Paid Advocacy Director Organisation One in Four Hours Full-time Location Dublin 7

Job title:

Paid Advocacy Director Organisation One in Four Hours Full-time Location Dublin 7

Company

One in Four

Job description

The Advocacy Director’s primary responsibility is the delivery and development of the Advocacy programme, which includes direct and indirect client work.

ORGANISATIONAL OVERVIEW

One in Four provides programmes to help adults who have experienced childhood sexual abuse, their families and those who have engaged in sexually harmful behaviour. One in Four works in all aspects of sexual violence in an effort to break the cycle of abuse.

One in Four provides a safe place for men and women to explore the impact childhood sexual abuse has had on their lives. Working to end the trauma of childhood sexual abuse is at the heart of everything the organisation does.

One in Four also actively engages with policy makers at every level to ensure that legislation and processes that have an impact on our clients are sensitive to their needs, and regularly engages in public discourse regarding the prevalence and effects of child sexual abuse.

Vision

One in Four envisions a society where children are safe from sexual harm.

One in Four believes that the world would be a better place if children were safe from sexual harm. We are working to end the trauma of child sexual abuse through our psychotherapy, advocacy and prevention programmes.

One in Four is unique in that we work with all facets of sexual abuse. We provide professional services for adult survivors of child sexual abuse through our psychotherapy, advocacy and family support programmes and also deliver a therapeutic intervention programme to sex offenders. Through our work we have come to understand that the impact of child sexual abuse reverberates far beyond the life of the abused individual and involves family, community and the wider society.

Mission

One in Four’s mission is to deliver professional services to adult survivors of child sexual abuse, their families and to those who have engaged in sexually harmful behaviour.

We design and deliver programmes and services in ways that allow us to make more sense of the dynamics of power and relationship that play out in families impacted by child sexual abuse, including in the wider community.

Seeking justice can be a further manifestation of trauma and distress so we act as advocates for those who choose to engage with the legal system and harness the insights and healing that understandings of restorative justice practices make possible.

We collaborate and build relationships with other NGOs, state agencies, academic institutions and policy makers to share our learning, improve services and highlight how child sexual abuse and exploitation is happening in an increasingly digitised and global world.

Drawing on our clients’ experiences and using evidence-based research, we aim to be a credible expert voice in influencing developments in national policy and practice in areas which have a bearing on our clients’ lives and in the field of child protection.

We wish to share our learning and experience with professionals and organisations in the statutory and voluntary sectors through the provision of training and consultation. We are determined to make the reality of child abuse less hidden and will continue to inform public attitudes so that everyone, particularly children and young people, feel safe from sexual harm.

Values

We believe that a systemic approach is required if the cycle of sexual abuse is to be broken.

Our theoretical basis is an attachment-based trauma-informed practice that provides specialist supports to survivors, families and those who cause sexual harm to find the necessary resilience and determination to overcome the shame and isolation of living with the consequences of child sexual abuse. From listening to clients and families we know that fear, shame and silence can make it difficult to seek assistance and support.

Working within an ethos of restorative approaches, we seek to provide services that are responsive to our evolving client needs and that meet international standards of best practice. We are committed to evaluating our work on an ongoing basis.

Drawing on the principles of restorative justice we seek to:

• Maintain a client-centred organisation;
• Strive to provide the highest standards of services informed by our clients’ evolving needs;
• Engage with service users and with each other with dignity and respect;
• Operate a transparent, consultative decision-making process within the organisation; while respecting the organisational structures that are in place;
• Promote collaboration with other actors in the field of sexual violence;
• Provide a reliable, evidenced-based voice to inform public awareness and policy debates;
• Foster an environment of reflection and review of all our activities.

We value our autonomy to speak about how trauma impacts on our client’s capacity to recover and feel safe in all the dimensions of their lives – including when engaging with structures and systems that seek to administer care and justice.

We are committed to innovative practices that include engaging with those who cause sexual harm or those who know they may be at risk of undermining the safety and protection of children. We acknowledge the challenge involved in this work and will continually review its progress and impact.

We will continue to hold institutions accountable by carefully listening to client and family stories of their engagement with these institutions and by supporting people to use their own voices through public commentary and advocacy.

Our work demands empathy, professionalism and transparency and it challenges us in ways that we can’t anticipate or imagine. We know the value of teamwork and blending expertise so that we contribute to the social change that is necessary to end sexual violence.

