Head of Early Intervention and Prevention Services

Nexus NI is recruiting a passionate, strategic leader to join our Senior Leadership Team. This role will lead our psychoeducation, professional training and aftercare services, ensuring they are high-quality, trauma-informed and sustainable. You will support our wider strategic vision and help shape a positive, inclusive workplace culture.

Purpose of the Role

As Head of Early Intervention and Prevention Services, you will lead on the strategic and operational delivery of our psychoeducation, professional training and aftercare services. As a member of the organisations Senior Leadership Team (SLT) you will also support the effective development and delivery of the organisations wider strategic plan, embed organisational values and promote a positive and inclusive workplace culture. This is a visible leadership role requiring strategic thinking, excellent communication, an ability to inform and influence and a commitment to Nexus's vision of enabling a society free from sexual abuse and abusive relationships.

Key Responsibilities

• Education & Training

• Lead the development and delivery of Nexus's Education and Training provision in line with the 2023-2026 Strategy and the emerging 2026-2029 Strategy.
• Shape education and prevention models that respond to emerging risks, societal trends, and community need while maintaining best practice standards.
• Ensure programmes are evidence-based, trauma-informed, inclusive, and culturally sensitive.
• Embed service user voice and lived experience into programme design and evaluation.

• Oversee the design, delivery and evaluation of education and training workshops across schools, community settings and professional sectors.
• Ensure consistency, quality assurance, safeguarding and professional standards across all training delivery.
• Monitor outputs, outcomes and impact, using data to drive continuous improvement and demonstrate effectiveness to funders and stakeholders.
• Champion digital innovation and blended learning approaches to increase reach, accessibility and efficiency.

• Line manage Education & Training staff, associates and volunteers.
• Ensure high-quality supervision, training, reflective practice and CPD.
• Promote safe practice, wellbeing and professional development across the team.
• Lead workforce planning to ensure sustainable service delivery.

• Build and maintain partnerships with schools, statutory agencies, community organisations, funders and professional bodies.
• Represent Nexus at relevant networks, forums and sector events to promote prevention, education and early intervention.
• Support income generation through partnership development and funding opportunities.

• Lead the continuous development of a structured Aftercare model supporting individuals following completion of counselling.
• Ensure clear referral pathways, eligibility criteria, and transition processes between counselling and aftercare services.
• Develop tiered and flexible support models responsive to individual risk, need and recovery stage.

• Oversee delivery of trauma-informed aftercare interventions, including group work, psychoeducation, peer support and wellbeing activities.
• Ensure services are safe, ethical, person-centred and aligned with safeguarding and regulatory requirements.
• Monitor engagement, retention, outcomes and longer-term impact for individuals accessing aftercare services.

• Act as a Delegated Safeguarding Champion for Aftercare Services.
• Ensure robust risk management, safeguarding procedures, incident reporting and escalation processes are consistently applied.
• Provide leadership and support to staff managing complex needs and risk.

• Work closely with Counselling, Helpline and external agencies to ensure seamless transitions and joined-up care pathways.
• Advocate for service users to access additional community and statutory supports where required.
• Promote continuity, stability and sustained recovery outcomes.

• Lead service evaluation, outcome measurement and quality improvement initiatives.
• Produce reports demonstrating impact, learning and value for money.
• Use data and feedback to strengthen service effectiveness and sustainability.

• Actively contribute to Nexus's organisational strategy and policy development as a member of the Senior Management Team.
• Develop and implement service strategies aligned with organisational priorities and future growth plans.
• Ensure compliance with statutory, contractual, regulatory and governance requirements including safeguarding, BACP standards, GDPR and ICO compliance.
• Produce high-quality reports for the CEO, funders and regulators.
• Identify opportunities for service growth, sustainability and innovation.
• Manage and mitigate operational risks in line with the organisational risk register.
• Contribute to annual budget planning, financial monitoring and resource allocation.
• Support funding bids, tenders and business development activity.

• Lead, inspire and develop a multidisciplinary workforce including coordinators, trainers, project staff and volunteers.
• Ensure a values-led culture rooted in empathy, empowerment, safety and trauma-informed practice.
• Promote staff wellbeing, resilience and retention.
• Ensure robust supervision, appraisal and performance management processes.
• Champion equality, diversity and inclusion across all services.

• Build and sustain strong relationships with statutory bodies, commissioners, funders, education providers and sector partners.
• Represent Nexus at strategic forums, conferences and public platforms.
• Act as an ambassador for Nexus, promoting awareness of services and organisational mission.
• Ensure joined up working across Nexus services including aftercare and prevention.

Essential Criteria

• Educated to a degree standard and a minimum 3 years strategic and operational leadership experience in education, support or health related services.
• Demonstrable experience of developing and implementing strategic plans.
• Proven experience of leading multi-disciplinary teams on a regional basis to deliver a range of support services to vulnerable individuals in line with organisational, legislative and regulatory requirements including safeguarding, data protection and quality assurance.
• Demonstrable experience of robust service evaluation using an outcomes-based approach to measure impact and support continuous service improvement.
• Strong understanding of trauma-informed practice.
• Experience managing budgets and financial planning.
• Excellent people leadership and workforce development skills including experience of supervision, performance management, staff wellbeing and workforce development.
• Strong partnership and stakeholder engagement capability.
• Knowledge of the Northern Ireland policy and commissioning context relevant to education, safeguarding and trauma-informed services.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Commitment to Nexus's mission, vision and values.

Desirable Criteria

• Relevant professional qualification.
• Experience working with survivors of sexual abuse, domestic abuse or trauma.
• Experience fulfilling a safeguarding role.
• Experience in income generation and funding development.

This job description is not incorporated into the contract of employment. It is intended as a guide and should not be viewed as an inflexible specification. It may be varied from time to time in the light of strategic developments following discussion with the post holder.

If you're committed to creating a society free from sexual abuse and abusive relationships, we'd love to hear from you.

To apply: Please request an application form via our website for more information.