Early Years Project Leader

Part time (21 hours per week)
Permanent Contract

Our Mission
Working in partnership to improve social and economic inclusion and build vibrant communities in Dún Laoghaire Rathdown.

Our Vision
To see an inclusive and just society, without discrimination, where people are encouraged and enabled to reach their full potential within strong vibrant communities.

Reporting to: Community Development Manager

Key responsibilities include:

• Lead early intervention programme, supporting families and improving outcomes for parents and babies.
• Manage a team, oversee programme admin, and ensure funding, impact measurement, and KPI compliance.
• Build relationships, strengthen referral pathways, and identify opportunities for programme growth, staying informed on research and policy.

Salary: €47,514--€55,815 Pro rata (€28,508-€33,489 based on 21 hours per week) based on experience

Initial fixed term contract: Permanent Contract , subject to successful completion of a probation period.

Duty station: Blackrock

Southside Partnership DLR (Dun Laoghaire Rathdown)

Southside Partnership DLR CLG is a local development company working towards an inclusive and just society, where each person is encouraged and enabled to reach their full potential and live with dignity in active, healthy, sustainable and safe communities. We provide a comprehensive range of supports and services in communities throughout Dún Laoghaire Rathdown (DLR), we do this by working in collaboration with key stakeholders and deliver a range of programmes, services and supports delivered by the following teams.

• Employment and Enterprise
• Health and Wellbeing
• Children, Families and Community Resource Centres
• Integration

Southside Partnership DLR receives funding through SICAP (Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme) 2024-2028, we manage the Southside Partnership DLR LAES (Local Area Employment Service), a Community Employment and a Tús Scheme supported by the Department of Social Protection alongside a number of projects financed through HSE, Tusla, Local Government and Philanthropy.

The PEEP+ DLR Programme (Parents Early Education Programme)

PEEP+DLR Early Parenting Support Initiative (0-2s) is rolled out in 6 communities across the DLR county. Weekly supports are facilitated by our highly skilled team and our partners through parent and baby groups. Our aim is to work with key stakeholders including families, Tusla, Changing Lives DLR Community Foundation, CYPSC DLR (Children and Young Peoples Services Committee), Family Resource Centres, Community Resource Centres and Family Support Groups promoting collaboration and delivering an evidence based programme aimed at supporting parents and their 0-2’s at risk of adverse childhood experiences (ACES) and social exclusion. Core elements of the programme include:

• Skilled facilitators (including initial PEEP+ two-day training) deliver 2 hour weekly group supports in local family support services and community centres.
• This is a targeted support group and referrals are made through Public Health Nurses, Family Support Services, Community Centres and self-referrals.
• Funding and supports are provided by Southside Partnership DLR SICAP (Social Inclusion Community Activation Programme), Tusla, Changing Lives Community Foundation and the Katherine Howard Foundation. We also receive funding and supports through CYPSC DLR and DLR County Council DLR.

Additionally the Early Years Project leader will join an Interagency Collaboration Committee, overseeing a new local Child Poverty Pilot Plan between North Bray and Dun Laoghaire Rathdown. The aim of The Family: Adult and Child Enhanced Services (FACES) is to Undertake a systematic approach to identifying and analysing drivers of child poverty, adopting an early intervention and prevention approach from pregnancy to four years, in targeted adjacent neighbourhoods in the Bray and South-East Dun Laoghaire Rathdown areas and through local collaborative and interagency working, to examine existing best practice and what can be done differently, locally and nationally, to improve outcomes and access to services for families and children impacted by intergenerational experiences of poverty and disadvantage.

Project Leader Role

The Early Parenting Support Project Leader will report to The Community Development Manager and have responsibility for:

• Leading the implementation of a disadvantaged area-based prevention and early intervention programme, with additional supports, creating foundations for relationship building in infancy and early childhood, which contribute to increased social, emotional, and educational quality of life outcomes, for new parents and their very young children.
• Lead, mentor and manage a strong, skilled and experienced team and have overall responsibility for programme administration.
• Have overall responsibility for managing project funding including measuring impact, risk management, KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators) and reporting to various funders in-line with the organisations governance and compliance standards.
• Facilitate group supports where necessary.
• Cultivating strategic relationships with key stakeholders and represent Southside Partnership DLR and the needs of vulnerable families on a range of external structures locally, county wide, nationally and internationally.
• Strengthen referral pathways with key partners.
• Keep informed on relevant up-to-date research, policies, procedures and training, sharing informed knowledge with the team, partners and wider organisation.
• Identify and secure strategic opportunities to enhance the programme including writing innovative applications.
• Work as part of a wider Southside Partnership DLR Project Leader Team, developing appropriate responses to promote a positive culture, cross programme collaboration and implementing policies and procedures in line with our values and principles.
• Facilitate tasks in line with the role as asks identified by CEO and senior Management Team identified as and if needed.
• From time to time facilitate tasks in line with the role as identified by CEO and Senior management team.
• Facilitate quarterly practitioner meetings, providing a space for them to share their experiences, relevant research and policy updates, promoting best practice and peer support.

Skills and Competencies

The Project Leader needs to demonstrate the following:

• Be a strategic thinker, able to translate strategy into actionable deliverables and identify and scope opportunities to develop services and partnerships;
• Have excellent leadership and management skills to manage, motivate, develop and empower team members;
• Demonstrate a strong understanding of social justice issues and equality, inclusion, diversity;
• Show excellent stakeholder management and interpersonal skills to develop positive and effective relationships with a variety of stakeholders;
• Have excellent written and verbal communications skills, with an ability to communicate with confidence to a wide range of individuals and audiences;
• Strong Monitoring & Evaluation skills to measure the impact of programmes;
• Have strong analytical skills and ability to proactively identify risks, identify innovative solutions and implement them;
• Demonstrate strong budget development and management skills;
• Displays self-awareness and emotional intelligence to work effectively and collaboratively as a team, contributing ideas and assisting colleagues outside of own remit when possible.

Qualification and Experience

Essential

• A third level qualification (minimum level 7) in Social Care or Early Years Education or equivalent.
• Have 3 years or more experience of working in an early years setting, preferably in a leadership role.

Desirable

• Experience with the PEEP+ programme or other evidence-based early years and parenting interventions.
• Be familiar with the Dún Laoghaire Rathdown county and the community and voluntary sector

Application Process

To apply, please send your Curriculum Vitae as well as a cover letter by email marked “Early Years Project Leader ” to HumanResources@sspship.ie by the 11th February. Interviews will take place on the week starting on the 17th February.

Please note:

• • Southside Partnership DLR is an Equal Opportunities Employer
• • No late applications will be accepted and canvassing will lead to disqualification

• • Any offer will be subject to satisfactory references and Garda vetting as appropriate