Administration & Compliance Manager

About Sophia:

Sophia is national provider of housing and homeless services. Founded in 1997 by Sr. Jean Quinn D.W the organisation has always been acutely aware of the impact that homelessness has on individuals, couples and families.

2022 was an important milestone for Sophia as we marked 25 years of providing homes and supporting people across Ireland. Over the past two and a half decades Sophia has been supporting people as they emerge from homelessness. Sophia provides trauma informed services that recognises the impact that homelessness, poverty and social exclusion has on those it supports. Sophia is unique among providers of homeless services in that it focuses exclusively of helping people to leave homelessness by having a home of their own as quickly as possible.

Collaboration with Midlands Simon Community

In 2016 Sophia entered an innovative collaboration agreement with Midlands Simon Community. Both organisations have a strong shared value and commitment to a Housing First /Housing Led approach. The C.E.O of Sophia, Tony O’Riordan also carries out the function of C.E.O of Midlands Simon Community.

Both organisations collaborate in the areas of creating new homes for people to progress out of homelessness. In 2021 they opened 18 homes in the Midlands in Moate and Portlaoise. In Tullamore, Sophia is developing a Midlands Emergency Accommodation project that will be run by Midlands Simon Community in Clonamore House, to be opened in 2023.

Purpose: This role will co-ordinate and manage the administrative and compliance functions of Sophia and Midlands Simon Community.

Reporting to: Chief Executive Officer

Contract: Permanent, 39 hours per week, Monday to Friday.

Location: Cork St, Dublin 8 with flexibility to travel for meetings as required. Hybrid working arrangements as agreed.

Main tasks and Responsibilities

Administrative tasks associated with Governance:

• Ensure briefing papers for meetings of the Board of Directors are collated and circulated to Board Members.
• Support the minute taking of all Board Meetings and Committees of the Board
• Maintain the organisational files for all Board Meetings and Committees of the Board and ensure these files are held securely
• Ensure that Board of Directors meeting files and committee meeting files are kept centrally and securely and that the archives of these meetings in proper order and securely.

Record Official Correspondence

• Develop and maintain systems for the recording of all correspondence to the C.E.O and correspondence to the Board and senior staff.
• Ensure the organisation’s emails and correspondence has a prompt reply.

Compliance with the Codes associated with the Charities Regulator

• Ensure compliance records and administration support associated with the requirements of the Charities Regulator.
• Keep the organisation’s files updated in relation to compliance with the Charities Regulator

Compliance File with the Codes associated with the Approved Housing Body Regulatory Authority

• Ensure compliance records and administration support associated with the compliance and with all the requirements of the Approved Housing Body Regulatory Authority.

Sophia Leadership Team

• Support the C.E.O in administrative work associated with the Sophia Leadership Team (SLT) including the effective minute taking of minutes of SLT meetings.
• Maintain and keep secure SLT documentation

Annual External Audit

• Support the C.E.O and Board with the non-financial aspects of the audit and the work of the external audit.

Annual Report

• Support the C.E.O in compiling a Draft Annual Report for approval by the Board of Directors.

Annual General Meeting

• Support the C.E.O to ensure a well-organised and compliant Annual General Meeting.

Funding Applications and Fundraising

• Where the C.E.O is leading on or contributing to Fundraising initiatives, support the administrative work associated with this.
• Ensure that all the administrative aspects of EU Funded programmes are attended to.

Cork Street Campus

• Develop, direct and coordinate a maintenance plan for the Cork Street Campus and ensuring the Administrative Office is maintained and has an on-going maintenance plan.
• Ensure that the main Reception in Cork St is effectively managed and in line with the Trauma Informed ethos of the organisation.
• Wisdom Centre - Line manage and support the Coordinator of the Wisdom Centre

Community Employment:

• To assist in the management of the workload of Community Employment Scheme

Additional

• Any additional administrative tasks as required
• To carry out all work in line with Sophia’s health and Safety policies

Person Specification

Values:

• Committed to the ethos and mission of Sophia
• Empathy with Trauma Informed Practice
• Commitment to equality and anti-oppressive practice

Requirements and Skills

• Proven experience as an administration/compliance manager or similar role (3-5 years’ experience)
• In-depth understanding of office management procedures and policies
• Familiarity with facilities management principles
• Proficient in MS Office, Excel and other applications
• An analytical mind with problem-solving skills
• Excellent organisational and multitasking abilities
• Ability to work on own initiative a must
• A team player with leadership skills

Qualification

• BSc/BA in business/public administration or relevant field
• Experience in office management and leading the compliance work of an organisation

Application Process

Applicants should forward a Cover Letter and CV to Lorna Burke, HR Manager lburke@sophia.ie

Closing Date for receipt of applications is Friday, 9th June 2023 with early applications welcome.