Director of Quality, Compliance and Nursing

Galway, Ireland

Permanent, Full-Time

Senior Management Hours

€78,945 – €96,749 per annum (Grade 8, subject to pending scale increase)

We are delighted to recruit on behalf of our client, a highly regarded and long-established organisation providing exceptional services to children and adults with intellectual disabilities and autism across Galway City and County. Their mission is to empower individuals to live inclusive, self-directed lives in an equal and inclusive society, underpinned by a clear Vision, Mission, Core Values and Strategic Plan.

An exciting and rare opportunity has arisen for an experienced senior healthcare leader to join the organisation as Director of Quality, Compliance and Nursing. This is a pivotal role, leading the organisation through a challenging and evolving environment, and helping to steer its strategic development and progressive vision for individualised, rights-based, integrated service delivery in the community.

Purpose of the Role

The Director of Quality, Compliance and Nursing will lead the ongoing development of the Quality and Service Improvement Team and the development of an integrated quality and compliance management system, in line with National Standards and all relevant regulatory requirements across the organisation. The role will support an organisational culture that embraces positive risk-taking within a person-centred and self-directed model of service, in line with the priorities, rights, will, and preference of the people supported.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide input to organisational strategy to ensure quality, compliance, and risk remain central to service delivery and culture.
• Develop and support governance structures responsible for the oversight of quality, compliance, and safe, effective nursing care, including the Quality Committee.
• Maintain a centralised register of policies and procedures, monitoring their development, review, and approval.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive audit programme covering all clinical and non-clinical aspects of the service.
• Develop and implement a regulatory compliance preparedness programme, supporting managers in understanding applicable legislation and standards.
• Support Line Managers in identifying and delivering quality improvement initiatives arising from audits, inspections, and incident reports.
• Lead the communication of quality initiatives across the organisation to enable shared learning between departments.
• Ensure a robust system is in place for managing incidents, complaints, and risk, including system identification analysis on high-risk incidents.
• Oversee the implementation of an accessible complaints management process, ensuring all complaints are logged centrally with appropriate reporting to the HSE.
• Establish a clear framework for document control and corporate governance, coordinating internal quality audits to evaluate compliance.

Person Specification

• A professional qualification in a health-related or comparable area.
• Registered nurse on the live Register of Nurses held by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI), or registered in the Intellectual Disability or Mental Health Division of the Register of Nurses (RNID/RGN/RMHN qualification desirable).
• Clinical and administrative capacity to properly discharge the functions of the role.
• Must maintain annual registration with NMBI.
• Postgraduate higher diploma in Quality and Compliance, or equivalent.

Key Competencies

• A minimum of five years' management experience at a senior level within a healthcare setting.
• Excellent understanding of clinical governance, service planning, service provision, and resource management.
• Robust understanding of Regulation and the HIQA framework.
• Experience in safety, risk management, quality improvement, and regulatory compliance.
• Experience in a senior managerial nursing position.
• Demonstrated experience leading change at a senior organisational level.

What's on Offer

• Salary of €78,945 – €96,749 per annum (Grade 8), with a pending scale increase of just under 2%.
• 7% contributory pension scheme.
• Flexible benefits package, exceeding statutory minimum requirements.
• Bike to Work Scheme.
• The opportunity to work within a person-centred organisation, making a meaningful and positive difference to people's lives and communities.
• A supportive and inclusive working environment where your ideas and input are genuinely valued.
• Ongoing professional growth and development through training and hands-on experience.