The Higher Education Authority (the ‘HEA’) is recruiting for the role of Project Manager, for Capital Programmes. At the end of the selection process, a Panel of qualified candidates is formed from which vacancies may be filled. These posts may be permanent or fixed-term contracts. Qualification and placement on a panel is not a guarantee of appointment to a position.

The HEA is a statutory body under the aegis of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. It leads the strategic development of the Irish higher education and research system. The HEA is the statutory funding authority for Irish universities, technological universities, institutes of technology and a number of other designated colleges providing annual funding of c.€1.7bn. It has responsibility for the oversight of governance and effective accountability of the HEA-funded higher education institutions. The HEA plays a key leadership role in driving change in the higher education system and ensuring strong performance across institutions.

Further information about the HEA is available on the website at www.hea.ie. The HEA can offer suitable candidates a very satisfying and varied career, with competitive terms and conditions.

The HEA is seeking to fill one or more permanent or fixed term contracts. In addition, we are seeking to create a specialist panel of Project Managers which will be established from the interviews, this will be in place for two years. The HEA may appoint those individuals on the panel to either permanent or fixed term positions for this specific role should a suitable vacancy arise. The HEA reserves the right to align successful candidates to appropriate sections in the organisation dependent on their skills and experience.

Reporting to the Senior Manager the post holder will be a Construction Professional and be responsible for managing a number of programmes and work streams in the Capital Programmes Unit (CPU), working with colleagues across the HEA.

In addition to the specific duties detailed below postholders may be responsible for some or all of the below general duties:

• Managing, or assisting in managing, the delivery of HEA projects through the various stages of a project life cycle, from concept development to completion of implementation
• Overseeing, or assisting in overseeing, the delivery of HEA-funded capital projects and programmes by HEIs;
• Undertaking reviews of project proposals and determining their progression;
• Monitoring performance of external service providers and delivery agencies;
• Ensuring project designs and tender documentation meet project requirements;
• Overseeing and reporting on project and programme expenditure;
• Arranging and overseeing the appraisal of projects including review of business cases, economic analyses, financial appraisals for capital projects;
• Ensuring compliance of funded projects with national policies including planning and procurement policies;
• Preparing and presenting regular progress / expenditure reports;
• Assisting in the development and implementation of internal and external systems, procedures and guidance documentation;
• Assisting in the development of strategies and related implementation programmes;
• Manage and update CPU databases;
• Management and development of junior staff within the unit;
• Undertaking analyses for the purpose of identifying suitable higher education investment proposals;
• Manage the requisition and disbursement of funding, annual profiling, and regular reporting, for individual projects and programmes.
• Undertaking and contributing to other projects or tasks; and
• Any other duties assigned by the Senior Manager or Head of Capital Programmes.

Essential

• A NFQ Level 7 qualification in Engineering, Construction Project Management, Quantity Surveying or related discipline; and
• A minimum of 3 years satisfactory experience within the construction sector in the project appraisal, design development or construction delivery stage(s) of capital project delivery.

Desirable

• Have good experience in the project appraisal, design development, and construction delivery stages of capital projects, with a good knowledge of current relevant guidelines, technical specifications and sustainability;
• Good project, programme and budget management skills across projects and programmes in the construction sector;
• Have superior report writing and data management skills together with an ability to produce high quality analysis and reporting;
• Be a self-starter and have strong organisational, communication, problem solving, analytical, people management, negotiation, interpersonal and presentational skills;
• IT proficient with excellent working knowledge of MS packages such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Project;
• Knowledge and experience of relevant regulations policies and guidelines, including; Infrastructure Guidelines, Capital Work Management Framework, Public & Green Procurement, Planning Requirements, Climate Action Plan, etc.;
• Experience with use of software packages such as AutoCAD and ArcGIS.

For further details on the competency framework requirements at SEO grade please see the link below:

Higher_Executive_Officer_Level.pdf (publicjobs.ie)

Please ensure that you fulfil the eligibility requirements for this competition as outlined below before applying.

Candidates must be authorised to work in the State at the time of application and for the term of the role advertised.

Candidates must, by the date of any job offer, be:

1. A citizen of the European Economic Area. The EEA consists of the Member States of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway; or
2. A UK citizen; or
3. A citizen of Switzerland pursuant to the agreement between the EU and Switzerland on the free movement of persons; or
4. A non-EEA citizen who is a spouse or child of an EEA or Swiss citizen and has a stamp 4 visa; or
5. A person awarded international protection under the International Protection Act 2015 or any family member entitled to remain in the State as a result of family reunification and has a stamp 4 visa or
6. A non-EEA citizen who is a parent of a dependent child who is a citizen of, and resident in, an EEA member state or Switzerland and has a stamp 4 visa.

Applications from candidates not falling within categories 1-6 will not be considered and the HEA reserves the right to request proof of authorisation to work in the State prior to interview and/or acceptance.

Applications should be made by sending an up to date CV and short statement of suitability for this competition. Please submit to Mr. Mark Carroll at seorecruit@hea.ie no later than 5pm, Friday, 8th March.

Applications will not be accepted after the closing date.

For more details on the job, other eligibility criteria etc. please visit the following link:

https://hea.ie/vacancies/