Deputy Regional Director of Operations

Location: On site / Millfarm, Craddockstown, Co. Kildare, Ireland
job type: Fixed term / Full-time
Sector and subsector: Medical & Healthcare Allied Health Professionals
Salary: Negotiable salary

Deputy Regional Director of Operations - Craddock House Nursing Home, Craddockstown Road, Naas, Kildare Clinical Operations and Compliance

Reports to: Regional Director of Operations

Base: Craddock House Nursing Home, 4 days per week. The fifth working day will be spent as directed by the Regional Director of Operations, which may include other homes within the region or Support Office. The role may also be required to support other homes within the group from time to time.

Contract: Fixed-Term, 12 Months

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced senior clinical leader for the position of Deputy Regional Director of Operations (Clinical Operations and Compliance).

This is a senior clinical operations role primarily focused on Craddock House Nursing Home, working alongside the Director of Nursing to strengthen clinical governance, quality and regulatory compliance.

The successful candidate will support and coach the Director of Nursing and clinical management team, oversee delivery of the home's compliance plan, provide operational clinical support where required, and provide the Regional Director of Operations and registered provider with clear assurance regarding the quality and safety of care.

The Director of Nursing remains the Person in Charge and retains the statutory responsibilities of the role. The Deputy Regional Director will deputise for the Regional Director of Operations when required and contribute to wider group clinical governance and quality initiatives.

The key objective of this 12-month appointment is to support Craddock House in achieving and sustaining regulatory compliance while developing a clinical management team capable of maintaining these standards independently.

Key Responsibilities Compliance & Regulation

• Support implementation of the Craddock House compliance plan, ensuring actions are tracked, evidenced and completed within agreed timeframes.
• Maintain oversight of regulatory compliance and identify and address gaps against applicable regulations and HIQA standards.
• Ensure the home remains inspection-ready through audits, mock inspections, thematic reviews and appropriate evidence.
• Support accurate and timely HIQA notifications, regulatory returns, compliance updates and provider assurance reporting.
• Promptly elevate emerging compliance, registration or quality risks.

Clinical Governance & Quality

• Strengthen clinical governance, audits, KPIs, trend analysis, risk management and quality improvement plans.
• Monitor key areas including care planning, medicines management, IPC, safeguarding, restrictive practices, residents' rights, incidents and complaints.
• Participate in clinical walkarounds, review residents at risk and support appropriate escalation and clinical decision-making.
• Ensure incidents, complaints and safeguarding concerns are appropriately investigated, with learning shared and actions completed.
• Promote a human rights-based approach to care and support compliance with relevant assisted decision making requirements.
• Support implementation of group clinical policies and maintain an effective clinical risk register.
• Challenge and improve care delivery in response to residents' changing needs.

Workforce & Practice

• Review staffing levels and skill mix against resident dependency and advise on rostering and recruitment priorities.
• Oversee mandatory training, competency assessment, supervision and application of learning in practice.
• Mentor and develop the ADON and Clinical Nurse Managers to build a sustainable clinical management structure.
• Promote an open culture where staff can raise concerns and understand appropriate escalation and Protected Disclosures routes.

Governance, Reporting & Relationships

• Support clinical governance and quality and safety meetings, ensuring actions are appropriately recorded and followed up.
• Provide weekly compliance and clinical risk reporting and monthly clinical KPI reporting.
• Seek assurance that HR, finance, administration and admissions processes support safe clinical operations.
• Use resident and family feedback, including surveys and residents' meetings, to drive improvements.
• Maintain effective working relationships with HIQA, the HSE, Public Health and IPC teams, GPs, pharmacy and allied health professionals.

Deputising & Regional Support

• Deputise for the Regional Director of Operations as required.
• Where the Director of Nursing is absent, act as Person in Charge on an interim basis where the successful candidate meets the relevant regulatory requirements and appropriate notifications are made.
• Support other homes on the fifth working day through audits, mock inspections and sharing learning and best practice.
• Develop a handover and sustainability plan during the final quarter of the contract.
• Undertake other duties reasonably assigned by the Regional Director of Operations consistent with the seniority and scope of the role.

Measures of Success

• Compliance plan actions completed and appropriately evidenced within agreed timelines.
• Improved and sustained regulatory compliance at Craddock House.
• Mandatory training and clinical audit performance meeting or exceeding group targets.
• Accurate and timely regulatory notifications.
• A strong clinical management team capable of sustaining compliance independently.
• Registered Nurse on the active NMBI Register.
• Meets the relevant regulatory requirements to act as Person in Charge, including required nursing and management experience and management qualification.
• Minimum 3 to 5 years' senior management experience in an operational clinical role, preferably within residential care for older people.
• Demonstrable experience with HIQA inspections, compliance plans and regulatory improvement.
• Strong knowledge of clinical governance, clinical audit, quality improvement and relevant healthcare and regulatory bodies.
• Postgraduate qualification in gerontology, clinical governance, quality and patient safety, or healthcare management.
• Experience leading a service through a period of regulatory improvement.
• Full driving licence and access to a car due to the regional requirements of the role.

Key Working Relationships

Director of Nursing, Assistant Director of Nursing, Clinical Nurse Managers, Regional Director of Operations, group Clinical Governance, Quality, HR and Facilities teams, HIQA, HSE, Public Health and IPC teams, GPs, pharmacy and allied health professionals.

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