Job Description
Inspired by the Christian vision, Marino Institute of Education (MIE) is a teaching, learning and research community committed to promoting inclusion and excellence in education. MIE is an associated college of Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin. It offers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in education including teacher education through the medium of Irish, Early Childhood Education and an International Foundation Programme. It has a student body of approximately 1,500. The Governing Body invites applications from suitably qualified persons for the position of Director of Student Counselling and Student Support Services Duties and General Terms & Conditions of Employment 1.CANDIDATE PROFILE AND SCOPE OF THE POSITION Marino Institute of Education (MIE) wishes to appoint a Director of Student Counselling and Student Support Serviceson a full-time basis to develop and provide ongoing direction and coordination of services in these key areas. The Institution provides a range of in-house support services to its 1,500 students, including, Access, Careers, Chaplaincy, Counselling, Student Engagement and Tutors who are members of the academic staff. Disability and Health Services are provided by external providers through Service Level Agreements (SLAs). All of these services aim to support students academic and personal success, development, wellbeing and engagement. The Director of Student Counselling and Student Support Services will be responsible for the student support services which are under the remit of the Registrar. These currently include Counselling, Access, Careers, and Student Engagement. In this document the term Student Support Services/ Student Support Services team refers to this grouping. These staff will report to and be managed by the Directorof Student Counselling & Student Support Services. The Director of Student Counselling and Student Support Services will lead the development of student support services within the institution, ensuring the provision of quality, evidenced -based services to meet needs of students and support the MIE Strategic Development Plan (MIE Strategic Plan-Marino Institute of Education). Key strategic objectives such as student transition and retention, accessibility, diversity and globalisation /internationalisation are part of this plan. The aim is to inspire a commitment in MIE staff, students and alumni to social justice, inclusion, sustainability and transformation in education settings and foster partnering relationships within the broader educational landscape.?? The Director of Student Counselling and Student Support Services will be responsible for the development and management of the Student Support Services Team specifically Counselling (1 FT) staff and Trainee/Pre-Accredited Counsellors/APS), Access (1FT staff), Careers (0.2 FTE staff) and Student Engagement (1 FTE staff). The post is responsible for coordinating and overseeing of the SLAs for Disability and Health. They will also support the negotiation of theses SLAs. The Director of Student Counselling and Student Support Services will report directly to the MIE Registrar and work with a range of key internal stakeholders including the President, Heads of Departments, Assistant Registrar, Director of HR, Director of IT, Quality Office, Data Protection Officer, Head of Student Life, Chaplain and Students Union. He/she will liaise with relevant external stakeholders to ensure that service development is informed by best practice, up to date research and relevant legislation. MIE is seeking an experienced agile leader who has a service ethos and can build relationships across the professional and academic staff to assist the Institution in the development of Student Support Services to meet the needs of MIEs student population (approximately 1,500). Essential Qualifications, Experience & Skills. Candidates must clearly indicate in their applications how they meet each of these essential requirements. Qualifications and Registration/Accreditation Required Qualifications A postgraduate masters/doctorate degree or professional clinical qualification (level 9 or equivalent or higher) in counselling/clinical psychology, psychotherapy or counselling, recognised by a professional body such as the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI) or the Irish Council for Psychotherapy (ICP) or Irish Association of Counselling & Psychotherapy (IACP) or equivalent. Accreditation/Registration as a clinical supervisor and counsellor or psychotherapist, or counselling /clinical psychologist by the relevant recognized professional body. Clinical Experience At least 5 years experience as a staff member in a clinical and or counselling setting, one of which should be in an administrative/supervisory capacity Experience Significant Leadership & Management experience Experience in service delivery & development Strategic Planning and policy development; Experience/ability to undertake strategic planning, to develop and implement appropriate policies/procedures and to identify key priorities and take appropriate actions. Solid organisational, project management and change management skills. Capacity to manage cross-disciplinary projects and workloads to meet timescales, budgets and outputs aligned to the institutions Strategy and or changing/evolving priorities of the Institution and/or Sector Teamwork, consultation, liaison and people management experience & skills. Have an ability to work collaboratively with colleagues and ensure accountability for KPIs from staff/team Excellent communication skills including verbal, writing, and networking skills to communicate with a wide range of stakeholders internal and external to the institution. Facilitation skills and experience e.g. delivering group workshops and training. Knowledge of the relevant legislation & statutory obligations, FOI, Data Protection, Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse, Mental Health Acts etc Knowledge of National and International Frameworks and Reports relevant to this post. HEI Sector and Student Services Previous experience in the HEI Sector or Voluntary/Statutory Services Knowledge and or experience in student services or similar Clinical Experience Experience and/or qualification in the provision of clinical supervision. Crisis management experience with individuals and groups/communities. Administration & IT Competency in Microsoft Office packages and ability to use data management software for records and reports (e.g. Titanium for client records). Desired Criteria Demonstrate a commitment