Group Head of Governance, Risk, Compliance and Safety

at  Vision Ireland

ABOUT VISION IRELAND

Vision Ireland is the national sight loss agency, we are a not-for-profit charitable organisation which provides support and services nationwide to people experiencing sight loss. We provide a variety of services to support and improve accessibility to people who are living with sight loss ranging from emotional support and counselling to employment support and rehabilitation training.
Our mission is to enable people who are blind and vision impaired to overcome barriers that impede their independence and participation in society.
We have over 130 Stores, 385 employees and 1,500 volunteers and scheme staff.
As we continue to expand our team, we are seeking a dedicated and experienced Head of Compliance, Risk and Governance to join our team. The Group Head of Governance, Risk and Compliance will lead on the development and continuous improvement of Vision Ireland’s governance arrangements, risk management, and compliance in order to strengthen and expand risk and governance capabilities within Vision Ireland and support a strong and effective risk management culture across the organisation.
In doing so, they will work directly with Senior Leadership Team, and support the work of the Governance Committee and the Audit & Risk Committee in order to achieve overall alignment of governance, risk, and compliance functions, initiatives and decisions in Vision Ireland.
This post also has responsibility for managing the Data Protection and GDPR requirements for the organisation.

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

Significant (5 years) post-qualification experience in a senior management role.
Degree level 8 on the National framework
A qualification in the area of quality management, regulation or governance
Experience in identifying and managing risks and implementing systems to mitigate and manage risk effectively.
A proven track record in successfully managing change and transformation including devising and implementing innovative delivery models and fostering a culture and practices of continuous improvement through innovative thinking.
A proven ability to contribute to general senior leadership and strategic issues outside of the confines of the function.
A proven track record of leading, managing and developing diverse teams, ideally within a public sector organisation.
Excellent communication skills and proven ability to build positive relationships with stakeholders at all levels.
Demonstrable knowledge and appreciation of the statutory, regulatory and policy framework under which Vision Ireland operates including CRA

DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS

Project Management certification,
Experience and or/understanding of the Irish public sector and the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies.

The job holder will report to the Chief Financial Officer
The post holder is expected to operate with considerable autonomy. The nature of matters referred upwards are those:
Where significant resistance is experienced in the development of good practice and implementation of policy.
Breach of GDPR / DPO / FOI regulations.
Significant risks which are not being managed or mitigated appropriately.
Key Areas of Remit & Responsibility
Lead the design, development and implementation of a Governance, Risk and Compliance framework and strategy for Vision Ireland compliance with statutory governance requirements and the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies.
Take lead responsibility for ongoing review, implementation and compliance with the Charities Regulatory Authority Governance Code and other CRA guidance.
Proactively promote a culture of safety, stability, accountability, transparency, and prudent risk management.
Lead the implementation and continuous review of Vision Ireland’s Governance policies and procedures.
Work cross-functionally to support the design and ongoing management of Vision Ireland’s Governance processes.
Managing compliance and regulatory issues.
Ensure proper integration and alignment of governance, risk, and compliance frameworks within Vision Ireland
Ensure the continued development and monitoring of the governance, risk, and compliance strategic objectives and KPI’s within Vision Ireland
Development and implementation of risk management policies across all activity/functional departments/organisations
Implementation of Corporate Risk Management Policy
Develop a culture of continuous improvement
Drive a culture of excellence and GDPR
Develop and coordinate management of the Corporate Risk Register, data protection and regulatory compliance
Develop and promote a culture of proactive good governance and effective risk management within the organisation
Coordination of the Serious Incident Policy and associated reports.
Coordination of complaints and feedback portal.
Protected Disclosure Policy - Oversight of Policy and coordination of stakeholders
Management of Health and safety function
Continually reassess the operational risks inherent in the provision of Group companies, taking account of changing legal and regulatory requirements, and best practice.
Contribute to the work of the wider SLT group, attend team meetings and collaborate with other functions in the development and delivery of the national programme of work in respect of Risk Management/DPO.
Provide updates through learning and development functions.