GOVERNANCE

One in Four is governed by a Board of Directors who provides direction and guidance and oversees the organisation by:

• Defining the vision, mission and values of the organisation
• Setting out the long-term Strategic Plan
• Establishing policies and procedures to ensure good governance
• Developing a risk management strategy to protect the organisation
• Overseeing the use of the financial and other resources of the organisation to meet its goals and objectives and to ensure its long-term sustainability

The Board currently comprises 9 members.

THE POSITION

Title: Advocacy Director

Reporting to: CEO

Direct Reports: Advocacy Case Managers

Primary Place of Work: (Hybrid – remote working and in office) 35/36 Arran Quay, Smithfield, Dublin D07E221

The successful candidate will have a national remit; they will be required to travel and attend meetings throughout the country. There is a potential to work remotely 2 days per week.

Working Hours: Full-time; 35 hours per week

Nature of Post: Permanent (following 6-month probationary period)

Remuneration: A competitive salary commensurate with experience is offered for this position.

ROLE SUMMARY

The Advocacy Director’s primary responsibility is the delivery and development of the Advocacy programme, which includes direct client work and indirect client work through policy development and areas that need to be addressed in relation to the issues of childhood sexual abuse.

Our advocacy services are rooted in an understanding of the impact of trauma on a person, emotional, and physical well-being, and the connection between the trauma experience and the client’s emotional and behavioural responses as they engage in the criminal, civil justice system courts, or child protection services.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Demonstrate leadership and management skills to ensure that the Advocacy programme continues to provide professional expert service to clients.
• Have a deep understanding of sexual trauma and current policies and developments in this area.
• Ensure the Advocacy programme continues to be client-centred and is responsive to changing client needs.
• Have a comprehensive understanding of the legal processes our clients engage in and provide direction, mentoring and technical guidance to the Advocacy team.
• Develop and maintain good working relationships with key people in the statutory agencies and to collaborate closely with other NGOs working in the DSGBV sector.
• Responsible for high-quality, efficient and cost-effective management of resources in the Advocacy team.
• Responsible for ensuring the effective performance management and personal development of the Advocacy team.
• Establish, monitor and appropriate management systems and policies to provide effective internal control of the Advocacy team.
• Ensure that comprehensive records and statistics on the Advocacy programme are kept so that accurate reports can be made to the relevant statutory bodies and the Board of Directors, as well as being available for appropriate accountability to service users and to inform best practice.
• Identify, to the extent possible, all significant risks to the Advocacy operation and consider and establish, where appropriate, procedures to mitigate the impact of the risks.
• Responsible for the safe and appropriate working environment for the Advocacy team.
• Define and ensure adherence to legal and governance guidelines and develop in-house policies to support the team’s legal and ethical intent.
• Analyse challenges as they occur and provide solutions.
• Accountable for the delivery of the Advocacy service within agreed budget.
• Play an active role in the leadership of One in Four as a member of the Management Team.
• Responsible for being part of the external face of the organisation in media, the delivery of training and other agreed events.
• To carry a moderate client caseload.
• Attend Board meetings on request to report on developments in the Advocacy team.

This list is not exhaustive but serves to reflect the nature of the main duties included in the role.

ORGANISATIONAL PERFORMANCE AND PLANNING

• To support and model the organisational culture of dignity, integrity and respect that informs all relationships within One in Four.
• Play an active role in the leadership of One in Four as a member of the Management Team.
• To support maintaining a safe and supportive working environment for staff.
• To demonstrate an understanding of complex organisational dynamics and to ensure that a positive ethos is maintained in interpersonal relationships.
• Contribute to the One in Four’s strategic plan, mission, objectives, goals and values.

CANDIDATE PROFILE

• Emotionally intelligent, empathetic, resilient and sensitive to the environment in which One in Four operates.
• Management experience at an appropriate senior level, including establishing, leading and managing teams and resources.
• Experience in the management of service delivery.
• Hold an appropriate third level qualification, minimum of level 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ).
• Experience in representing organisations at a senior level, networking, and working in collaboration with others.
• Excellent communication and public speaking skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and identify, set and deliver to deadlines.
• Resilience and capacity for hard work.
• Knowledge of legal systems (e.g., criminal and civil justice systems).

Application Details

HOW TO APPLY

Please send a separate cover letter (max. 2 pages) and CV (max. 3 pages) demonstrating your skills, knowledge and experience required for this senior role to .

Closing date for applications is 27th March 2024 by 5pm.

Interviews are expected to take place on 15th April 2024.

Expected salary

Location

Arran Quay, Dublin

Job date

Fri, 08 Mar 2024 07:10:52 GMT

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