to best practice, quality service standards, professional development and research. Understand the importance of quality services and work with staff to pro-actively deliver this. Demonstrated commitment to diversity, multiculturalism and equality, including mental health stigma reduction, non-traditional students and international students Experienced in using social media to communicate with service users/stakeholders and or provide psychosocial or self-help materials. Experienced in budget management. Personal Attributes Show commitment to an ethos of service to students and staff and to the mission/culture of Education in MIE/ the HEI sector Demonstrate enthusiasm, flexibility and adaptability Proven track record in problem solving. Demonstrate Initiative Able to work on their own as well as on a team A commitment to working collaboratively with service users and all stakeholders 2. ROLE DESCRIPTION Reporting Relationship The appointee will be required to carry out the duties attached to the post, under the general direction of the MIE Registrar to whom she/he will report and to whom he/she will be responsible for the performance of these duties in the first instance. The reporting relationship may be subject to periodic review, in line with service needs and developments in the Institute. Duties and Responsibilities Strategy and Policy Assist the MIE Registrar and Leadership team with the strategic direction of the Student Support Services and the delivery of strategy, policy and processes which enhance student experience. Ensure all Student Support Services are aligned with, support, and contribute to future development of the MIE Strategic Plan Review and develop MIE Policies and Procedures related to students for example, Fitness to Study, Student Mental Health Policy, Death Response Plan, in consultation with key stakeholders Service development, Administration and Management Lead, develop, manage and coordinate all teams within the area of responsibility and deploy resources for the effective delivery of services. Work with all staff to provide a coherent and consistent approach to student wellbeing, student development & outreach programmes and the support of individual students needs. Create a culture in which the team is student focussed and committed to providing quality services, research, evaluation and planning and working collaboratively. Support Access, Careers, Counselling, Student Engagement Team by, Agreeing annual goals for staff. Reviewing and evaluating the delivery and effectiveness of the goals. Identifying any obstacles staff face in delivering the agreed KPIs and assisting with resolving these within the available resources Establish an annual planning and review cycle for student services. Review and assist with the development of the administrative processes & procedures of services to ensure speedy access and follow up for students and effective team communication/s. Assist the team in the coordinated promotion of Student Support Services to students and all stakeholders in the MIE Community. Review and manage the SLA with suppliers of Health Services and the Disability Services to MIE students. Assist/ Support the Team in developing and providing, coordinated mental health promotion programmes and embedding relevant workshops such as Managing Placement, Consent etc in the academic programme. Education and Training Review the CPD needs of student support services staff annually to assist professional development and ability to deliver high quality services. Support and facilitate essential and relevant training for the team and for individual staff within MIE Policies and available resources. - In consultation with the Director of HR, identify the training needs of MIE staff/tutors in relation to their roles in supporting students. Develop a training plan with the Director of HR to provide the training required or to source external suppliers as appropriate. Provide and assist the Student Support Services teamin designing and delivering training for MIEstaff and students in areas including but not limited to sexual consent, first responder, supporting distressed students, providing support as a tutor, Student Union class rep training etc Service Research & Evaluation & Best Practice Lead/coordinate the production of annual/ other reports and quality and accreditation reviews as required. Establish evaluation procedures for all Student Support Services activities. Review Service Evaluations and student feedback and work with staff to implement any changes indicated. Conduct regular analysis of students needs. Evaluate Student Support Services to see if they are meeting needs and agree and implement developments required with the team. Keep up to date on relevant National Strategies, encourage all staff to do likewise and ensure Student Support Services activities are aligned to these e.g. Higher Education Authority Student Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Framework, Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment in Irish HEIs, The National Access Plan, etc. Stay abreast of relevant international and national research. Agree, oversee or delegate research being undertaken by Staff, Trainees and or Assistant Psychologists. Clinical/Professional Hold overall clinical responsibility for the Student Counselling Service. Typically maintain an average of 4-5 face-to-face clinical hours per week in consultation with the Registrar. Meet the Counsellor/s weekly for a clinical management meeting to review cases, risk and other clinical issues. In the absence of the Counsellor conduct risk assessments of students who may be highly vulnerable, developing appropriate follow-up action plans. Provide consultation and advice as requested/required to clinical staff. Organise and provide/participate in campus wide intervention and emergency response if required. Assist the Student counsellor in providing clinical supervision of staff including trainees, assistant psychologists and sessional counsellors if required. Participate in regular external clinical supervision and engage in continuing professional development, to keep up with new developments and best practice and maintain annual professional accreditation/registration Network & Liaison Internal Provide consultation and advice to MIE Staff in relation to any their roles in supporting students and or concerns they may have about how to support/refer individual students/groups of students to Student Support Services. Participate in the following meetings /forums Head of Department meetings. Chair Meitheal Committee (typically 7 