Quality Assurance Coordinator - Orchard Community Care (Social Care)

About the Role

Orchard Community Care is a leading provider of residential, respite and shared care services for children, young people and adults across Ireland. As a Quality Assurance Coordinator, you will play a key role in supporting our teams to deliver safe, effective and person-centred care that enables the people we support to live fulfilling lives and achieve positive outcomes. Operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, our services are committed to the highest standards of quality, safety and continuous improvement.
Reporting to the Quality Manager, this full-time hybrid role will be based from either our Sligo or Dublin office, depending on the successful candidate's location. The role offers flexibility to work from home while maintaining a base within one of our offices and attending meetings as required. 

The successful candidate will travel regularly to residential services within their designated region to undertake audits, quality assurance visits, service reviews and other quality-related activities. As Orchard Community Care operates services nationwide, occasional travel outside the assigned region may also be required.
We are seeking a self-driven, focused and highly motivated individual with excellent interpersonal skills and a genuine passion for improving outcomes for the children and young people we support. The successful candidate will work collaboratively with operational teams to promote a culture of quality, safety and continuous improvement, ensuring that the care and support provided consistently meets the needs of those using our services while safeguarding their wellbeing at all times.

Role Objectives

• Support the implementation and ongoing development of quality assurance systems across residential, respite and day services, ensuring compliance with relevant legislation, regulations, standards and organisational policies.
• Participate in the annual audit programme, including on-site audits, thematic reviews and quality assurance visits. Produce detailed audit reports, support managers in developing corrective actions and monitor progress through quality improvement plans.
• Work collaboratively with Persons in Charge, Service Managers and Regional Directors to support the delivery of safe, effective and high-quality services.
• Collect, analyse and monitor quality assurance data, key performance indicators (KPIs), incidents, risks and emerging trends, and present findings through regular quality reports and governance meetings.
• Prepare monthly quality assurance reports, highlighting compliance, quality improvement initiatives, key risks and areas of good practice.
• Support the review, development and implementation of policies, procedures and governance documents, ensuring effective document control processes are maintained.
• Promote stakeholder engagement by seeking feedback from children, young people, adults, families, staff and other relevant stakeholders, ensuring their views inform service improvement initiatives.
• Support and promote advocacy, rights-based practice and a culture of continuous quality improvement across all services.
• Assist in the implementation, maintenance and ongoing development of electronic quality management systems.
• Support services during regulatory inspections, registration processes and quality improvement initiatives.
• Contribute to the preparation of annual quality, governance and organisational reports.
• Support the implementation of organisational initiatives relating to quality, risk management, safeguarding, incident management and compliance.
• Undertake any other duties appropriate to the role as requested by the Managing Director, Group Quality Director or Quality Manager.

Please note: This is not an exhaustive list of duties and responsibilities. The post holder may be required to undertake other duties commensurate with the role. This job description may be reviewed and amended from time to time in consultation with the post holder.
The ideal candidate will:

• Have a third level qualification in health, social care or quality management.
• Have at least one year experience working with in a social care setting, preferably in disability residential services
• Have experience implementing a quality system in a care environment.
• Have a good knowledge of risk management and incident management & review.
• Have knowledge and experience in HIQA regulations, standards and inspections.
• Have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, report writing skills and be proficient at managing records in electronic format and hard copy
• Must have valid Garda Clearance and valid Overseas Clearance (if applicant lived abroad for more than 6 months).
• Full Drivers licence with eligibility to drive in Ireland & access to a vehicle.
• Be eligible to work in Ireland without restriction.

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Benefits to working with Company

• Comprehensive induction process
• Extensive training programme
• On-going mentoring and support
• Competitive salary with increments 
• Refer a friend initiative
• Orchard Values Champion Award
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
• Internal career progression opportunities
• Bike to work scheme
• Education Assistance grants