Personal Care Assistant - Waitara

Catholic Healthcare is hiring Personal Care Assistants to join its team in Waitara, NZ. This not-for-profit provider has more than 30 years of service in care and a mission to promote dignity, life and spirituality for older people through connected and inclusive communities. The role is full-time and onsite, with a variety of shifts that can include morning, afternoon and night hours, aimed at supporting a safe, home-like environment for residents.

With a team of over 6,000 employees, Catholic Healthcare emphasises compassionate care delivered within values-driven settings. If you’re drawn to working in a supportive, respectful culture that welcomes applicants from diverse backgrounds and faiths, this could be a good fit for you.

Daily life in the role

As a Personal Care Assistant, you’ll help residents with personal care tasks such as showering and dressing, and you’ll support everyday activities like eating and participating in social opportunities. You’ll work alongside clinical team members to ensure care plans are followed and you’ll keep documentation up to date as part of a collaborative effort to optimise residents’ health and wellbeing. Your care will extend to families and the wider community, delivering a high-quality level of service that reinforces a warm, supportive atmosphere.

Essentials and nice-to-haves

Essentials for the role include a kind heart and a genuine passion for delivering high-quality care to older people, ease in interacting with a wide range of individuals, clear communication, and a reliable team-oriented mindset. You’ll also need an understanding of workplace health and safety, a Certificate 3 in Aged Care (or an equivalent qualification), and a readiness to apply for both a Police Check and an NDIS clearance. Preference will be given to PCAs who have completed medication competency training as part of their Certificate III or Certificate IV studies.

• A genuine care for the elderly and a true passion for quality outcomes
• Comfort working with many kinds of people and strong communication skills
• Dependable team player who can collaborate with others
• Knowledge of health and safety in the workplace
• Certificate III in Aged Care (or an equivalent qualification)
• Willingness to obtain a Police Check and NDIS clearance

Nice-to-haves for this role include medication competency training completed as part of your Certificate III or Certificate IV studies, which can give you a head start in supporting residents as part of their care plans.

• Medication competency training completed as part of an aged care qualification

Pay, benefits and practical details

The role is full-time and onsite, with a pay rate described as $38 per hour plus superannuation. In addition to the base pay, Catholic Healthcare offers several benefits typical of a not-for-profit employer, including tax benefits associated with not-for-profit status, Fitness Passport discounted gym benefits, Paid Parental Leave, Long Service Leave after five years, and an extra week of leave for Enterprise Agreement shift workers. The organisation operates across 40+ locations in NSW and QLD if you ever consider moving, and it emphasises a values-based culture that welcomes applicants from all faiths and backgrounds.

Advice for applicants

First, position your Certificate III in Aged Care (or equivalent) at the top of your resume so the hiring team sees it right away.

When you describe your must-have skills, back them up with concrete examples: show how you’ve assisted with personal care tasks, supported residents’ daily needs, and collaborated with a clinical team to follow care plans while keeping documentation up to date.

Be ready to talk through how you approach health and safety in daily care, how you communicate with residents and families, and how you contribute to a safe, respectful environment for everyone involved.

Think of a thoughtful question to ask at the interview about how care plans are updated and how PCAs contribute to residents’ overall wellbeing within the team structure.