to 9 meetings per year). Regular meetings with Student Support Services team. . All Staff meetings. Other as requested by the Registrar or President. Liaise with other MIE staff including, the President, Heads of Departments, Assistant Registrar, Director of HR, Director of IT, Quality Office, Data Protection Officer, Head of Student Life, Chaplain, academics, tutors, administrators and Students Union, on matters relating to students. External Network and build relationships with providers in the Voluntary and Statutory sector e.g. Medical and Mental Health Services voluntary & statutory. Membership of professional organisations is encouraged, e.g., PCHEI, CSSI, AMOSSHE etc. (Posts of responsibility must be agreed with the Registrar and Staff in the Services should agree these with the Director of Student Counselling & Student Support Services). Participate in Psychological Counsellors in Higher Education (PCHEI) Heads Groups Participate in or delegate the PCHEI Reps group meeting Encourage and support staff to participate in relevant National bodies and to meet Colleagues across the HEI sector in similar roles Compliance with Health and Safety Work to ensure that all Staff and Services under the remit of Student Support Services Adhere to MIE policies and procedures. Comply with all legal and statutory requirements, with reference to Children First and vulnerable adults, the Data Protection Acts 1988-2011, The Freedom of Information Acts 1999-2014, Health & Safety etc Ensure anti-discriminatory practice and cultural competence at individual and service levels and promote a culture that values equality, diversity and respect. Keep up to date on and apply Health & Safety Policies, relevant legislation, regulations and standards Are aware of and adhere to Best Practices and Ethical guidelines as they pertain to the work of the individual and or the service Monitor the data collection, storage, usage within Student Support Services to ensure it is GDPR compliant. Other Report to the Registrar. Undertake other relevant duties as assigned by the Registrar. This post would be of interest to someone who is interested in developing the Student Support Services in line with international standards of best practices in a small HEI. It may provide a career development opportunity for a candidate who wants to be involved in all elements of student support services development, delivery and evaluation including Transition, Access, one to one support, mental health & wellbeing promotion, training, supervision, research, service evaluation, policies and procedures. It should be noted that in each work area/department within the Institute, the appointee must work as part of a team. Although duties pertaining to the post are broadly defined under the various headings as listed, the list of duties is not exhaustive. The appointee will be required to function in a flexible and collegial manner. MIE retains the right to assign new duties and/or to re-assign staff to other areas of the Institute, in response to service needs. 3. APPLICATION, SELECTION PROCESS AND OTHER GENERAL INFORMATION. Method of Selection for Recommendation A shortlisting of applicants will occur which will be based on the applicants qualifications, suitability and relevant work experience as detailed in the application. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that all relevant information is included in their application and that they clearly identify how they meet the specified candidate criteria. Interview will be by interview panel consisting of not fewer than 3 persons and will comprise of the most suitable and qualified people to assess applicants in the discipline. All appointments to employment at MIE are made by the Governing Body. The interview panels recommendations for appointment of successful applicants for all posts will be submitted to the MIE Governing Body for their consideration and decision. Candidates must produce satisfactory documentary evidence of all training, and professional registrations, and experience claimed by them and a minimum of two references. Probationary Period The Employees employment shall initially be subject to a probationary period of six months. The organisation reserves the right to extend this probationary period on an exceptional basis at its sole discretion subject to a maximum period of eleven months. Absences during the period of probation will extend the probationary period. Performance and conduct during the probationary period will be monitored through a process of assessment meetings. Termination of employment during the probationary period will be at the discretion of the Institute. An abridged version of the disciplinary procedure will apply to employees on probation. Garda Vetting The successful applicant will be required to participate in Garda vetting. Specific instruction on this process will be given at the appropriate time. Applicants who do not comply with the Institutes requirements in this regard will be excluded from consideration for appointment. Essential Training The successful applicant will be required to undertake the following essential compliance training: Orientation, Health & Safety and Data Protection (GDPR), must provide evidence of completion of Tusla Child Protection Training. Other training may need to be undertaken when required. Salary The current annual salary scale is €74,701 to €103,417. Making of Applications Application by cover letter and CV only (no special application forms are supplied) preferably by email to Completed applications must be received by 5pm Monday 21 October 2024.Late applications will not be accepted. Interviews will be scheduled in November, with the successful candidate expected to commence in the post in early 2025. Informal enquiries to Dr Deirdre Flynn, Director of MIE Student Counselling Service at deirdre.flyn. Dr Flynn has been assisting the Registrar to set up the Student Counselling Service in MIE and to develop a collaborative working team amongst the Student Services. She will be available until June 2025 on a one day a week basis, for consultation with the successful candidate and or to undertake specific pieces of work as requested by the Registrar orDirector of Student Counselling & Student Support Services. The Institute will not be responsible for any expenses, including travelling expenses, which candidates may incur in connection with their candidature. The Marino Institute of Education is an equal opportunities employer Skills: Counselling Psychology Team Management Planning & Organising communication skills. Good time management Workshops