The Child and Family Agency was established on 1^st January 2014 and is responsible for a range of statutory functions including provision of child protection, alternative care, specified regulatory services and a range of family support services.  The Agency has commenced a major improvement programme with significant focus on Practice, Culture and Structure.

The Agency currently has responsibility for a budget of circa €1.2billion and delivers its services through over 5,500 people in 259 locations across the Country.

The Child and Family Agency has responsibility for the following range of services:

• Child Protection and Welfare
• Parenting, Family Support and Early Help Services
• Alternative Care
• Birth Information & Tracing and Adoption
• Tusla Education Support Services (TESS)
• Children’s Service Regulation
• Counselling and Therapeutic Supports

Further information is available on www.tusla.ie

Purpose of Role

The Network Manager will:

• Be accountable for the overall management and delivery of relevant Tusla Services in the Network Area in line with Tusla Local Integrated Service Delivery Model.
• Ensure integration with other Tusla National Services in line with agreed operating model.
• Be a member of the Regional Management Team, and work in partnership with other Area Managers in the Region, and wider management team, to ensure high quality service delivery across the Region, in line with Tusla’s Business and Corporate Plan, national and regional performance targets, and standards.
• As part of the Regional Management Team, lead on practice, structural and cultural reform as part of Tusla’s Integrated Reform Programme.
• Have oversight of the development and implementation of an evidence informed commissioning plan for the network in line with national operating model.
• Contribute to, lead and influence regional and national initiatives and projects, as may be agreed with the relevant Regional Chief Officer.
• Engage and collaborate with key external stakeholders to promote inter-agency collaboration and promote joint working.
• Ensure compliance with relevant financial, statutory, regulatory and legislative regulations and requirements.
• Ensure that Tusla services and partners are working together to make the lives of    children and families better.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Governance

• Ensure the delivery of Tusla services in the Network in line with Tusla Local Integrated Service Delivery Model.
• Ensure high standards in all aspects of practice and services delivered to children and families, the working environment, with the wider organisation and funded partners.
• Ensure compliance with relevant financial, statutory, regulatory, and legislative regulations and requirements.
• As part of the Regional Management Team, ensure appropriate governance structures and systems are in place across Networks to ensure all staff work in accordance with and are supported to fulfil their roles and responsibilities in relation to governance and oversight. 
• Ensure compliance with Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) Standards as they apply to the service, and staff fulfil their roles and responsibilities in implementing and maintaining these standards as appropriate to the role and are supported to do so.
• Ensure that the local regional and national data and trend analysis is used to help inform decision making and the effective use of resources.
• In line with Tusla’s values of Kindness, Respect, Empowerment and Trust, support the staff to promote a culture of openness, integrity, and accountability across all services.

Management & Leadership

• Manage the designated staff resources, ensuring that staff levels and skill mix are appropriate and within agreed resources allocation.
• Supporting the retention and recruitment of staff through local, regional and national initiatives, leading by example.
• Actively work towards ensuring that staff are supported and empowered to fulfil their roles and responsibilities.
• Support staff to deliver to the highest standards of excellence in all aspects of their work, ensuring the appropriate supports are available to staff when required and addressing issues around performance in a manner that is fair to all and in line with the guidance.
• Ensure all staff engage with and are supported in Personal Development Planning and Performance Achievement meetings are in place ensuring personal goals, performance and Agency objectives are aligned.
• Through the Training Needs Analysis process and in conjunction with WLD lead on identification of training and development needs of individual staff and teams and ensure the implementation of appropriate training in conjunction with relevant partners.
• Build and sustain good relationships and ensure proactive, timely and positive communication with staff and wider stakeholders in the Network.
• Review what is working well and identify gaps in the service.  In conjunction with key stakeholder’s plan and implementing actions to address service needs in a complex operating environment, which is built on good communication at all levels across the agency.
• Lead staff by example, holding oneself accountable to the highest standards of excellence in service delivery, expected by Tusla’s service users.

