Job Specification

Support Group Manager

Reporting to: Director of Services

Responsible to: Chief Executive Officer

Located at: Aware Head Office, (9 Upper Leeson Street, Dublin 4).

Aware is a well-known and highly respected charity in the mental health sector providing free support, education and information services to people impacted by depression, bipolar disorder, and other related mood conditions. Our support services include Support Groups, Support Line, Support Mail, the Solace Café service, and a new counselling service. We also deliver a wide range of education and wellbeing programmes designed to empower people with the knowledge and skills to build resilience and protect their mental health. In this context we are seeking a Support Group Manager to join our team to manage this integral service and continue this important, valuable, and vital work in our society.

Principal duties:

This is a fulltime role, based on a 37-hour working week.

Key responsibilities:

• To manage the end-to-end delivery of the Aware Support Group service and implement the policies and procedures of our Support Groups to the highest of standards.
• To monitor and evaluate our Support Groups, attending a least one support group meeting per week, as part of the strategy to monitor the quality of the Support Groups.
• To provide feedback, practical and emotional support, and guidance to Support Group volunteers.
• To recruit and train volunteers as per the strategy and targets set out in the Service Plan.
• To proactively liaise and communicate with relevant stakeholders, e.g. HSE, family resource centres, NGO’s, GP’s, community mental health teams, Recovery Colleges, to ensure that we develop care pathways to our Support Groups and Aware services.
• To promote and develop our Support Groups throughout the country, travelling on a routine and regular basis to promote the groups, attending meetings with relevant stakeholders in the mental health sector across the country.
• To respond proactively to issues arising in groups in conjunction with the Director of Services as required.
• To ensure Support Group meeting venues are professional and suitable and source new venues where necessary.
• To collate and analyse monthly data relating to the Support Group service and provide weekly and monthly data to the Director of Services.
• To perform all duties in adherence to the standards, policies, procedures and guidelines developed and implemented by Aware.
• Any other duties required and deemed necessary by the Director of Services.
• Excellent interpersonal, people, and communication skills both written and oral are essential for this role.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills with a strong capacity to build relationships with various stakeholders associated with the work of Aware and this post specifically.
• Ability to foster positive relationships with volunteers, be empathic and provide emotional support, guidance and feedback to our volunteers.
• Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a team.
• Ability to understand and implement the Support Group standard operating procedures and processes to the highest of standards to ensure good governance.
• Travel, evening and weekend work is a core requirement of this role.
• Ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced environment.
• Energetic, enthusiastic and flexible.
• Excellent IT and computer skills, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Excellent time management skills and attention to detail.
• Genuine interest in and passion for the voluntary, not for profit sector, and people impacted by mental health challenges.
• Have a full clean driving licence and access to own vehicle.

Essential Criteria

Desirable

• Experience managing teams or groups of people in a role in the mental health sector or another sector relevant to the role.
• An understanding of group processes and dynamics, with experience of group training and / or facilitation.

Role

• In addition to the travel requirements for this role, there is a requirement to work a minimum of two-days per week from Aware’s Head Office as part of this role.
• Aware will provide travel expenses for travel incurred as part of the role.

Application Process

• To apply for this role, please send your CV along with a cover letter outlining your interest and suitability for the role advertised to info@aware.ie
• Informal enquiries can be made to Ms. Alexandra Sammer at info@aware.ie or (01) 6617211.
• Closing date for applications is Friday 4th of July at 3pm.