The Marie Keating Foundation is a registered charity working to increase awareness and reduce the risk of cancer within all sectors of the community. We promote early detection and the importance of a healthy lifestyle in eliminating cancer as a life threatening illness. We provide practical support services for those affected by cancer and we work with other organisations to optimise efforts to reduce the risk. Our ethos is “making cancer less frightening by enlightening”.

We are now seeking a Director of Nursing Services to work with the Foundation based at our office in Lucan, Co Dublin. Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the Director of Nursing Services will be responsible for the overall implementation and management of the cancer awareness and support programme provided by the Marie Keating Foundation throughout Ireland.

This senior role is both varied and interesting offering a unique career opportunity to interested candidates. The role of Director of Nursing Services is pivotal to the Foundation in developing and implementing an agreed strategy for cancer awareness and support services for men and women throughout Ireland. Full details on the role and key responsibilities are below.

Ideally, the candidate will have a number of years’ experience as oncology nurse; Nurse Manager or similar role in a relevant health related environment. The candidate should also have experience managing and developing others. In addition, the candidate should understand the challenges of the voluntary sector and be happy working as part of a small and tight team.

Applications

The candidate should have a full driver’s license and be willing to attend MKF events at out of office hours also. Interested candidates are asked to submit a CV with a covering letter outlining their suitability to the attention of:

Liz Yeates

Chief Executive Officer

Marie Keating Foundation

Unit 9, Millbank Business Park,

Lucan, Co Dublin

Or email: lyeates@mariekeating.ie no later than Wednesday, March 22nd, 2017.

Salary terms offered will be commensurate with experience & qualifications. Annual leave entitlement is currently 23 days per year and pro-rata for the duration of the contract.

Position: Director of Nursing Services

Contract: Full time, permanent

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer

Job Purpose:

The aim of the role is:-

• To be responsible for the overall organisation and management of the cancer awareness and support programme provided by the Marie Keating Foundation throughout Ireland
• To develop and implement an agreed strategy for cancer awareness programmes for men and women through the community information service, public awareness campaigns, schools, intellectual disability groups, youth reach, traveller groups and any other areas, as identified through the business plan.

Director of Nursing Services- Specific Roles and Responsibilities

• To direct the Community Information service which includes health promotion (indoor and outdoor) activity; School’s Programme; Ask the Nurse Service; Comfort Fund; Cancer Survivorship support of those who have been through cancer treatment and those with metastatic disease; and provide input to the Marie Keating Foundation’s cancer awareness campaigns and resources.
• To regularly evaluate effectiveness of nursing services in relation to overall objectives and costs.
• To ensure the effective delivery of evidence based information to the public nationally; always adopting the Marie Keating Foundation philosophy that early detection saves lives and in line with the mission ‘making cancer less frightening by enlightening’.
•  To represent the Foundation as health spokesperson or representative at health related events and relevant cancer fora and committees. To act as a spokesperson for the Foundation on health issues including interviews with print and broadcast media.
• Working closely with the Nursing Service Co-ordinator, the Director of Nursing provides leadership and direction to the team of 7 community information nurses through induction, training and on-going professional development, ensuring that all related targets & metrics are met.
• To act as co-ordinator for the Medical Advisory Committee of the Foundation and to ensure effective communication of its work for the board.
• To work with external clinicians, nurse specialists and allied health care professionals to plan campaigns, participate in the development of cancer services at the Marie Keating Foundation in alignment with the National Cancer Control Programme, National Cancer Registry, Department of Health and any other relevant bodies.
• To liaise with the Communications Manager on the planning and implementation of the Foundation’s regular awareness campaigns. This includes working together to draft and review agendas, promotion and registration.
• To liaise with the Communications Manager on the drafting, review, production & updating of health information literature and resources, and multimedia materials including videos and websites.
• To develop, implement and evaluate an agreed strategy for cancer awareness programmes for men and women through the community information service, public awareness campaigns to schools, intellectual disability groups, youth reach, traveller groups and any other specific groups
•  To work with the Professional Development Services for Teachers – Regional Managers in the strategic roll out of the School’s Cancer Awareness Programme. To oversee, review and support the activity of nine post graduate nurses delivering the School’s Cancer Awareness Programme to students in secondary schools nationwide.
• To act as Health & Safety Officer at the Foundation attend statutory updating activities including Fire, Moving and Handling and Immediate Life Support.
• To oversee the Foundation’s Comfort Fund in providing financial assistance to those cancer patients who qualify under the scheme.
• To manage the “Ask The Nurse” service effectively ensuring that all queries are dealt with within 48 hours and to act as a resource on cancer and health for the staff and volunteers within the Foundation.

This job description is intended as a general guide to the post but it may change in line with the needs of the Foundation or at the request of the Board of Directors.