Position Description – ACC Resolution Practitioner
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Position Description
Job title: ACC Resolution Practitioner
Date: May 2024
Group: Operations
Location: Auckland, Wellington, or Christchurch
Reports to: Operations Manager ACC Services
Position Purpose
The Resolution Practitioner has primary accountability to fulfil the obligations of the Accident
Compensation Act 2001. They are responsible for providing a range of high quality, efficient and timely
dispute resolution services, including (but not limited to) facilitation, mediation, conciliation and
adjudication, to a diverse group of customers. The role will deliver services through a mix of digital and
in person options.
The outcomes sought are:
• Resolution of disputes in a way that preserves the mana of all participants and does so in an effective, efficient and timely way.
• Deliver a service in a culturally appropriate way.
• To enhance Fair Way’s reputation as the leading provider of ACC Review Decisions and ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution) services New Zealand wide.
• To achieve key performance indicators at a personal, team and company level.
These activities and outcomes will be achieved through being a highly experienced and competent
Resolution Practitioner, focused on providing exceptional customer experience and contributing to
maintaining Fair Way’s profile as a leader in the delivery of dispute resolution services.
Position Dimensions
Budget n/a
Staff No direct staff responsibilities
Internal
relationships
• Senior Management team members
• Operations Manager ACC Services
• Senior Resolution Practitioners, Resolution Practitioners and
Resolution Coordinators.
• All other Fair Way staff members
External
relationships
• External stakeholders
• Parties to the review
Position Description – ACC Resolution Practitioner
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Position Responsibilities
• Analyse detailed medico legal documentation and/or communications to determine either the
validity of ACC decisions or to bring about resolution opportunities for cases.
• Conduct case conferences to determine issues, define the legal test and communicate complex
medico legal concepts to ensure participant understanding. Conduct hearings and/or
conciliations between the parties in accordance with the principles of natural justice, adopting
an investigative approach that is informal, timely and practical. Comply with relevant law and
exercise due diligence in decision making.
• Be the primary ‘face’ of Fair Way in customer interactions, maintaining a safe environment that
ensures customers feel heard through the process and are treated in a mana preserving way.
• Proactive Case Management - Liaise and work closely with all other Fair Way staff taking a
lead role in problem solving to ensure smooth and seamless transition of cases/disputes
through to early resolution, settlement, hearing or withdrawal of the dispute/case.
• Demonstrate and maintain technical competence across adjudication and ADR, as well as up
to date knowledge of relevant legislation and case law.
• Identify, build and maintain professional relationships to deliver client services.
• Maintain an open and non-judgmental attitude that supports our duty to act independently.
• Actively seek to meet and respect the specific cultural needs of all clients, so that our service
contributes to successful resolution for parties.
• Develop strong and positive working relationships with key stakeholders to ensure that service
delivery meets the needs of participants.
• Contribute to the design, development and updating of Fair Way’s Service Delivery processes
and policies to ensure they meet evolving needs of customers and the community.
• Support people in achieving outstanding results and making the greatest contribution they can.
• Focus on developing skills through mentoring and ownership of career development.
• Identify opportunities for new business as part of the delivery of ADR services with existing
clients.
• Manage the Health and Safety risks associated with meeting parties in resolution.
• Actively participate in Health and Safety in all work-related activities, including keeping up to
date with any policy or procedure or important safety messages and practices
Technical capability and experience requirements
• Tertiary qualification in Law.
• ADR experience preferred.
• A general working knowledge of Te Tiriti o Waitangi is preferred, as is the ability to work in
situations where tikanga protocols are desired by the customer.
• Ability to maintain the ‘ACC Warrant’ through ongoing professional development, applicable
case law review and acceptable quality assessment performance.
Position Description – ACC Resolution Practitioner
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• Be able to manage/prioritise a full caseload of reviews and/or conciliations of varying
complexities, wide ranging issues, together with being cognisant of the vulnerabilities, needs
and demeanour of customers.
• Ability to understand complex technical legal and medical issues and/or arguments and be able
to explain these to customers in plain English.
• Experience in conducting mediations and accredited and approved to practice by a recognised
authority or in a workplace learning programme to develop the experience.
• Understanding of dispute resolution, particularly negotiation and facilitation and competence in
problem solving and gaining agreements that are enforceable.
• Understand the principles of the Privacy and Official Information Acts and the ability to
understand, interpret and apply the law to identify issues, analyse and make robust decisions
with experience in conducting quasi-judicial hearings.
• Ability to follow broad practice and procedure covered by precedents and policies and subject
to managerial direction, working autonomously within clearly defined company policies,
principles and objectives.
• Member of the Arbitrators’ and Mediators Institute of New Zealand (or equivalent professional
qualification) or able to demonstrate in a programme of learning for professional qualifications.
Behavioural requirements
• Has a high level of personal resilience to be able to manage the complexities, both technical
and people related, of providing a variety of dispute resolution services ranging from voice only
interaction through to in-person hearings.
• Take up opportunities to use the available tools/services/meetings to help you (and team
members) appropriately debrief, learn, or consider different perspectives relating to difficult
situations or cases. Proactively engage in these activities to support and improve practice, and
to enhance practitioner well-being.
• Demonstrates effective communication, judgement, intelligence, common sense, integrity,
empathy, resilience and adaptability to manage interactions with sometimes highly stressed
and vulnerable parties.
• An ability to be decisive and to work independently.
• Takes accountability and ownership – does not hide behind others or blame others for
undesirable outcomes.
• Values the inputs of others, has empathy of other cultures and viewpoints.