Title: Voice and Influence Officer

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.

1. 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. 

2. 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.

3. 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

4. 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.

The individual should be able to demonstrate the following competencies:

Communications                             Communicates effectively with individuals and groups. Communicates NPC’s vision and mission in a persuasive manner.

Interpersonal Effectiveness            Shows empathy and understanding when dealing with others, utilising tact and diplomacy at all times.  Treats others with respect.  Works well with a wide range of people from different backgrounds both within and outside the organisation and builds rapport by listening to and understanding their viewpoints.

Planning & Managing Resources      Plans and organises people and other resources, prioritising as required, to meet goals, targets or objectives within agreed timeframes.  Monitors progress and reviews plans where necessary.  Identifies potential problems and develops contingencies. Plans and organises own work effectively.

Analysis/Problem Solving                Sources and accurately gathers all relevant information. Conducts an in-depth review, considering issues thoroughly.  Draws conclusions backed up by available evidence and makes appropriate recommendations.  Handles and manipulates numerical information with accuracy and attention to detail.

Decision-making/Judgment          Evaluates information available before making decisions, weighing up the pros and cons of various options or courses of action. Is aware of the wider implications of proposed decisions and recognises when it is appropriate to consult others.  Follows through on decisions made, taking responsibility where appropriate.

Team working                                 Works collaboratively with others to achieve shared goals. Participates fully, sharing knowledge, ideas and expertise.  Shows an appreciation for other people’s positions and values their input.  Willingly takes on additional responsibility to achieve team objectives.  Has a positive attitude, is a constructive team player.  Shows a willingness to learn from others.

Commitment to Quality Results    Takes ownership of tasks and is determined to see them through to satisfactory conclusions.  Takes all necessary measures to ensure work is completed to a high standard and within agreed timeframes at all times, even when it involves routine or mundane tasks.  Monitors and checks work for accuracy and ensures guidelines and procedures are followed.  Reliable and dependable, can work on own initiative.

Customer/Client Focus                   Is aware of the service delivery requirements of the organisation and the varying needs of his/her customers or clients.  Deals with customers / clients in a professional and courteous manner, showing diplomacy and tact, particularly in difficult situations.

Self-Awareness & Development      Reviews own performance regularly and is committed to developing own skills and knowledge base and applying this learning on a regular basis.  Keen to learn new skills, systems and processes.

Flexibility & Change Orientation        Is flexible in his/her approach, open to change in work practices and adapts readily to recommendations for change.  Involves others in and implements change initiatives.  Able to deal with changing demands and different situations / circumstances.

Initiative                                             Actively suggests improvements within area of responsibility.  Can work without excessive guidance or support yet knows when the involvement of others is appropriate.

Technical knowledge/know-how       Has the practical, specialised or technical knowledge required to meet the goals and objectives of the role to the highest standards.  Has knowledge or expertise such that others would rely on and have confidence in it.