Our client, a leading not-for-profit health and social care provider, is seeking a Head of Quality, Safety & Service Improvement.
This senior leadership role offers the chance to redefine and embed the organisation's quality culture following a recent restructuring.
With responsibility for quality, safety, risk management, governance, and compliance, the postholder will provide strategic direction, ensure adherence to regulatory standards (
HIQA, HSA),
and oversee the development of a comprehensive audit and reporting framework.
Key Responsibilities
Lead the quality, safety, and governance agenda across the organisation, reporting into the CEO and Senior Leadership Team.
Manage a specialist team (4–5 staff) while influencing and engaging 65 managers and over 800 staff organisation-wide.
Oversee Health & Safety, Quality & Systems, and Risk/Compliance functions.
Provide leadership on positive risk-taking – balancing safety with autonomy to support people in living fuller lives.
Drive the rollout of major organisational projects, including:
ERP System (OneTouch):
ensure successful integration of audit data into new organisation-wide data system.
Viclarity Internal Audit System:
embed consistent use across services, supporting compliance with HIQA requirements.
Development of a comprehensive audit programme across clinical and non-clinical services.
Champion a culture of reflection, learning, and continuous quality improvement.
Candidate Profile
The ideal candidate will bring:
Senior management experience in healthcare, social care, or disability services.
Expertise in quality, safety, governance, and regulatory compliance (HIQA background highly valued).
Proven project management skills, ideally with large system rollouts (
ERP, audit systems, etc.
).
Strong leadership and emotional intelligence, with the ability to influence and embed cultural change across a large workforce.
Exceptional communication and influencing skills to engage peers, regulators, and external stakeholders (
HSE, Board, regulators
).
Relevant professional qualification (
Quality/Safety/Risk Management, Nursing, Social Care, or equivalent
).
Why This Role?
This is a highly visible, strategic role with direct impact on service quality for thousands of people.
The successful candidate will:
Shape and deliver a quality-first culture across a large, complex organisation.
Gain exposure at CEO and Board level while leading a specialist function.
Balance regulatory excellence with cultural transformation, embedding a progressive, person-centred approach.
Lead high-profile projects that will modernise systems, improve transparency, and strengthen governance.