Purpose of the Role 

Teach Tearmainn’s Refuge is a 24/7, 365 emergency refuge for women and child victims of domestic abuse providing accommodation, support and advocacy. As the Refuge Service Coordinator, you will be a key member of the Teach Tearmainn Services Management Team, reporting to the Head of Services. You will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the refuge, safe home and helpline service, overseeing case management and line managing the Refuge and Helpline support team 

The Position 

Title Refuge Coordinator 

Reporting to Head of Services 

Direct Reports Refuge & Helpline Support Team 

Place of Work Kildare Town primarily (and Naas) 

Working Hours 37.5 hours per week Monday to Friday, 9am-5:30pm On-Call: On-Call duty will be assigned to the Refuge Coordinator two weeks out of every month. 

Role Summary 

The Refuge Coordinator will be responsible for coordinating the day-to-day operations of Teach Tearmainn’s Refuge, Safe Homes and Helpline Service. The Refuge Coordinator will play a key role in leading and this staff team and driving standards for the delivery of high-quality domestic abuse interventions and supports. The Refuge Coordinator will be responsible for ensuring that the needs of clients are central to the work in the refuge, helpline and safe home service and in line with sectoral best practice standards. 

Teach Tearmainn, as part of its strategic plan intends to grow and expand our accommodation services, including refuge in the coming years. It will be the responsibility oi the Refuge Coordinator to oversee the ongoing day to day management of its services in our current offering as well as into the future. The Refuge Coordinator is a member of the Management Team reporting to the Head of Services. The management team which is being developed will provide strategic leadership and management oversight to safeguard quality service delivery and support to women and children who are experiencing domestic violence and abuse. It will also be the responsibility of the Refuge Coordinator to foster an atmosphere of Respect and Dignity at work for all staff through the line management and support and supervision of staff. In addition to the above, the Refuge Coordinator will have responsibility for coordinating the on-call service (emergency response to the Refuge Team) and is required to be a member of the On Call Team. This means you will be on a roster to be on call outside of office hours two weeks out of every four weeks. Payment for this is separate to the core salary. 

Principal Duties and Responsibilities Service Coordination 

• Oversee and coordinate service delivery at Teach Tearmainn’s Refuge, prioritizing the safety and needs of women and children under an empowerment model. 

• Lead and manage the Refuge staff, ensuring alignment with the organization’s vision, mission, and strategic direction. 

• Implement and continuously develop policies, procedures, and practices to maintain high standards of service delivery in line with sector best practices. 

Quality Standards 

• Ensure adherence to Teach Tearmainn's quality standards, monitoring and evaluating evidence-based supports and interventions provided to clients. 

• Represent Teach Tearmainn at external forums as needed. 

• Ensure staff compliance with legal and organizational health and safety policies, including timely incident reporting. Operations & Staff Management 

• Line manage staff, including supervision, performance reviews, and professional development, ensuring effective team meetings and clear communication. 

• Identify and address training needs in collaboration with HR and Head of Services. 

• Oversee recruitment, induction, and training of support staff with the Head of Services/HR Manager. 

• Maintain and manage the Refuge and On-Call Rotas to ensure adequate staffing levels. 

Client Engagement and Support 

• Manage client referrals and oversee case management, ensuring adherence to all organizational policies and procedures. 

• Facilitate inter-departmental collaboration to support client needs and continuous service improvement. 

• Ensure that the Refuge and Safe Homes are safe, welcoming, and child and family-centered environments. 

Health and Safety 

• Ensure compliance with health and safety standards across the Refuge and Safe Home sites, ensuring that both staff and clients understand and adhere to these procedures. 

• Oversee and resolve any maintenance issues that arise to ensure that clients and staff are safe. Information Management 

• Ensure accurate data collection and reporting in accordance with Data Protection legislation, and that all staff utilize organizational software/database systems as required. 

