Pieta is a not-for-profit organisation based in Ireland providing care to those impacted by suicidal ideation and self-harm and those bereaved by suicide. The charity provides a comprehensive range of prevention, intervention and postvention services.

As Director of Quality Assurance, Risk & Safety you will develop, deliver, and implement a comprehensive quality and safety strategy and framework for the organisation with associated structures, policies, and processes.

The purpose of this role is to ensure the creation of an infrastructure which will facilitate adherence to best practice quality, risk and safety standards across the organisation and to maintain consistently excellent standards as evidenced by audit results, client satisfaction and illustration of adherence to best practice standards.

Location: Flexible - travel to Pieta Head Office in Tallaght & Pieta centres nationally when required

Salary: €90,000 per annum

Hours: 40 hours per week - Mon- Fri 9am-5pm

Employment type: Permanent contract

Role & Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic and operational leadership and direction on all aspects of quality and safety for staff and management across the organisation and ensure full compliance with quality, safety and risk provisions across the organisation
• Develop and communicate the vision for quality enhancement, quality standards and client safety, targeting clinical and non-clinical risk management
• Foster a commitment to continuous quality improvement and innovation across Pieta
• Promote best evidence risk management practices that foster a fair, open and learning culture
• Create and oversee a comprehensive and targeted quality safety and risk management programme for Pieta
• Ensure the quality management system is process-led and focused on continuous improvement
• Work across multidisciplinary stakeholders to design quality improvement programmes / initiatives, data processing and analysis which will support implementation and monitoring of quality and client safety
• Develop key performance indicators for the risk management system which can be monitored (quality and safety profile). Report on these to the Executive and Management teams on a regular basis
• Chair and oversee the organisation's Quality Risk and Safety committee, reporting from this committee to the Board of Directors and CEO, demonstrating progress in this area and adherence to agreed standards, escalating significant risks
• Oversee the continual development of the organisation's safety statement and associated policies
• Develop and implement a health and safety reporting mechanism, working with the Executive and Management teams to ensure that incidents, accidents and near misses are reported and managed in accordance with organizational policy, ensuring serious incidents are escalated to the HSA as appropriate
• Regularly review incidents and claims and incident data and statistics, communicating any relevant learning from these to stakeholders as appropriate. Work with insurers and/or solicitors to manage any claims brought against Pieta and support staff through the process
• Oversee the development of policies and procedures to support effective working in line with legislation, standards, and best practice
• Work with the Executive and relevant senior managers to ensure that processes and reporting mechanisms are established for effective advocacy/service user involvement in the assessment and development of quality services
• Provide advice and support on all aspects of risk and incident management
• Develop and support systems and processes for incident management including oversight of and conducting investigations as required in the case of serious incidents
• Develop and manage systems and processes to support and coordinate audit activity within clinical services and shared service departments including self-assessments and gap analyses against audit and regulatory/legal requirements. Oversee periodic audits as required for the purpose of assurance
• Design systems to ensure standardised reporting and collation of data across the organisation including effective document control processes
• Instigate the development of training programmes required to assist risk and safety compliance and continuous quality improvement, sourcing and providing training where necessary
• Maintain and update the Organisation's Risk Register, liaising with other members of the Executive as appropriate. Ensure that corrective action is taken in accordance with the level of risk identified and in accordance with the organisational risk management policy, in a timely manner
• Act as Data Protection Officer (DPO) for Pieta
• Maintain a working knowledge of Quality, Risk and Safety Standards (e.g., Safer Better Healthcare, Best Practice Guidance for Suicide Prevention). Develop and maintain a network of co-operative relationships at local, regional and national level in support of this
• Oversee information requests and interactions in line with legislation
• This list is not exhaustive. You will be required to perform such other duties as appropriate to the post, as may be assigned to you from time to time by a designated person. You will be required to assist with special functions, from time to time

Education, Skills & Experience:

• Relevant degree or qualification (min level 8) in Risk Management or Quality or a professional qualification in a health-related area together with significant experience of working in a health service post to include quality, safety and risk management
• Demonstrable knowledge of quality, risk and safety management to senior management or director level.
• Experience of leading change in a complex organisation
• Experience of overseeing training programmes
• Experience of managing and working collaboratively with multiple stakeholders
• Knowledge and experience of Client Safety including learning from mistakes or errors working in a culture of safety, monitoring and assurance
• Knowledge and experience of Risk Management in a Health Care setting including risk assessment, risk registers, risk reporting and monitoring
• Knowledge and experience of the Incident Management process
• Knowledge and experience of System Analysis Investigations
• Knowledge and experience of Health Care Audit and other assurance mechanisms for quality and client safety
• Excellent MS Office skills to include, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams
• Evidence of ability to meet objectives within agreed timeframes and achieve quality results
• Evidence of effective planning and organisational skills including an awareness of resource management and operate effectively with multiple competing priorities
• Display excellent analytical skills to enable analysis, interpretation of data and data extraction from multiple data sources
• Effective problem solving
• Teamwork skills including the ability to work as part of a multidisciplinary team environment
• Motivation and an innovative approach to the job within a changing working environment
• Flexibility and adaptability
• Leadership skills and the capacity to inspire teams to the confident delivery of excellent services
• Ability to support, supervise, develop, and empower staff in changing work practices in a challenging environment within existing resources
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to facilitate work with a wide range of individuals and groups
• Excellent written and presentation skills with the ability to present complex information in an easily understood and accessible format
• Negotiation / influencing skills
• The ability to interact in a professional manner with staff and other key stakeholders

Employee Benefits:

• Competitive salary and leave entitlements
• Access to training & development opportunities including annual CPD allowance
• Access to contributory pension scheme
• Life Assurance benefit
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Travel Pass/Bike to Work Scheme

Applications should be made through our website or via email, attaching a cover letter (outlining your particular suitability to the role) with an updated Curriculum Vitae to recruitment@pieta.ie by 4th August 2022.

PIETA IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYER