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

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

• Management responsibility for Alternative Care, Foster care and Special Emergency Arrangement’s 
• Provide effective management, and a system of supervision and personal development planning in line with Tusla policies for all relevant staff.
• As part of the Regional Management Team, be responsible for: whole systems change processes by implementing national policies, procedures, guidelines and practice frameworks; developing West / Northeast policies and guidelines in line with national direction.
• Have oversight of the development and implementation of service improvement plans to ensure high quality service delivery and compliance with Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA)standards as they apply to the service.
• As part of the Regional Management Team lead on practice, structural and cultural reform as part of Tusla’s Integrated Reform programme.
• Engage and collaborate with key external stakeholders to promote inter-agency collaboration and promote joint working.

Managing &Delivering Results (Operational Excellence)

• Effectively plan and organise resources to achieve objectives and actions set out in the West / Northeast service plan, within agreed timelines, while achieving quality results and value for money.
• Work to tight deadlines and operate effectively with multiple competing priorities. Take personal responsibility to initiate activities and drive objectives through to a conclusion.

Teamwork, Leadership & Building and Maintaining Relations 

• Provide leadership and expertise at both strategic and operational level. 
• Establish and maintain good relationships with partners in the Child and Family sector, statutory partners and other stakeholders.
• Lead and contribute to relevant aspects of National Child and Family Agency operational policy development.
• Be responsible for identifying training and development needs of assigned staff through personal development planning and implementation of appropriate training in conjunction with Workforce Learning and Development.
• Ensure that statutory and regulatory obligations are compiled with
• Provide leadership and direction that reflects the overall ethos, policy and statutory obligations of the Child and Family Agency.
• Provide a vision in relation to what changes are required to achieve immediate and long-term organisational objectives.
• Building and maintain key internal and external relationships in achieving organisational goals.

 Critical Analysis & Decision Making

• Provide data analysis to senior management and other key stakeholders regarding performance measurement, data analytics, data management and interpretation, and make recommendations where necessary.
• Interpret data and data extraction from multiple data sources and evaluate complex information from a variety of sources to make effective decisions for the delivery of an effective service. Consider the organisational impact of decisions before taking action.
• To scope out the data requirements in consultation with colleagues and to review data provision on an ongoing basis to ensure that the Agency requirements are met.

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:

• Have a minimum Level 8 qualification on the National Framework of Qualifications in Ireland (or equivalent in another jurisdiction) in a relevant discipline (Social Work, Social Care or other related discipline)

And

• Have at least 5 years’ senior management and leadership experience.

• Have experience in the area of Child and Family Services as relevant to the requirements of the role

• Have experience of delivering change in a complex environment which has involved working collaboratively with multiple internal and external stakeholders.

• The requisite knowledge and ability (including a high standard of suitability and management ability) for the proper discharge of the duties of the office.