Hansen has been linked with the club since announcing a year ago he would end his 16-year association with the All Blacks after the Rugby World Cup.
The 60-year-old refused to reveal his plans in the wake of New Zealand’s third-placed finish in Japan.
“I’ve got a new job which involves me mentoring, consulting and advising at Toyota Verblitz,” Hansen told All Blacks TV on Monday.
“The reason I couldn’t say before was because there wasn’t a contract signed.
“It’s not as a head coach, it’s more as an advisor, a mentor and it requires me to be up there for five to 17 weeks a year.”
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Hansen has a long-standing friendship with Cron, the nephew of veteran All Blacks scrum coach Mike Cron, and hopes his involvement with the youngster will improve his stocks as a coach.
“The opportunity to help him grow is something that really excites me. While we want a winning Toyota Verblitz team, we also want an environment at the club that people can be proud of and that can be like a family,” Hansen said.
“All like the sort of thing we had in the All Blacks or what’s normal for any rugby team. If I can help in any way to try to create that, then that would be important, too.”
Hansen was All Blacks head coach for 107 Tests across eight years, notching a remarkable 93 wins, along with four draws and 10 losses.
He oversaw the 2015 Rugby World Cup triumph, matching his 2011 feat as an assistant coach under Graham Henry.