comparable programme-based environment.

• Strong commercial acumen, with experience evaluating opportunities, developing commercial models and negotiating complex agreement.

• Experience taking partnership opportunities from initial engagement through negotiation, contracting and implementation

• The ability to create credible, engaging partner presentations and represent Southern Cross confidently with prospective partners.

• Strong influencing, negotiation and relationship management skills.

• A practical, pragmatic mindset and experience establishing frameworks and processes in evolving environments. 

Our values: who we are and what’s important to us

Ngākau nui. Āhurutanga. Tikanga.

Join a team that’s always there, always real, always true. If you thrive in a purpose-driven, diverse and supportive 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 and rewarded for living well.

Based at our Auckland office, we offer an excellent work-life balance. You’ll be supported to continually learn and improve your skills, share knowledge and ideas, and be part of an amazing values-based culture where people are at its heart.

You’ll also be able to participate in aspects of our employee wellness programme, helping empower you and your whānau to live your healthiest lives. 

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.