• Regularly produce and present reports to the CEO and Head of Services. Stakeholder Engagement & Interagency Work

• Build and maintain relationships with relevant stakeholders to achieve better outcomes for women and children experiencing domestic violence. 

• Professionally represent Teach Tearmainn in alignment with the organization’s strategic goals and values. Budget and Financial Management 

• Develop and monitor the annual service budget in consultation with the Head of Services. General Duties • Perform additional duties as assigned by the CEO. 

• Participate in the on-call team, providing support during emergencies or critical incidents, two weeks out of every four. 

• Foster a positive working environment, ensuring respectful and professional interactions among staff and service users. 

• To undertake on call duties two week in every four weeks as part of the on-call team to support the refuge and helpline staff in case of emergency or critical incident outside of office hours. 

• To ensure a positive working environment is maintained in the refuge with all staff engaging positively and respectfully with all service users and staff members alike. 

These duties are a general guide to the responsibilities of the Refuge Coordinator. They are neither definitive nor restrictive. The post-holder may be required to undertake other duties commensurate with the post. 

Person Profile 

This role requires an exceptional individual who wants to make a difference. You will have proven experience of motivating staff as well as strong interpersonal and demonstrable management and coordination skills. The post holder must be passionate about providing the highest levels of support services to women and children who have experienced domestic violence and abuse and must have an excellent knowledge of domestic violence issues and experience of working in gender equality, a domestic violence service or another relevant setting.

Essential Criteria

• Minimum of a BA in applied social studies e.g., social care or social studies and must be working as a qualified practitioner for more than 5 years
• Minimum 3 years’ relevant experienced with line management including case management experience.
• Minimum 3 years’ experience of working with victims of domestic abuse
• Full clean drivers licence and access to a car
• Clear understanding of domestic abuse including challenges that women and children experience as a result
• Thorough knowledge of procedures and practices relating to the Safeguarding of Women, Children and Young People.
• Ability to direct and support staff in developing and implementing and reviewing work plans
• Effective at providing ongoing support and supervision to frontline staff
• Very knowledgeable on legal, housing and social welfare issues
• Ability to work directly with vulnerable clients who have experienced domestic violence and abuse
• Experience of Salesforce and other CRM systems and have the ability to review data quality and produce detailed reports when required
• Excellent time management skills including the ability to work to tight deadlines
• Passion for Teach Tearmainn’s values and mission

Desirable Criteria

• Project management in a social care setting
• Previous experience working with children at risk
• Experience working with people with substance abuse or mental health difficulties
• Evidence of designing/participating in the evaluation of projects, programs or services
• Experience representing an organisation at local level in policy or stakeholder engagement contexts.
• Experience providing domestic violence interventions in a one to one and group setting

Knowledge & Skills

• Excellent understanding of domestic violence and abuse and its impact on women and children
• Good knowledge of child protection and welfare systems
• Excellent knowledge of health and safety requirements relating to social care including accommodation based services.
• Knowledge of relevant rights entitlements and legislation applicable to victims of domestic violence and abuse
• Knowledge of national and international policies and frameworks relating to the provision of domestic abuse support services
• Ability to manage, lead and inspire teams
• Excellent communication skills, oral and written
• Ability to take direction
• An open and flexible working style, capable of multi-tasking within competing deadlines
• Demonstrable commitment to the ethos of Teach Tearmainn and working withing organisational values

Remuneration

€59,741 per annum. This includes the payment of On-Call Duty which forms part of the core contract. The breakdown is as follows:

· €52,441per annum - core salary

· €7300 per annum (approximately) for on-call duty

Non-pay related benefits include:

● Annual leave - 25 days per annum + additional Birthday Leave day after completion of 12 months service

● 7% employer pension contribution

● Maternity Pay Scheme – available after 24 months service.

● Sick Pay Scheme

● Access to Employee Assistance Programme

● Continuous professional development opportunities.

● Access to comprehensive training