Resource Management

• Promote integrated multidisciplinary team working in line with Local Integrated Services Delivery Model.
• Be responsible for the allocation of resources, including staff, to achieve the best outcomes for children and families, in line with the Agency’s Local integrated Service Delivery Model, Corporate and Business plans.
• Demonstrate the effective use of influencing skills in respect of resources not directly controlled.
• Support all relevant internal processes related to the provision of resources within the Network.

Financial Management

• Hold budgetary responsibility and be accountable for ensuring that services operate within the agreed budgetary levels in the Network, and in compliance with approved procedures within the Child and Family Agency.
• Ensure all staff under responsibility are complying with National Financial Regulations.
• Ensure that appropriate financial information is provided to the relevant management team.
• Maintain such financial records as required by the Child and Family Agency.
• Ensure appropriate Service Level Agreements/Cotracts are in place for all services commissioned, engaged, contracted, or procured in the Network.

Risk Management

• Demonstrate a clear knowledge of the framework within which risk is managed in the Agency.
• Under our QRSI process ensure a Risk Register is maintained reviewed and managed in line with Risk Management Policy.
• Ensure the timely notification of existing or emerging risks to RCO.
• Support the development of a culture which manages risk wisely and proportionately, involving the Agency’s partners, and children, families, and communities as appropriate. 
• Demonstrate the ability to deal with complex ethical issues and make informed judgements.
• Ensure learning and service improvements are identified and implemented internal and external review processes.

Change Management

• Contribute to the planning and implementation of the Tusla Integrated Reform Programme.
• Lead on the implementation of change programmes (for e.g. TCM, GDPR Programme) at network and regional level.
• Actively managing the changes required and ensuring all actions required to introduce, embed, and maintain change is taken by relevant staff.
• Demonstrate a positive and proactive approach to change management and engagement at Network and Regional level.
• Lead change through courage, reflection and proportionate actions if ethics and values are compromised.

Culture & Vision

• Champion the implementation of Tusla vision, mission, and values, across all services.
• Actively promote Tusla values across the agency and with all service partners, through collaboration, co-creation, clear communication and a relationship based approach.
• Lead by example in the development and maintenance of an organisation culture in line with Tusla values and characterised by creativity, innovation, collaboration, and candour.
• Lead on the reform of culture at network, regional and agency level in line with the Tusla Integrated Reform Programme.
• Lead on implementation of communication and engagement strategy in the Network/Region in line with national strategy and KPIs.

Communication & Engagement

• Clearly articulate and communicate the Agency’s vision in a range of contexts.
• Ensure a proactive, timely and effective approach to communication and engagement in locally, regionally and nationally.
• Ensure the network area staff to act in accordance with, the highest standards of professionalism, efficiency, and accuracy in all communications, internally and externally.  Support any challenges to this approach.
• Ensure high quality written communication relating to Tusla services and activities.  Ensuring that Children and Families are communicated with in an age appropriate and relatable manner.

Continuing Professional Development

• Ensure CPD opportunities relevant to the role and ongoing development are prioritised in the context of reflective practice.
• Support staff to pursue / access relevant CPD opportunities in line with agreed performance processes including PDP’s.
• Demonstrate the ability to apply learning into practice.

Health & Safety

• Comply with and contribute to the development of policies, procedures, guidelines and safe professional practice and adhere to relevant legislation, regulations and standards.
• Have a working knowledge of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) Standards as they apply to the service for example National Standards for Child Protection and Care and comply with associated Tusla – Child and Family Agency protocols for implementing and maintaining these standards as appropriate to the role.
• To support, promote and actively participate in sustainable energy, water and waste initiatives to create a more sustainable, low carbon and efficient health service.

The above Job Description is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties involved and consequently, the post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post which may be assigned to him/her from time to time and to contribute to the development of the post while in office. 

Please refer to the Candidate Information pack attached to this campaign for full and further detail.

Applicants must by the closing date of application have the following:

• A relevant 3^rd level qualification
• Have a minimum of 3 years’ experience at senior management level in the Child and Family Agency/HSE or another relevant organisation

Health

A candidate for and any person holding the office must be fully competent and capable of undertaking the duties attached to the office and be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.

Character

Each candidate for and any person holding the office must be of good character.