Chief Operating Officer – Development

Steering Point are proud to partner with Stewarts Care for the appointment of a Chief Operating Officer – Development.

Stewarts Care provides community-based services to over 2000 adults and children across Dublin, Meath and Kildare.

Our Mission is to achieve our vision by empowering and supporting individuals with different abilities to have an enriches life experience based on their own decisions and life choices.

Job Purpose:

• The primary purpose of this demanding role is to lead Strategy and Transformation in Stewarts Care.
• The executive management of the development and delivery of Stewarts Care’s 2030 Vision and strategy is a critical responsibility. This will incorporate developing services, building partnerships, and innovating commercial initiatives that actively support advancement in service delivery and experience for Stewarts Care and people with intellectual disabilities.
• This role-holder will imagine, vision, shape and create the future Stewarts Care; an organisation that is human rights and public service focused, delivering high quality core services, enriched with social enterprise partnerships, innovating private commercial social enterprise opportunities, and relentlessly ambitious in supporting people with intellectual disability to live normal lives.
• The role-holder will be responsible for the stewardship and ongoing development of the quality and compliance structures, policies and frameworks that support organisational and service excellence.
• He/she will lead communications and fundraising activities aimed at enhancing Stewart Cares visibility and cohesion, internally and externally.
• He/she will develop new services and new models of service.

Scope of the Role:

• The COO (Development) is a member of the Strategic Leadership Team (SLT).
• The COO (Development) will attend Board meetings.
• The COO (Development) is responsible fully for all strategy, governance and management matters relating to services in their brief.
• He/she will represent the Chief Executive at corporate and sectoral engagements as requested.
• He/she will develop a significant sectoral network presence, nationally and globally, in order to lead innovation in the sector in Ireland.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Strategy

• Working with the CEO and SLT, lead the development, planning and delivery of the Stewarts Care 2030 strategic development programme.
• Provide project leadership, management and oversight across strategic projects, including project structures, governance and planning processes.
• Working with leadership colleagues, develop and implement strategically critical infrastructure plans including AHB partnerships, property and housing mobility strategies, facilities and services.
• Support the development of key strategic and operational partnerships and options to evolve and deliver on strategic priorities for people with intellectual disabilities.
• Identify and act on strategic and critical issues, and lead on the necessary operational, response and monitoring actions.
• Develop short, medium and long-term strategic plans to support operational planning and track performance against plan across the organisation.
• Create a commercial strategy that builds revenue streams and commercial capabilities to support the advancement of person centric care and support; identify, plan and implement approved commercial projects and activities.
• Lead and drive grant applications, developing the internal competence and capabilities required for successful outcomes from submissions.
• Keep updated and share industry and market research and information with leadership colleagues, relevant to Stewart Care’s strategic priorities and services.

Transformation

• Lead and guide the development of services and processes across the organisation and ensure that structures and systems are in place to support successful implementation.
• Establish project management methodology and systems to enable service and process development and change.
• Build change and project management capability to enable planned and successful delivery of initiatives.
• Develop a shared commitment and participation amongst staff and those supported by Stewarts Care in the development and improvement of services.
• Foster collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement/ growth mindset across the organisation.

Governance

• Champion strong governance ethos and practices across all services and functions to meet Board, Management and Regulatory requirements.
• Support the Head of Quality and Compliance, providing guidance and oversight on quality and compliance strategies and standards to ensure operational, service and governance excellence.
• Liaise and regularly update the CEO on strategic development, governance, ESG, Risk and Communications.
• Engage with the Board, providing reporting, advice, and relevant updates to support Board and Board Committee discussions and decision making.

Stakeholders

• Liaise, collaborate and work in partnership with key stakeholders in the HSE, HIQA, Tusla, Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Department of Health, et al., to champion the needs of service users and influence policy and decision-makers in support of same.
• Actively develop and foster links with other healthcare organisations and stakeholders, social enterprises, educational institutions and the wider clinical and healthcare community, as appropriate for the development and delivery of new and innovative services.
• Maintain good public relations including good working relationships and communications with appropriate statutory, professional and voluntary organisations.

Communications

• Foster excellent internal and external communication strategies and channels, aimed at increasing engagement.
• Work with HR, to enhance internal communication channels and tools to enable more connectivity and engagement with staff and those supported by Stewarts Care.
• Work with PR and marketing to develop communication and fundraising plans that align to Stewarts Care values and objectives.

People management

• Strong and open management style that fosters active engagement and encourages contributions from both staff and service users, promoting their development to better serve the needs of service users.
• Foster a culture of teamwork and respect that leads to a high quality and highly committed, skilled and educated workforce.
• Promote a learning and development environment that enhances employee engagement and growth and enables service development.

Qualifications

Candidates must meet the following criteria relevant to the role:

• Third level qualification in a business, finance or related discipline.
• Minimum of 10 years’ professional experience in the areas of strategy, development, programme management, etc.
• Minimum of 5 years leadership and staff management experience at a senior level.

Experience & Skills

• Demonstrate detailed knowledge of the sector, national policies and standards.
• Proven leadership and business management acumen, with ability to develop, translate and communicate strategic objectives into tangible operational plans that deliver quality outcomes.
• Strong strategic thinker with ability to translate vision into achievable deliverables, supported by strong planning and execution expertise.
• Demonstrable capability to identify, lead and execute transformational change involving services, processes, technology, organisational structures etc.
• Demonstrable service &/or business development experience, through research and analysis and design stages to successful delivery of new/updated services.
• Proven experience of overseeing the daily operation of multiple functions, teams &/or projects, delivering services and achieving service improvements with high quality outcomes.
• Proven commercial acumen; strong analytical and numeracy skills to understand and interrogate financial data and make effective commercial recommendations and proposals
• Experienced in managing budgets, financials, resources and people, and meeting regulatory and compliance requirements in similar sector.
• Strong organisation and project management skills to successfully develop, plan and deliver complex projects to deadline.
• Ability to foster collaboration across teams and third parties to deliver quality work outputs that benefits service users.
• Strong relationship management capability with proven ability to adapt to the range of situations and stakeholders faced in this role.
• Experience building strong communication and engagement frameworks to support outcomes
• Strong, open management style that engages and empowers others and fosters a collaborative team culture and approach.
• Excellent problem solving and critical thinking skills, ability to adapt, multi-task and prioritise.
• Resourceful, creative thinker with a hands-on attitude, with ability to navigate change.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills (written and verbal) with personal impact and credibility to influence.
• Personal integrity and gravitas to ensure a culture of respect and responsibility is role modelled.

How to Apply

If you believe that you meet the requirements necessary to take on this important role, please submit a comprehensive Curriculum Vitae in strictest confidence, for the attention of Shay Dalton – Managing Partner, Steering Point to sdalton@steeringpoint.ie on or before 12 noon on Friday 30th May 2025.

For a confidential discussion please contact Shay Dalton on +353 (0)86 856 2176.