Risk and Compliance Manager

Reporting Line: CEO         Permanent role       Based in Dublin

ISPCC is here for all children, and we want every child to know that. Childline is available at any time, 24/7. We are always on, always here, whenever a child needs to get in touch, and however they find that safest and easiest.

Growing up is hard for today's children, and more complicated than it was for us. We like to imagine childhood as precious and carefree and want it to be so for the children around us. But if we remember our own, we know growing up is difficult and sometimes painful. Most children at some point experience feelings of being lost and alone, confused, misunderstood and not fitting in, anxious and overwhelmed. Some children face very challenging situations, and extreme adversity, even violence, abuse and trauma. Many others experience distress from day-to-day worries, whether bullying, school, relationships or trouble at home.

We are there for children, to listen unconditionally and without judgement. We support and encourage them and help them find the strength to deal with whatever they have to cope with.

·      The Childline Listening Service is the largest 24-hour helpline available to children in Ireland, whether by phone, text or online. Whenever a child needs to turn to someone, we are there for them.

·      We offer a Parental Support Line to offer support and advice about children whose wellbeing they might be concerned about. Families also need support with issues at home that have an impact on children, and we help parents with those too.

·      We offer a range of one-to-one therapeutic services through our Childline Therapeutic Support Services, for children who need more in-depth support, whether by phone, online or face-to-face, when they face too long a wait to access health services, and a GP refers them for urgent help.

We offer Digital Guided Self Care programmes that children and parents can access to help them manage anxiety, providing information and guidance based on cognitive behavioural therapy and mindfulness. We work with schoolteachers, through our Smart Moves programme, to build children's resilience to manage the transition to secondary school, and to talk about their feelings; and in schools, clubs and community groups, our Shield programme helps children deal with bullying.

We develop policy and advocate for online safety and more available mental health services for children, working with government and local authorities that already refer children to our services. We are developing our digital services to be more accessible to children and their families, available when and how they choose to engage with them.

 ISPCC has been there for children for over 130 years and has provided the Childline Listening Service for over 30, supporting hundreds of thousands of children when they needed that support.

Core Purpose of the Role

Reporting to the CEO, the Risk and Compliance Manager is a key role, instilling a best practice mindset to risk and compliance management in ISPCC. Over the past number of years, we have made great strides in our journey of transformation in risk and compliance, and we are now in a position to continue the evolution with a permanent role as Risk and Compliance Manager.

Based in Dublin (with flexible and hybrid options available) this role presents an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated professional to join the ISPCC team on our exciting transformation journey.

Role Specification

Governance: Board, CEO and Leadership Support

·      Role modelling a business partnering approach, partner with CEO and relevant stakeholders to navigate the legal and regulatory environment, through the provision of support, expertise and guidance.   

• Responsible for designing/reviewing/adapting structures, policies and processes to ensure ISPCC is fully compliant with all applicable legal, regulatory, governance and best practice guidance. This includes responsibility for adherence to the Charities Governance Code published by the Charities Regulator and Annual Donor Compliance statements.
• Provide support to the Company Secretary, CEO and the Board of Directors in the coordination and preparation of board papers, reports and related documents.
• Design and organise board and committee member induction and training.
• Keep the Board of Directors, CEO and senior leadership appraised of new developments in the applicable legal and regulatory environment.
• Coordinate the ISPCC Health Safety and welfare representatives to ensure regular meetings and safe systems of work are in place in line with our Safety Statement.
• Ensure that organisational policies and procedures including our safety statement are regularly reviewed and updated by relevant stakeholders in line with best practice and legal/regulatory developments.

Data Protection

·      Operate as the organisation's Data Protection Officer (DPO) and lead on GDPR compliance issues.

• Responsible for designing and ensuring the implementation of reporting structures, policies and processes to ensure that ISPCC data processing activities comply with all applicable data protection laws and regulations.
• Promote a positive data protection compliant culture, including by chairing the internal data protection working group.
• Keeping the Board, CEO and Senior Team appraised of key developments in the data protection environment and ensuring ongoing training for all staff and volunteers on GDPR compliance.

Risk Register

• Responsible for ensuring the ISPCC has the necessary policies and procedures in place to enable risks to be identified, evaluated and managed efficiently and effectively.
• Responsible for regularly reviewing and updating the ISPCC's risk management system in line with best practice.
• Responsible for implementation of the ISPCC risk management policy and procedures, including:
• co-ordinating the centralised Active Risk Register, monitoring gaps, updating leadership teams and ensuring regular reviews to maintain as a living breathing document; and
• reporting to the audit and risk committee and the board on organisational risk.
• Ensure all required organisational policies and procedures are in place and easily accessible and that reviews of these documents are carried out as necessary

Building a Culture around Best Practice in Compliance and Risk Management

• Build and maintain a strong collaborative culture among teams across the ISPCC to empower and support their understanding and capacity to manage compliance and mitigate risk in related matters affecting the organisation.
• Support and educate ISPCC team members and volunteers in relation to risk and compliance.

Essential Requirements

·      Minimum 5 years' experience in a legal or compliance-based role in any industry sector.

·      Knowledge and understanding of relevant legislation and regulations.

·      Knowledge and understanding of risk management and compliance in an organisation/ Company and preferably in the charity sector

·      Previous people management experience

·      IT Proficiency (Microsoft Suite, MS Teams, Sharepoint, Excel)

·      Legal Qualification to Degree or Post Graduate Level

·      Qualified or experienced in a relevant professional discipline.

·      A minimum of 5 years relevant experience preferably working in the sector

Person Specification

·      Demonstrable commitment to ISPCC values and behaviours and the achievement of positive outcomes for children

·      Gravitas to be able to build strong relationship at board and SLT levels and to be able to support senior leadership teams to navigate the legal and regulatory environment

·      Strong interpersonal and listening skills demonstrated by effectively working within or managing teams of multi-functional employees to achieve organisational goals

·      Aptitude for understanding legal and regulatory compliance related matters, and commitment to increasing professional development and learning in this area

·      Results oriented with a strong analytical approach and practical analytical skills

·      An organised individual with exceptional attention to detail and the ability to manage a diverse workflow and work to deadlines

The foregoing job specification is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties involved and consequently, the role may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post which may be assigned from time to time