LEAD COUNSELLOR
REPORTING TO:
The Chief Executive overall, and to the Operations Manager in respect
of Annual, and other leave, requests.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
* Administering the counselling department to ensure the delivery of
quality, timely, ethical professional counselling services to Well
Woman clients.
* Ensuring compliance with funder requirements (as defined in the
SLA) in service delivery. Promoting awareness of those services, and
overseeing their ongoing development.
* Supporting Well Woman?s two staff counsellors.
* Serving as the Designated Liaison Person (DLP) in respect of
reports to Tusla
THE IDEAL CANDIDATE:
* Will demonstrate a strong, practical awareness of how
publically-funded services are delivered, and will be aware of the
professional and business realities around delivering services in line
with funder and contractual requirements.
* S/he will be able to work independently and will co-ordinate all
of the practical, staffing, policy and administrative aspects of the
counselling service.
* S/he will have a minimum of three years of experience,
post-accreditation, in working in a professional counselling
environment.
After **Apply on the website** months (subject to funding, and
depending on satisfactory performance in the role), there is potential
to promote the Lead Counsellor to Head of Counselling Services.
SERVICE DELIVERY, POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND STAFF ADMINISTRATION:
The Lead Counsellor ?
* Will have had experience in a senior or Lead Counsellor role for at
least 2 years. Experience in overseeing a publically-funded
counselling service, and delivering services to contractual
requirements, will be an advantage
* Will have a strong, commercial customer-service ethos
* Will provide an agreed amount of counselling hours each week to
Dublin Well Woman Centre clients (with some of the contracted hours
being devoted to administration)
* Will provide a number (varying) of information or ?Process?
calls to patients attending for EMA services, and will monitor levels
of demand for these calls across the three clinics, ensuring balanced
distribution
* Will interview and assess applicant counsellors
* Will be responsible for overseeing the team of two counsellors,
including responsibility for induction of new counsellors, development
(team and individual), inter-team communications, disciplinary issues,
holding periodic team meetings, as well as one-to-one meetings with
individual counsellors)
* Will build links with Well Woman?s medical and nursing teams, to
support referral of patients and clients between these professional
disciplines
* Will monitor training needs of counsellors, and identify
appropriate resources to meet those needs (in line with individual
Annual Training Allowances)
* Should ideally have experience and qualifications as a Supervisor
in order to provide Case Management supervision to the team of
Counsellors
* Will liaise with other professional bodies where appropriate,
including holding quarterly meetings with other Lead Counsellors /
Heads of Counselling in similar organisations
* Will assist in the development and communication of relevant Well
Woman policies & procedures
* Will ensure the Chief Executive is briefed on matters of interest
or concern in the delivery of Well Woman?s counselling service
ADMINISTRATION AND SERVICE PROMOTION:
The Lead Counsellor ?
* Will work within the ethos and philosophy of the Dublin Well Woman
Centre
* Will monitor the demand for crisis / unplanned pregnancy
counselling services, and post-abortion counselling services, and plan
necessary resources in order to meet demand
* Will prepare monthly statistics and will feed these in, within
agreed deadlines, to the Finance Manager (who uses them in monthly
management accounts, and in preparation of statistical returns for our
funder).
* Will also prepare 6-monthly narrative reports on the operation of
pregnancy-related counselling services, for our funder.
* Will monitor the demand for general counselling services, and
liaise with the Chief Executive and Operations Manager around the
future of this service
* Will record details of usage of the General Counselling service
* Will promote the Crisis / Unplanned Pregnancy counselling service
including meeting with GPs, 3rd level Organisations, professional and
women?s organisations. This will include liaising with the Social
Media, Communications and Research Co-Ordinator in creating content
for Well Woman?s social media channels
* Will keep updated with Practice & Procedures
* Will oversee quality of service delivery, including preliminary
investigation of any complaints from clients.
* Will liaise with external bodies ? such as the CPP, and / or
researchers ? as appropriate and as agreed with the CEO
NOTE:
Garda Vetting is a condition of employment in this role.
The successful applicant must be a fully accredited member of IACP or
IAHIP (or an equivalent body).
SALARY AND TERMS & CONDITIONS:
Salary will be _pro rata_, based on a full-time salary of ?**Apply
on the website**,**Apply on the website** (equates to ?**Apply on
the website** / hour). In addition, Well Woman will underwrite costs
of monthly counselling supervision.
Upon completion of a probation period (ordinarily 3 ? 4 months), an
Annual Training Allowance and Study Leave are provided for.
WORKING HOURS AND PLACE OF WORK:
The role is structured on a part-time basis, in recognition of the
likelihood that applicants may have their own counselling practice.
The Lead Counsellor will work between our Pembroke Road and Liffey
Street clinics. The role is offered on a part-time basis, **Apply on
the website** hours / week across 4 days, Tue ? Fri:
* Tuesdays 9 am ? 3.**Apply on the website** pm (1/2 hour break 1
pm to 1.**Apply on the website** pm)
* Wednesdays 9 am ? 2.**Apply on the website** pm (1/2 hour break
1 pm to 1.**Apply on the website** pm)
* Thursdays 9 am ? 2.**Apply on the website** pm (1/2 hour break 1
pm to 1.**Apply on the website** pm)
* Fridays 9 am ? 2.**Apply on the website** pm (1/2 hour break 1
pm to 1.**Apply on the website** pm)
Approximately 4 hours of the above are reserved for administration;
the balance is to be used for client hours. From time to time, and
with the agreement of the CEO and / or Operations Manager, additional
administration hours may be allocated.
The role is advertised on the basis of a one-year contract, open to
renewal. Applicants are asked to note that this role is contingent on
continued HSE funding to support the service.
TO APPLY:
Send a Letter of Application outlining your experience and
qualifications, and CV, for the attention of Alison Begas, Chief
Executive, at **APPLY ON THE WEBSITE**, stating ?LEAD COUNSELLOR
ROLE? in the subject line.
Deadline for receipt of applications: Close of business, Tuesday,
**Apply on the website**th May **Apply on the website**. Interviews
will take place during the week beginning **Apply on the website**rd
May.
We need : English (Good)
Type: Permanent
Payment:
Category: Health
