Title: Patient Education Peer Support Coordinator
Reports to: Survivorship Manager
Contract type: Permanent
Hours:Full-time 35hrs per week - Mon - Fri 9am to 5pm
Location: The Society operates a hybrid working model with a combination of remote and in-person (Dublin 4 office) working
Office Days: Office attendance days are Wednesday Thursday
Salary: €51,000 per annum
Who we are:
Every three minutes, someone in Ireland hears the words ‘You’ve got cancer’. At the Irish Cancer Society, we understand the physical, emotional and financial impact a cancer diagnosis brings. And we are determined to do everything we can to help.
As Ireland’s leading cancer charity, we work across every area of cancer – from prevention and early detection, through to end-of-life care. We make a positive impact for people affected by cancer every day: investing in life-saving and life-changing research; providing practical, financial and emotional supports; and driving improvements in public cancer services.
The Patient Education and Peer Support Coordinator will join our Survivorship Team to lead the ongoing development and enhancement of our patient education and peer support programmes. We are looking for an experienced oncology nurse or allied health professional who is passionate about supporting people affected by cancer beyond the clinical setting.
This is an ideal opportunity for someone seeking a move away from frontline clinical practice while remaining closely connected to cancer care. The role enables you to use your oncology knowledge and experience to shape services, develop resources, and strengthen support programmes that make a real difference in the lives of cancer patients and their families.
Key Responsibilities
Peer Support Programme:
Coordinate the peer support programme ensuring that the Society has a cohort of trained, suitable volunteers available to provide telephone peer support to cancer patients.
Work with the Volunteer Management team to recruit and train new volunteers to the programme, identifying gaps in the current programme and opportunities for sustainable expansion of the programme.
Ensure that volunteers receive appropriate training, support and supervision
Update and maintain sensitive volunteer information using a CRM data management system, ensuring to always comply with GDPR legislation.
Provide ongoing support, supervision and training to peer support volunteers.
Coordinate referrals from the Society’s cancer nurses to the Peer Support programme, ensuring appropriate matches between volunteers and patients.
Collect feedback and data to monitor the effectiveness of the programme against KPIs, providing reports on delivery levels of the service to the Survivorship Manager.
Monitor the effectiveness of the peer support programme and implement improvements as needed.
Patient Education:
Coordinate external and internal referrals for Irish Cancer Society patient education programmes, ensuring data is managed according to the procedures outlined in the Society’s data classification and data handling policies.
Review patient education referrals, ensuring that patients are appropriate for the programmes assigned to them.
Maintain schedule of patient education programmes, issuing invites and reminders to attendees and facilitators and coordinating feedback and attendee surveys.
Manage support packs, programme materials required by attendees as well as any promotional materials, circulating to stakeholders as required.
Coordinate the collection and measurement of data and impact for patient education, compiling reports as required.
Continually work to improve the efficiency patient education model of delivery and help to implement new processes as needed.
Support the development, review and continuous improvement of patient education programmes, ensuring content reflects current evidence, best practice and the evolving needs of people affected by cancer.
Support with the delivery of patient education sessions where needed and as agreed with the Survivorship Manager.
Other Responsibilities
Build effective relationships across the Society and work in collaboration with Services Team and the wider Irish Cancer Society team to contribute to the successful growth and development of the peer support and patient education programmes
Engage in projects and other work as agreed with Survivorship Manager
Qualifications
Registered General Nurse, on the active register of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) or Allied Health Professional registered with CORU
Minimum of 3 years of clinical nursing or allied health experience, preferably in oncology or a related field.
Strong organisational and multitasking abilities.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
Experience in patient education and support programmes is highly desirable.
Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
This job description is not exhaustive; it merely acts as a guide and may be amended to meet the changing requirements of the Society at any time after discussion with the post holder.
The closing date for applications is Tuesday 18th August 2026
Please note all CVs are logged through a third-party system for processing
The Irish Cancer Society is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to building an inclusive environment for all employees. We know that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.
WE DO NOT REQUIRE THE ASSISTANCE OF AGENCIES
Some of our benefits:
23 days Annual Leave a year or Pro Rata equivalent, plus public holidays, Good Friday and Christmas Eve (if it falls on a working day)
Service Days - Additional days awarded to reflect long service with the Society.
Sick Pay Scheme (following Probationary period)
Flexitime
Defined Contribution Pension Scheme - new starters will join the pension from the date of commencement of employment with the Society. The current contribution rate ranges from a contribution of 3%, 5% or a maximum of 8% of basic salary.
Group membership for VHI and HSF (health plans)
Bus/Rail Ticket Scheme and Cycle to Work Scheme
Death In Service Benefit (from commencement of employment)
Paid Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity, Adoptive, Force Majeure and compassionate Leave)
Learning and Development Programmes
Educational Assistance (Study and Examination Leave)
Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
Optional Flu vaccine provided
