Guardian ad Litem Administration Manager

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Job Description

Post:	Guardian Ad Litem Administration Manager
Location:	Guardian Ad Litem Service, Barnardos National Office, Christchurch Square, Dublin 8 and hybrid
Responsible to:	Head of Guardian ad Litem Service
Works with:	Internal Staff and Managers and external contractors and organisations

        

Job Purpose

As a member of the Guardian ad Litem Management Team, the Guardian Ad Litem Administration Manager has responsibility for overseeing the Guardian Ad Litem Service day to day support functions, managing, supervising and supporting administration and finance staff, planning and co-ordinating administrative procedures, reviewing and implementing system and process improvements across all aspects of Guardian ad Litem Finance and Administration processes. The post holder will oversee the administrative preparation of the service to exit Barnardos on the establishment of the National Guardian ad Litem service. As such, this post is limited to the anticipated continued duration of the service within Barnardos of 2 – 4 years.

Main Responsibilities

• Lead on the business planning and project management of the Guardian Ad Litem service
• Plan and co-ordinate administrative procedures and continually seek to devise ways to streamline and improve processes.
• Plan and co-ordinate technical procedures and support the management and administration of GALSYS, the Guardian ad Litem service Case Management and Invoicing System, to include liaison with the external software providers.
• Manage day to day operational schedules and deadlines
• Supervise and support administration and finance staff, identifying relevant training needs
• Assess administrative staff performance, providing coaching and guidance as necessary and managing any performance issues that may arise
• Lead on the recruitment and induction training of administrative staff as vacancies arise
• Develop and maintain external relationships with funders, in particular Tusla’s Office of Legal Services:
• Managing queries and ensuring prompt responses
• Developing strategies to respond to thematic queries as they arise
• Liaising with Barnardos Finance in respect of payment throughput.
• Develop and maintain external relationships with independent contractors
• Support the Finance department in the budgetary process by preparing proposed budgets for the  Guardian ad Litem Service
• Manage the Guardian Ad Litem Service financial performance against approved budget
• Develop, improve and maintain effective and efficient finance and administration systems, procedures and controls.
• Review the production of financial reports, exception reports and reports for internal and external stakeholders as required
• Support the management of the service through preparation and presentation of accurate reporting, data analysis etc.
• Ensure a smooth and adequate flow of information within Barnardos about the Guardian ad Litem Service and  manage Guardian Ad Litem  queries from within the organisation and provide good links with other departments
• Ensure that Barnardos policies and procedures are fully implemented within the area of responsibility of the post, including GDPR compliance and data management.
• Supporting data protection requests.
• Support and contribute to the future of the Service as required including costing service delivery,  financial modelling and data analysis
• Preparing the service to exit Barnardos, following the period of transition on the establishment of the National GAL Service.
• Other duties as may be required by the Head of Guardian ad Litem Service or the Director of Finance.

Requirements of all Barnardos staff

• Commitment to the purpose of Barnardos and to work within the values, policies and procedures of the organisation and in the context of current legislation and regulations.
• To participate in regular supervision with your line manager.
• To actively participate in team and staff meetings and service reviews/ evaluations and to contribute to the development of policy and practice with your area of work and within Barnardos as a whole.
• To report any area of concern to your line manager in a timely manner.
• To show reasonable flexibility in relation to hours of attendance to meet the needs of the work. Work during unsocial hours may be required.
• Have a flexible approach to the work in response to organisational change, development and review of best practice.
• Participate in and engage with a performance management programme.
• Identify training needs with your line manager and participate in training opportunities appropriate to the role.
• To be vigilant to any Health, Safety and Welfare risks in the workplace and bring any concerns to the attention of your line manager or local Health and Safety Officer.
• To be vigilant to any concerns regarding the protection and welfare of children and to bring them to the attention of the Barnardos Designated Person in a timely manner, in keeping with the Barnardos Child Protection policies.
• To participate in the efficient flow of information within the organisation by sharing and seeking information as appropriate.
• To undertake other duties as may be requested by the line manager from time to time.
• To undertake your work in a manner that is friendly, flexible and informal.

   

  Note: this Job Description will be reviewed and updated in line with the needs of the work

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Person Specification

Personal attributes

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to manage in a dynamic and busy environment.
• Ability to work independently, as part of a team and in collaboration with a wide variety of individuals.
• Ability to prioritise competing demands, manage projects and deliver on outcomes.
• Flexibility and adaptability in terms of tasks and time is essential for this post.
• Excellent organisational and leadership skills.
• Energetic, enthusiastic and adaptable approach to a variety of tasks and projects.
• Ability to manage the staff team in a constructive way, ensuring that a high level of service provision.
• Ability to write clear reports as required as well as ability to summarise and present complex information clearly, accurately and concisely for a range of audiences for internal and external publication.
• Ability to manage relationships internally and work effectively in partnership with external stakeholders relevant to your service.
• Go to person with can do approach.

Experience

• A minimum of 3 years’ experience in an accounting, finance, project management role with a minimum of 2 year posts qualification experience
• Familiarity with GDPR and other data protection legislation
• Experience in a management and leadership role
• Experience of managing a team
• High level of Microsoft Office skills.

Qualifications

• Relevant primary degree essential, e.g. Business related
• CA/ ACCA/ CIMA qualified
• Other business qualification advantageous

Competencies

The post holder must demonstrate competency in the following areas:

• Problem-solving: Can recognise problems, interpret situations and information, offer solutions, make informed decisions, solve problems and resolve conflict effectively.
• Quality and customer focus – for support managers: Constantly strives to understand and better meet customer needs (internal/external). Maintains a high standard of work with regard to the requirements of the specific role. Takes a whole organisation view when planning work.
• Communication and interpersonal skills: Communicates effectively. Has good listening skills and hears others views and concerns. Is aware of self and others, emotionally intelligent and displays appropriate use of their authority.
• Adapting to change: Is open to change, aware of the impact of change on themselves and others, demonstrates leadership in their approach to change and creates an open, learning environment which supports staff with the change.
• Effective relationships: Builds and maintains effective working relationships with their team and with families, other organisations, etc. Promotes a culture of involvement and consultation within their team.
• Managing people: Motivates and encourages staff to provide quality services by being clear about roles and expected standards and supporting staff to achieve these standards. Responds proactively to under-performance.
• Project management: Is clear about the objectives and plans, organises and prioritises effectively. Has the ability to quickly adapt, prioritise and reorganise resources to meet unexpected and changing demands.
• Personal Effectiveness: Understands role within the organisation, recognises and accepts the responsibilities and accountability that accompany the role. Provides quality services by being clear about role and expected standards. Is committed to developing self by undertaking training and professional development as identified.

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