Service Director, Children & Young People’s Residential Services

Duties and Responsibilities

The core duties and responsibilities for this post are set out as follows (applicants should note the list is not exhaustive and includes a clear understanding that the scope of the role is at the discretion of the CEO).

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Responsible and accountable for the overall strategic and operational delivery of children and young people’s residential services (including Special Care).

• Lead the Residential Care Management Team to ensure the delivery of high quality, integrated child, and young person-centred residential services.

• Ensure robust integration of residential services with other Tusla services across the country.

• Ensure appropriate systems of governance and oversight are in place for services provided by non-statutory services (private and community and voluntary) on behalf of Tusla.

• Ensure services are delivered in line with Pay and Numbers Strategy and achieve value for money.

• External stakeholder engagement and strategic management of key inter-agency and interdepartmental stakeholders, and oversight bodies such as HIQA, the Ombudsman for Children.

• Participate as a member of the National Operations Management team to ensure the implementation of all service delivery strategies and plans, in a consistent way, to achieve the best outcomes for children, their families, and communities.

• To assist the Assistant National Director Alternative Care / Director of Services and Integration/CEO/Agency/Board in the implementation of its strategic objectives, under the three high-level strategic areas; Practice, Culture and Structure - Structure Part 2 of the Agency’s Reform Programme. The scope and breadth of the role may change in line with the Agency Reform Programme.

Leadership and Direction

• To lead the development and implementation of appropriate management and controls system that will improve responsibility and accountability throughout the services.

• To take a lead role in the performance management process to optimise service performance.

• To lead in the development and implementation of Annual Business Plans for the Service in line with the National Business Plan and Corporate Strategy objectives.

• Lead the Children’s Residential Care Management Team in the development and implementation of a fully integrated model of service delivery based on national standardised models across all residential care services.

• Assist the CEO and the EMT in external engagement for the Agency including media and parliamentary processes as relevant to the service, both nationally and regionally.

• Produce an Annual Business Plan for Children’s Residential Care Services in line with the National Business Plan and Corporate Strategic objectives for the Agency, and the performance statement of the Minister.

• The Service Director will have prescribed national frameworks within which to work (consistency) and will also have strategic frameworks within which to determine enhancements to a particular location or service.

Operational Excellence and Managing and Delivery of Results/Performance

• Ensuring that services operate with agreed pay and numbers strategy.

• Ensuring services are delivered to the highest best practice standards and in line with statutory and regulatory compliance.

• To be responsible for promoting a culture of excellence in the delivery of services and the attainment of registration/accreditation where such approved processes exist.

• To continuously review operational processes to ensure the efficient, effective, and safe delivery of services.

• To lead and implement staff development programmes to include management performance evaluation schemes.

• To lead, oversee and drive improvements in governance and quality programmes in the service in relation to:

  • Risk Management

  • Audit (internal and external)

  • Quality, Evaluation, Standards Programme

  • Children and Service User Fora

  • Accreditation Programmes

  • Health and Safety Programmes

  • Complaints

Organisation Change and Development

• To ensure the implementation of Strategic Plans for Residential Services/other Reform Programmes to optimise the opportunities for improved service provision.

• To promote a positive culture within the service in line with the Agency’s stated values.

Working with and through others – Influencing to Achieve

• To successfully build and sustain relationships internally and externally.

Interpersonal & Communication Skills

• To communicate with impact at a senior level and to demonstrate sound strategic and operational judgment, allied to excellent oral and written communication skills.

• To act as a spokesperson for the organisation in line with the Agencies Communications Plan.

• To act for and represent the Chief Executive/Chief Operations/ Assistant National Director Officers in matters pertaining to his/her area of responsibility as directed delegates by him/her from time to time.

Financial Management

• Hold full budgetary responsibility and accountability for Children’s Residential Services and be accountable for ensuring that relevant services operate within agreed service levels and budget and are delivered to the highest best-practice standards.

People Management

• Provide people leadership across Residential Care Services and be a role model for the Agency's Mission and Values.

• Manage all HR dependencies and deliverables including employee engagement.

Corporate Accountability Management

• The Service Director, Children & Young People’s Residential Services will oversee and produce annual certification of Internal Controls and Controls Assurance for Children’s Residential Care Services.

• The Service Director, Children & Young People’s Residential Services will have overall responsibility for the fulfilment by the Agency of ‘Public Sector Duty’ & ‘Code of Governance’.

• The Service Director, Children & Young People’s Residential Services will be the named person or delegated authority to sub-delegate on behalf of the provider/Agency in respect of any formal regulatory or legal ‘ownership’ requirements.

