CEO

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) provides strategic, organisational and values-based leadership to Jigsaw, ensuring the organisation continues to deliver high-quality, accessible and impactful youth mental health services that improve outcomes for young people across Ireland.

The CEO holds responsibility for the overall implementation of the strategic direction, operational sustainability and continued development of Jigsaw. Reporting to the Board of Directors through the Chairperson, the CEO will implement Jigsaw’s strategic plan, building on a strong foundation of service excellence, innovation and national impact.

The CEO will strengthen and maintain Jigsaw as a trusted national leader in early intervention and youth mental health, strengthening the organisation’s voice, influence and impact across Ireland.

The CEO will lead Jigsaw through its next phase of development, inspiring and enabling a strong Senior Management Team to deliver on the organisation’s strategic ambitions. Working in partnership with the Board of Directors, the CEO will provide strategic leadership, ensure effective governance and financial stewardship, and drive organisational performance and sustainability.

The role will champion innovation, collaboration and continuous improvement, ensuring Jigsaw remains responsive to the evolving needs of young people, families and communities while strengthening its impact within the youth mental health sector.

The ideal candidate will bring significant senior leadership experience within the non-profit, healthcare, mental health, public service or other relevant sectors.

They will have a strong track record in delivery, strategic planning, organisational development, stakeholder engagement and leading complex organisations through growth and change.

This is a highly visible leadership role requiring an exceptional relationship-builder who can engage confidently with a diverse range of stakeholders including young people and families, staff, funders, Government departments, the HSE, policymakers, statutory agencies and community partners. The role will involve media exposure and appearances before parliamentary committees from time to time.

The successful candidate will lead a highly capable Senior Management Team, to support Jigsaw’s continued growth and impact.

Please Note:The role is offered on a full-time, five-year fixed-term contract, any extension or renewal will be subject to the Board’s approval. The role is Dublin-based, operating within a hybrid model with a minimum of three days per week onsite in the National Office. The Board is also open to considering candidates on a secondment basis, where appropriate.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Leadership

• Lead organisational development and change ensuring Jigsaw continues to evolve, in response to the changing needs of young people, families and communities.
• Work with the Board of Directors and Senior Management Team to implement and evaluate Jigsaw’s strategic plan and develop organisational priorities.
• Provide inspirational and values-driven leadership to Jigsaw, fostering a high-performing, collaborative and inclusive culture.
• Lead, support and develop the Senior Management Team, driving organisational performance, accountability, development and change.
• Build strong relationships with Government Departments, the HSE, NGO statutory agencies and sector partners, enhancing Jigsaw’s influence and impact.

Quality and Impactful services

• Lead the continued development and delivery of safe, high-quality, timely, accessible and evidence-informed youth mental health services, with a strong focus on impact and outcomes for young people.
• Ensure Jigsaw’s services continue to have a strong focus on quality, safety and safeguarding, and operate within a robust clinical governance framework.
• Oversee the measurement and evaluation of organisational impact, using data, research and insights to improve services and outcomes for young people.

Financial Sustainability and Resource Management

• Provide strong financial leadership, ensuring the organisation’s long-term sustainability and responsible stewardship of Jigsaw’s resources.
• Lead the development and strengthening of sustainable funding strategies across Government, philanthropy, corporate partnerships and other income streams.

Governance, Risk and Accountability

• Work in partnership with the Chairperson and Board of Directors to ensure strong governance, strategic oversight, accountability and effective risk management across the organisation.
• Ensures strong governance, compliance and responsible stewardship of public and charitable resources, fostering transparency, accountability and ethical leadership.

Policy, Advocacy and Sector Leadership

• Represent Jigsaw as a national leader and advocate for youth mental health, prevention and early intervention, influencing policy and strengthening sector collaboration.
• Enhance and promote the strong youth participation and engagement at the heart of Jigsaw’s vision and values, ensuring the voices and experiences of young people accessing our services and Youth Advocates continue to inform and shape the organisation’s work.

Communications and Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as a credible ambassador and spokesperson for Jigsaw, strengthening its profile, reputation and influence nationally and internationally.
• Build trusted relationships with young people, families, employees, funders, policymakers, partners and communities.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

The ideal candidate will demonstrate the following competencies, qualities and experience:

• 7–10 years’ senior leadership experience leading a complex organisation, ideally within healthcare, mental health, public service or the not-for-profit sector.
• A third-level qualification preferably at postgraduate level in a relevant discipline.
• A strong understanding of youth mental health, and the wider policy, funding and advocacy environment in Ireland.
• A proven ability to build, lead and inspire high-performing executive and multidisciplinary clinical and non-clinical teams through growth, transformation and periods of significant change.
• Demonstrated personal resilience and adaptability, with the ability to lead effectively through periods of uncertainty and challenge, including service, financial and organisational pressure.
• A proven ability to build constructive relationships with key stakeholders such as Government Departments, the HSE, NGO’s, statutory agencies, sector partners and national and international stakeholders to influence policy and funding for services.
• An ability to foster a culture of collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement.
• A strong understanding of the governance, accountability and policy frameworks of the voluntary and charity sector within which Jigsaw operates.
• A proven ability to work with a Board of Directors in a voluntary organisation and to uphold and strengthen high standards of governance at senior level.
• The credibility and influence to engage effectively and represent Jigsaw with national and international stakeholders including parliamentary committees and media appearances from time.
• A proven ability to build and sustain strong, collaborative relationships with communities including young people and families.

WHAT WE OFFER:

Salary commensurate with qualifications and experience. Factors taken into account in determining an appropriate salary include the candidate’s knowledge, skills, experience and qualifications relevant to the job. The salary range for this role will be €116,397 - €134,906.

Jigsaw operates the following benefits for its employees:

• Defined Pension Contribution Scheme: Up to 10% employer and 5% employee contribution
• 10% Discount on Laya Healthcare
• Annual leave 30 days, exclusive of public holidays and 1.5 company days
• Comprehensive annual CPD schedule
• Flexible working options
• Financial support for further education

Ready to Join Us?

If you are a strategic, values-driven and collaborative leader with a strong commitment to youth mental health and the ability to drive meaningful organisational impact, we would love to hear from you. Please see the attached job description for full details.

Please note:

• The closing date for applications is 5pm on Monday 14 September. First round interviews are provisionally scheduled to take place on 28 September in Dublin, with final confirmation to follow. To arrange a confidential discussion about this role please contact Leanne Lawless, Director People & Culture on 085 804 9986 or Leanne.lawless@jigsaw.ie
• Applications are by way of online application form and CVs will not be accepted. Please complete all fields of the application form - incomplete application forms will not be accepted.
• 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 them from time to time and to contribute to the development of the post while in office.
• *Jigsaw’s Organisational Strategy 2027–2030 is due to be published shortly and will be available in advance of the appointment process.
• As Jigsaw is a national organisation, the post will require travel for work and a willingness to work occasional evenings and weekends, as required.
• Jigsaw is an Equal Opportunities Employer.
• All documentation received by Jigsaw will be processed in accordance with the Data Protection Acts, 1988 and 2003 General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR; 2018). The information will only be used by Jigsaw in the processing of job applications and for ongoing administrative purposes with job candidates.