Job Details

Title: Inclusion, Voice and Influence Officer

• Would you like to make a difference to the educational lives of children?
• We are looking for someone passionate about listening to the voices and opinions of parents and children and who will support NPC to influence educational policy.

The salary for this role is €34,000 per annum

Hours: 35 hours a week (flexibility is required: some weekend and evening work will be a feature of this employment)

Reporting to the Services Manager

Place of work: Dublin City centre location.

Car owner and full driving license essential

The contract is for three years fixed term with an initial probationary period of nine months.

Delivering NPC’s Mission, Vision and Values

To deliver NPC’s Mission, Vision and Values which influence improvements in education in Ireland, through coordinating and delivering projects and activities which:

• Gather data and insight from parents and children to help NPC and other education stakeholders understand the lived experiences of children and their parents in education with a special focus on hearing the voice of seldom heard parents and children.
• Plan, deliver and coordinate parent and child voice and participation activities as required. For example:

• Planning and delivering campaigns, projects and events with parents and children
• Recruiting parents and children to participate in consultation and advocacy events. 

Working with colleagues, partners and stakeholders

• Work closely and collaboratively with colleagues inside and outside of NPC; to ensure participation and voice activities are delivered successfully.
• Develop and maintain excellent relationships with local partners and stakeholders, to enable parents and children from all walks of life to be able to participate in our consultation and participation activities.
• Attend relevant local, regional and national groups, forums and networks to support programme delivery, to share best practice and learn from others in our field.

Reporting impact effectively

• Maintain clear and accurate monitoring, evaluation and performance data for all activities, to demonstrate the impact of our work.
• Produce and contribute to performance reporting.
• Maintain accurate records of parents’ and children’s participation, regularly evidencing individual progress and the decisions and services they influence.

Additional

• Undertake additional general duties from time to time, as required by the Chief Executive, that are in line with the nature and grade of this post.

Sound knowledge and understanding of:

• Adult and Children’s participation – including the principles, approaches, and mechanisms for consulting with children and adults.
• Approaches to community participation, social action and civic engagement.
• Safeguarding practice and procedures, and confidentiality.
• Challenges and issues affecting children and families.
• Policy, legislation and guidance relating to children and young people’s right and participation, e.g., UNCRC, Children Act 1989.

Demonstrable experience of successfully:

• Working with parents and children from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences, in a professional capacity.
• Co-ordinating, delivering and managing projects and events with/for parents and children.
• Supporting children and adults to engage in social action activity, e.g. children/parent fora, consultation, research.
• Planning and facilitating fun and engaging group work with children and parents.
• Writing and collating engaging reports, for different audiences, including children, parents and professionals.

Ability and Skills

Ability to:

• Work successfully as part of a small team.
• Prioritise and balance own workload effectively to manage competing demands.
• Work pro-actively and under own initiative.
• Work collaboratively to ensure high productivity.
• Build trusting, positive relationships with children, parents, and professionals.
• Focus on solutions, not problems.
• Work flexibly and use creative approaches to one's own and team’s work.

Skills

• Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
• Excellent planning and organisational skills.
• Excellent IT skills, including use of Microsoft Office.
• Excellent social media skills.

Additional requirements

• Work flexibly, including evenings and weekends, to meet the demands of this role and those we work with.
• Able to travel nationally, including staying overnight if and where required.