• The Service Director, Children & Young People’s Residential Service will be responsible for the compliance of the Agency (across all residential care services) with all regulatory requirements in Services (HIQA), Data Protection Commission, Health & Safety Authority, Ombudsman, Ombudsman for Children, Information Commissioner (not exhaustive).

• The Service Director, Children & Young People’s Residential Service will participate with the CEO / Deputy in the accountability of the Agency to the Oireachtas Committees of Children and Public Accounts (as required).

• The Service Director, Children & Young People’s Residential Service will in conjunction with the Assistant National Director Alternative Care / National Director Services and Integration produce regular performance reports on all aspects of the functions of the Agency within the Region for the purpose of assisting the CEO in reporting to the Board.

• The Service Director, Children & Young People’s Residential Service will be assigned to be a member of the senior management leads for the sub committees of the Board of the Agency. E.g. Chief Officer 1 will be assigned with the Director of Quality and Regulation and the Director of Finance and Corporate Services to be the management lead for the Audit and Risk Committee of the Board.

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.

Eligibility Criteria

Qualifications and/or Experience Applicants must by the closing date of application have the following:

• Hold a professional qualification (third level) in Health & Social Care and/or management related discipline.

• Have a minimum 5 years’ experience at senior management level in the delivery of social care or health services in a comparable size organisation to the remit of this role.

• A proven track record in operational management excellence in delivering services of significant scale and complexity.

• A proven track record in strategic planning and effective implementation of organisational wide change, and sustained improvement.

• A proven track record in the strategic management of services governed by legislative frameworks, policy and best practice, as relevant to children in care.

• Proven ability to manage people/teams - including transition team management, and resources at both a strategic and operational level to ensure that both strategic and business plan objectives are met within budget and timeframes and to a high standard.

• Proven track record of leading an operational service delivery area with a focus on operational performance, results and an experience in performance systems, logistics and analysis, as relevant to the role.

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.

Skills, competencies and/or knowledge

Tusla Leadership Competency Framework The Tusla Leadership Competency Framework describes the behaviours that are key to Tusla colleagues being effective in the execution of their role at all levels within the Agency. The competencies and associated behavioural descriptors, capture the transversal knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics that will enable colleagues, regardless of role or rank, to be effective in their work.

The Tusla Leader Framework relevant for this role is Leading Service. Please access this Leading Service link to fully familiarise yourself with the impact of this Leading Service proficiency for Tusla.

Competencies will be assessed at interview under the following headings:

• Professional Knowledge & Developing Personally and Professionally

• Being Accountable and Resilient & Making Judgements and Decisions

• Communicating with Impact and Respect & Building Rewarding Relationships & Teamworking and Collaboration

• Delivering Quality Services & Creating the Services of the Future

The Competency of Professional Knowledge is specifically linked to the duties, responsibilities and criteria for this role.

Tenure

The vacancy available is Fixed term, 2-year contract and whole time. The post is pensionable. A panel may be created for the purpose of filling this position. Once the position is appointed the panel will cease. Appointment as an employee of the Child & Family Agency is governed by the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013 and the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act 2004.

Remuneration

The Salary scale for the whole time equivalent of this post is: 01/03/2025: €117,310, €122,268, €127,317, €132,462 LSIs (Long Service Increments) are represented by emboldened figures. 1st LSI is paid after 3 years on the max, the 2nd LSI after 3 years on LSI1, and the 3rd LSI after 3 years on the 2nd LSI (where applicable). The appointee shall commence on the first point of the salary scale. Incremental credit may be given on appointment for certain types of relevant experience - more information available in Appendix 5. Candidates should note that entry will be at the minimum point of the scale and will not be subject to negotiation, and the rate of remuneration may be adjusted from time to time in line with Government pay policy. Different terms and conditions may apply if the appointee is a currently serving civil or public servant.

Working Week

The standard working week applying to the whole time equivalent of this post is: 35 hours.

Annual Leave

The annual leave associated with the whole time equivalent of this post is 30 days per annum.

Superannuation

This is a pensionable position with Tusla. The successful candidate will upon appointment become a member of the appropriate pension scheme. Pension scheme membership will be notified within the contract of employment.

Probation

A probation period of 39 weeks, or proportion of same for fixed term /specified purpose contracts, where applicable shall apply from the commencement of employment, during which the contract may be terminated by either party in accordance with this contract. The probationary period may be extended at the discretion of management by a further 9 weeks or proportion of same for fixed term/specified purpose contracts, where applicable. Confirmation of appointment as a permanent member of staff is subject to the successful completion of the probationary period, for permanent contracts. Where you have already completed a probationary period with the Child and Family Agency, Health Service Executive, Local Authority, and there is no break in service, no period of probation applies.

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