Director Of Research And Policy

Irish Hospice Foundation (IHF) is a national charity that addresses dying, death and bereavement in Ireland. Our vision is an Ireland where people facing end of life or bereavement, and those who care for them, are provided with the care and support that they need.
Through advocacy and education, and the provision of services such as Nurses for Night Care and the Bereavement Support Line and our national programmes such as Hospice Friendly Hospitals, Dying Well at Home and Caru – Supporting Care & Compassion at End of Life in Nursing Homes, IHF works to ensure that every person in Ireland can die and grieve well, whatever their age and wherever the place.

IHF prioritises the following values:
We work towards better end-of-life and bereavement care for all. We recruit experienced and compassionate staff who are driven to help us deliver on our vision and mission.
We value all staff, and will treat them with fairness, respect and dignity at all times. We aim to be a preferred workplace through our staff policies, benefits and employee initiatives.
Our staff are valued for their knowledge, skills, talents, flexibility, commitment and the creativity they bring to the organisation.
We aim to develop and maintain an environment that promotes a cohesive, inclusive and diverse organisation, affirming the inherent worth of all individuals and underscoring the importance of teamwork, trust and open communications.

About the Role

Job Purpose:
The primary function of this role is to support the delivery of the IHF research and policy agenda, ensuring regular and consistent delivery of well researched and accurate information to support IHF as thought leader in the area of Dying, Death and bereavement.
Salary: €69,491 - €81,754 depending on experience
Contract Type: Permanent Full time (37 hours a week)
Job Location: Our offices are based on Nassau St., Dublin 2. We have a hybrid work model in place (a minimum requirement of 2 days a week in the office).
Reporting to: CEO

Responsibilities:Research & Policy & Advocacy Leadership:
Lead implementation of the research strategy
Coordinate all research endeavours taking place within the organisation.
Support evidence generation, synthesis and utilisation of research across all IHF divisions
Identify gaps in knowledge around the experiences of dying, death and bereavement and advocate across organisations and sectors to bridge those gaps.
Represent IHF and make decisions on behalf of the organisation at various forums, collaborations and partnerships
Responsible for informing the development of the IHF advocacy and policy agenda based on research and emerging opportunities.
Drive an internal IHF approach towards coherent advocacy, research and policy formulation across all functions.
Manage the public, professional and political awareness of IHF’s advocacy agenda and communicate to external and internal audiences. Oversee and manage internal and external research projects.
management, in compliance with policies and procedures of the IHF.
Carrying out other roles or duties as are within the scope, spirit, and purpose of the post, as requested by the CEO.
Work in partnership with external stakeholders such as academic institutions, health and social care services and civic organisations where there are opportunities for research and/or public engagement initiatives.
Support the analysis of existing data to build on the evidence base of dying, death and bereavement in Ireland. This work will be conducted both independently and in collaboration with researchers and collaborators from other institutions.
Promote and develop knowledge translation and dissemination of research outputs to inform policy and support the work of the advocacy and communication functions of IHF.

Staff Management

Managing, motivating and supporting a team of staff (currently 3 – Advocacy Manager, Library & Information Manager & Research & Policy Officer), working to develop an agreed sense of vision for the programmes; including performance management, in compliance with policies and procedures of the IHF.

Supporting the Organisation

Playing a full role as a member of the SMT in delivering overall strategic and operational leadership of the organisation and ensuring cross department collaboration.
Carrying out other roles or duties as are within the scope, spirit and purpose of the post, as requested by the CEO.

Qualifications and Experience
IHF is open to applications from candidates who have experience in most but not all of the following areas.The successful candidate will be supported through their induction to increase their knowledge and ability to deliver on the responsibilities outlined here. Further training and ongoing support will be available.

Essential:
A minimum of 7 years’ professional experience in research
A relevant research qualification to PhD level
Skills in strategic thinking, leadership, communication, advocacy, decision-making and analytics
Knowledge and understanding of the research landscape around the experiences of dying, death and bereavement; multiple research methodology (including both quantitative and qualitative methods)
Experience of implementing a strategic, commissioned and/or grant-aided research programme Experience of collaborating across statutory, community and voluntary, and private sectors

Strong organisational and interpersonal skills including:
Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work across the organisation with passionate and diverse colleagues.
Gravitas to work with the board, board sub-committees and key stakeholders.
A proven ability to lead, manage and develop a team.
Ability to work on own initiative and take full responsibility for aspects of a project.
Demonstrated ability to turn projects around with tight timeframes and deadlines.
Excellent planning and organisation skills, budgeting, and project management skills.
A positive and innovative approach and personality.
A self-starter.
Resilient, with a positive and values driven outlook.
Flexibility

Desirable:
Experience working with a national NGO /Not For Profit organisation

The above Job Specification is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties involved, and, consequently, the post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post that may be assigned to them from time to time and to contribute to the development of the post while in office.

Benefits Include:
Pension

As a member you will be required to make a pension contribution of 5% on your gross annual salary. IHF will contribute 10% on your behalf to a company contributory pension scheme.

Death in Service

4 times annual salary

Income Protection

75% of salary and cover pension contributions

Annual Leave

23 days per year (increased with service)

Additional Leave Days

Closure of the office on Good Friday, half day Christmas Eve and time between Christmas and New Year

Sick Pay

Up to 6 months certified sick leave

Hybrid Work Arrangement

2 days working from the office

Maternity Leave

26 weeks fully paid maternity leave (less social welfare benefits)

Adoptive Leave

24 weeks fully paid adoptive leave (less social welfare benefits)

Paternity Leave

2 weeks fully paid paternity leave (less social welfare benefits)

Sabbatical Leave

Opportunity to take Sabbatical leave after 5 years of service

Opportunities for training and workplace development

Flexible work options

Access to our Employee Assistance Programme

Travel (bike-to-work schemes/tax saver commuter tickets)

Application Procedure
Closing date for applications is Monday 9th December 2024.
Interviews to take place in January 2025.
Applicants should submit a CV (max. 2 pages), detailing relevant experience, along with a covering letter outlining the reasons they believe they are suitable for this role.

Please apply through link:
Applicants will be short-listed based on information supplied.
Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted.
Should the person recommended for appointment decline, or having accepted it, relinquish it, or if an additional vacancy arises, IHF may, at its discretion, select and recommend another person for appointment on the results of this selection process.