Project Officer

Hours: 35 hours per week

Location: Remote working (national travel required)

Project Background

The National Neuro-Rehabilitation Strategy is developing networks of Neuro-Rehabilitation services nationally called Managed Clinical Rehabilitation Networks (MCRNs). The overarching aim is the development of Neuro-Rehabilitation services to improve outcomes for people by providing safe, high quality, person-centred Neuro-Rehabilitation at the lowest appropriate level of complexity and as close to home as possible. It is a key priority of the strategy to ensure that the person with lived experience is at the core of strategy implementation and that we are integrating and collaborating with our community and voluntary partners.

The Neurological Alliance of Ireland, in partnership with the HSE and Disability Federation of Ireland, is seeking a Project Officer to support a national initiative aimed at strengthening engagement with lived experience representatives and voluntary organisations within the implementation of the National Neuro-Rehabilitation Strategy.

Role Summary

This role involves working in collaboration with the Project Partners to strengthen, coordinate and standardise engagement structures for lived experience representatives and voluntary organisations participation in national and regional groups and workstreams under the National Neuro-Rehabilitation Strategy. This role will involve working to ensure inclusive and sustainable participation, equitable representation and effective two-way communication.

Key Responsibilities

The project works across two interconnected workstreams:

• Lived Experience Engagement

• Voluntary Organisation Engagement

Workstream 1: Lived Experience Engagement

• In conjunction with the Project Partners and existing Lived Experience Representatives, consider the current approach and structures of engagement of lived experience representatives within the National Neuro-Rehabilitation Strategy programme of work

• Develop proposals for a sustainable engagement framework based on consultation, recommendations and informed by a review of best practices and other models/initiatives of inclusion and participation across the disability and wider healthcare sector

• Develop appropriate mechanisms to enable peer informed representation, consultation and feedback among lived experience representatives across all workstreams and engagement platforms

• Develop and deliver a supportive framework, including but not limited to development of accessible formats, structures and resources to enable inclusive participation across the lived experience community at regional and national level

Workstream 2: Voluntary Organisation Engagement

• Consider the current engagement framework, undertaking this in conjunction with the Project Partners and relevant working groups and workstreams under the National Neuro-Rehabilitation Strategy including the Neuro-Rehabilitation Community Workstream

• Develop an approach for inclusive and equitable structures of engagement. This is based on consultation, recommendations and informed by a review of best practice and other models and initiatives across the disability and wider healthcare sector

• Develop and deliver a sustainable supportive framework for inclusive and equitable engagement of the voluntary sector in Strategy implementation, incorporating mechanisms for cross organisational informed representation, consultation and feedback

Cross-Cutting Duties

• Stakeholder engagement and facilitation across health regions; the community and voluntary sector; people with neuro-rehabilitation needs and lived experience representatives and others as relevant

• Structured review of existing engagement; building evidence-based recommendations for further development and improvement

• Preparation of briefings and reports

• Stakeholder management

• Facilitation of groups

• Project coordination and reporting

Person Specification

Essential Requirements

• Third level degree in health, social policy, social science, community development or related field

• Minimum 3 years relevant experience in health, social care, disability, community development, or social policy sector

• Experience in stakeholder engagement and management

• Experience of programme development and/or review

• Strong report writing and communication skills

• Familiarity with Irish health and social care systems

• Experience working in multi-stakeholder environments

• Experience of group facilitation

Desirable Requirements

• Postgraduate qualification in relevant discipline

• Experience in service/programme co-design or co-production with people who have lived experience

• Knowledge of Neuro-Rehabilitation and disability services

Key Competencies

• Strong interpersonal and facilitation skills

• Ability to manage multiple priorities

• High level of organisation and attention to detail

• Ability to work independently and as part of a team

• Commitment to inclusion and person-centred approaches

Additional Information

• This role description is not exhaustive and may evolve in line with project requirements

• There may be a requirement to work outside of normal office hours to accommodate lived experience engagement

• The Neurological Alliance of Ireland is an Equal Opportunities Employer

Salary

Remuneration will be in line with the Health Service Executive (HSE) Administrative Grade VII salary scale and will reflect the successful candidate’s experience