Senior Psychotherapeutic Counselling Manager

About Us: At Dublin Simon Community, we're dedicated to making home a reality. We empower individuals to access and sustain housing through services like prevention, addiction treatment, emergency response, and targeted interventions, in collaboration with our partners.

If you share our values and want to make a difference, we'd love to hear from you. We're looking for client-focused, friendly, and adaptable individuals to join our team.

We prioritise best practices in HR, including staff training, communication, and involvement in decision-making, to create a supportive and effective work environment.

Job Purpose

To lead and support the Dublin Simon Community Low Threshold Counselling team, ensuring that all clinical and ethical standards are maintained.

• Reports to: Director of Clinical Governance and Therapeutic Services
• Contract: Permanent
• Location: Ellen Hall, Inchicore, and Dublin City & County
• Working Hours: 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday

Role-Specific Requirements

• Provide regular line management supervision to all members of the counselling team.
• Maintain and build relationships with key internal and external stakeholders, compiling regular reports and updates.
• Support Dublin Simon Community fundraising and communications departments in initiatives relating to the counselling service.
• Attend steering and working groups relating to mental health.
• Manage the counselling service's annual budgets and take responsibility for all health and safety requirements.
• Maintain accurate and confidential records of clinical practice in line with GDPR, professional codes of conduct and ethics, and organisational policies and procedures.
• Support counsellors in ensuring that all child protection and other regulatory requirements are strictly adhered to.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of high-quality, suicide prevention and low-threshold counselling ensuring safe and effective services across Dublin Simon Services & other homeless service providers.
• Develop, implement and review strategic and operational projects aligned with the Dublin Simon Community Strategic Plan.
• Implement all aspects of Service Level Agreements and ensure delivery of agreed objectives and targets.
• Contribute to the wider Dublin Simon management team and support the development of innovative responses to emerging client and service needs.
• Participate in the Clinical Management Team and contribute to service development initiatives
• Implement and strengthen systems and structures including Salesforce, and impact measurement tools.
• Ensure ongoing monitoring of client waiting list, and develop processes to reduce waiting list.
• Promote the dignity, participation and development of clients across all services.
• Implement appropriate quality standards through robust systems, regular review and continuous improvement.
• Benchmark services against best practice standards and conduct regular reviews and audits.
• Ensure high standards of client experience, respond to complaints through organisational processes and follow up on actions arising from client feedback.
• Engage regularly with clients and ensure Dublin Simon Community values are reflected in service delivery.
• Lead and manage staff, volunteers and CE staff, setting clear expectations and supporting effective team performance.
• Work with the Director of Clinical Governance and Human Resources to forward plan staffing requirements.
• Support recruitment, induction, motivation, supervision and performance management across the service.
• Facilitate effective team dynamics and support counsellors to develop and perform to their maximum potential.
• Provide regular line management supervision, support and performance management to team members.
• Participate in regular supervision and performance appraisal with the line manager.

Governance, Systems & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with organisational policies, procedures, guidelines and relevant service standards.
• Ensure Health & Safety and lone working requirements are implemented and maintained.
• Monitor the use of Salesforce and participate in audits as required.
• Support teams with Salesforce implementation.
• Maintain appropriate systems and structures to support consistent and effective service delivery.

Performance, Finance & Operational Management

• Develop and deliver the annual service scorecard in line with organisational strategy and service developments.
• Complete relevant reporting and administration including service statistics, donor reports, CEO reports and scorecard updates.
• Ensure monitoring reports are completed and submitted to funders within agreed timelines.
• Support the Director of Clinical Governance with future funding submissions.
• Manage services within agreed budgets and complete regular budget reviews.
• Ensure effective utilisation, monitoring and distribution of resources.
• Control costs without compromising service quality or delivery.
• Ensure service buildings are maintained to a safe standard and initiate necessary repairs or improvements within budget.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Develop and maintain positive working relationships with key stakeholders including the NOSP and organisations working within homelessness and addiction services.
• Represent the services professionally and support effective partnership working across internal and external stakeholders.

Person Specification Essential Qualifications

• A degree in counselling/psychotherapy.
• A qualification in clinical supervision recognised by professional accreditation bodies.
• Five years post qualification accreditation with a professional accreditation body, IAHIP, IACP,ACI, or equivalent.
• Understanding of the impact of childhood abuse and trauma.
• Assessing clients' suitability for counselling/psychotherapy.
• Working within a range of therapeutic approaches.
• Working effectively and confidently with complex ethical dilemmas.
• Knowledge and application of trauma-informed, gender-sensitive and client-centred therapeutic practice within homelessness and social care settings.
• Ability to work effectively as part of multidisciplinary supports, appropriate referral pathways, risk management.
• Operating notification procedures in relation to child protection.
• Incorporating relevant legislation, agreed policy directives and professional guidance into work practice.
• Operating professional and personal boundaries.
• Appreciation of the importance of professional and personal support systems.
• Working effectively as part of a team including working independently.
• To evaluate information and make effective decisions.
• 5 years' experience managing a counselling service.
• 5 years' experience of working in a suicide prevention service.
• 5 years' experience of providing emotional and psychological support to women with complex presenting issues, including complex trauma, mental health difficulties and homelessness-related stressors.
• Experience of delivering training, media interviews, public speaking.
• Experience of counselling evaluation tools & management software applications.
• Experience of developing and delivering a range of clinical & psychoeducational groups.
• Experience of conducting client assessments.
• Experienced DLP.

Desirable Qualifications

• Masters in counselling/psychotherapy.
• Accredited clinical supervisor.
• 12 months full-time providing counselling in a homeless service.
• Experience of providing outreach and in-reach informal counselling.
• Knowledge of the CAMS approach to suicidality.
• 12 months full-time providing counselling in a homeless service.
• Experience of providing outreach and in-reach informal counselling.
• Knowledge of the CAMS approach to suicidality.

Please note: If you are unsure of any of the requirements, please contact the Recruitment Team at . Shortlisting will continue throughout the recruitment process.

Shortlisting may take place while the vacancy is live, so you may be called for interview and/or the vacancy may be filled before the closing date.

Dublin Simon Community is an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from all qualified individuals.

Please download to view supporting documents below.

Senior_Specialist_Psychotherapist_Service_Manager_JD.docx

Human Resources Department5 Red Cow LaneSmithfieldDublinD07 PD37Ireland

Recruitment Office

Dublin Simon Community5 Red Cow LaneSmithfieldDublinIreland