We are recruiting a suitably qualified Clinical Lead to advance our work in the enhancement of clinical standards and practice across the community-based therapy sector in Ireland. The Clinical Lead will be responsible for developing and implementing our roadmap for best practice across the Community Therapy Ireland membership, to ensure the best possible quality of engagement and outcomes for service users.

The Clinical Lead will achieve this through extensive consultation, collaboration and engagement with CTI members, key stakeholders, and the wider sector.

The successful candidate will be an excellent communicator, strategic thinker, and relationship builder, who is committed to an Ireland where high-quality counselling and psychotherapy services are fully accessible to all.

About Community Therapy Ireland:

Clinical Governance & Best Practice Since 2008

Community Therapy Ireland provides Irish community therapeutic service providers with a collective voice and the support needed to enable best practice. All Community Therapy Ireland members deliver therapeutic services within a framework supported by policies and procedures that ensure high standards of accountability, supervision, and support.

In collaboration with members, practitioners, our funders and key experts in the field, Community Therapy Ireland has developed a robust framework for the delivery of therapy in community-based settings. CTI supports members in enhancing clinical practice through the administration of a member evaluation form, which is revised annually in consultation with members, Tusla, and in consideration of emerging best practice in the field. CTI creates spaces for members to participate in training and share knowledge on key issues. Additionally, CTI provides day-to-day support to members, addressing queries related to clinical practice, management, and governance.

Clinical Governance & Quality Assurance in 2023

Community Therapy Ireland, along with our members, understand that effective clinical governance is rooted in a commitment to continuous quality improvement and learning. In 2023, Community Therapy Ireland commissioned a study to further our work enhancing clinical standards and to increase the capacity of the community therapy sector in Ireland through consultation and research with both members and the broader sector.

This study, funded by Tusla Child and Family Agency, focuses on Clinical Governance and Quality Assurance. It makes eight key recommendations for advancing clinical governance within the sector and proposes frameworks to guide the implementation of these standards across community therapy services in Ireland. The report serves as a blueprint for clinical governance in the sector for the coming years.

The role:

The Clinical Lead, in collaboration with members, will be responsible for the implementation of our roadmap for best practice across community-based counselling and psychotherapy, to ensure the best possible quality of engagement and outcomes for service users.

The Clinical Lead will work closely with the CEO & Board of Directors to support in expanding and developing our unique and valuable role in shaping best practice in the field of community-based therapy across Ireland.

Terms and Conditions: 

Contract: 1 year fixed-term contact with possibility of extension dependant on availability of funding.

Location: Community Therapy Ireland is a national body, and as such, we are open to hearing from candidates in any county.  The role is Remote / Home-Based, some inter-county travel is required.

Probation: 6 months. 

Hours: 21hrs per week (Flexibility and evening work may be required)

Salary: Grade VII (HSE)

Pension: CTI adheres to auto-enrolment. 

Annual Leave: 12 days pro rata exclusive of Public Holidays.

Garda Vetting, and satisfactory references, will be sought prior to the successful candidate taking up the post.

Duties and Responsbilities:

• Support CTI and our members to adopt and promote an agreed shared definition and framework for clinical governance in community-based counselling and psychotherapy.
• Develop processes to harness and mobilise the knowledge base and expertise within CTI’s network of members, to ensure a coordinated approach to adopting a shared clinical governance framework for members and the wider sector.
• Develop a sustainable and coordinated approach to enhancing clinical governance and quality in community-based therapy.
• Work with CTI members to develop a plan for the implementation of a shared clinical governance framework.
• Work with the CEO and Board to promote CTI’s clinical governance framework for community-therapy with key stakeholders including practitioners, service providers, policymakers and funders within the mental health ecosystem.
• Work with the CEO to raise awareness of existing members’ clinical knowledge base and to support continued capacity development across the sector.
• Develop a system of tracking, monitoring and reporting member experiences in the development of a shared clinical governance framework.
• Initiate and facilitate the development of a network for clinical governance quality champions across CTI membership.
• Promote the establishment of regional networks of services to facilitate information sharing, collaboration and learning across services in local areas.
• Promote and maintain the vision, mission and values of Community Therapy Ireland’s Clinical work.
• Actively participate in the development of an ICT system of data collection and clinical outcomes measurement for CTI members.
• Act as a clinical representative for Community Therapy Ireland locally, regionally, and nationally.
• Work within an agreed budget.
• Deal promptly with issues and member queries as they arise within agreed timeframes and provide feedback where appropriate.
• Provide reports to the Manager/ Board of Directors as required within agreed formats and timeframes.
• Undertake any other duties as determined by the CEO and / or Board of Directors.

Education, Skills and Experience:

The successful candidate should possess the following qualifications, skills & experience:

• Be a fully accredited Psychotherapist/Counselling Psychologist/Supervisor with a recognised body.
• Have a minimum of five years’ experience working as a fully accredited Counsellor, Psychotherapist/Clinical Supervisor/Clinical director/Clinical Manager/CEO.
• A Masters qualification is desirable but not essential.
• Excellent knowledge and keen interest in clinical and ethical governance in counselling & psychotherapy and the not-for-profit/charities sector.
• Experience of working in community-based counselling supports and a clear understanding of the complexities involved.
• Experience of working with a broad cross section of staff and professionals, across agencies/communities.
• Excellent communication, writing and report writing skills and the ability to establish rapport with a diverse range of people. Fluency in English (written and verbal).
• Strong project management and people management skills.
• Ability to work autonomously and collaboratively within a team.
• Interest in client management software/ICT in counselling & psychotherapy. Highly proficient in Microsoft office applications.
• Full drivers’ license, with access to car.