Project Manager for LIFE on Machair

Our client the National Parks and Wildlife Service Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is welcoming application for the role of Project Manager for LIFE on Machair.

Job Description

The person appointed as the LIFE On Machair Project Manager will be responsible for managing and coordinating the EU LIFE project ‘Protecting and restoring Ireland’s network of machair systems and associated breeding wader and pollinator communities’, which runs from February 2022 for a six year period. The successful candidate will, in addition to heading the Project Team (consisting of two Project Ecologists, two Community Engagement Officers and a Project Administrator), be responsible for fostering productive relationships with all stakeholders, particularly in the agriculture and tourism sectors, State bodies, local authorities, local communities and with the EU Commission External Moderator. The successful candidate will report to a Principal Officer within the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH) and will liaise on a regular basis with DHLGH professional/scientific staff, the Project Steering Group and an Associated Beneficiary Panel.

Location

The person appointed will be required to operate in an office in Westport, County Mayo, or in an office to be agreed by NPWS. A blended working pattern will be available, subject to approval by DHLGH. The successful candidate will be required to work in the established office (except when undertaking other project-related work off-site, as required) from date of appointment for the project duration.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

The Project Manager is a full time position from date of appointment to the end of the project, expected 31st January 2028. The Project Manager will ensure that the project is delivered on time, within budget and to a high standard through the use of standard project management techniques. Risk assessments, project progress and outputs will be shared with the Project Steering Group, coordinating beneficiary and associated beneficiaries at regular intervals. The Project Manager will be required to work closely with the project team, as well as with scientific staff, specialist external assistants and other technical collaborators. The key tasks of the Project Manager will include:

•Full delivery of the LIFE On Machair Project, implementation of all project actions and delivery of expected results to a high standard, to an agreed timetable, and over the full area as set out in the Project Grant Agreement;

•Ensuring the preparatory (A) actions are delivered on time and to a standard that facilitates the successful roll out of concrete (C) actions from 2022;

•Contributing to recruitment of project team, identifying training requirements and ensuring delivery of training with the aid of the HEO;

•Leading and managing the Project Team;

•Managing the project budget and financial reporting;

•Managing the project offices;

•Liaising with the Project Steering Group and an Associated Beneficiary Panel to ensure alignment on project deliverables and milestones;

•Reporting to, and key contact for, the contracting authority, DHLGH;

•Land ownership investigation;

•Identifying requirements for external assistance, leading and supporting the procurement and management of contracts, including for scientific and other services;

•Coordinating the project team's contributions to knowledge exchange groups, agri-environment measures and sustainable amenity usage guidance;

•Leading on networking and communication, including media events, stakeholder; engagement, project website, publications, attendance at and presentation to relevant conferences and events, etc.;

•Liaise with the managers of other LIFE projects with a similar ecological or geographical focus (e.g. Corncrake LIFE, LIFE IP PAF Wild Atlantic Nature) and other relevant projects;

•Ensuring that all project actions are undertaken in compliance with National and EU legislation, including management of licences, permissions or consents, as may be required;

•Establishing or maintaining as necessary, management and administrative systems;

•Approving and coordinating baseline assessments and monitoring for all three ecological foci (waders, habitats and pollinators);

•Identifying any changes from the project proposal that may be required in good time to obtain agreement from the EU Commission;

•Developing the overall communications strategy with the aid of the project team, approve the content of communications materials and help to identify opportunities for outreach, along with the communications officers;

•Leading on stakeholder engagement, particularly liaison with land owners and users as well as building good relationships with the wider community; Coordinating and taking part in raising awareness of the project and disseminating results to both a technical and non-technical audience, with the support of the project team;

•Liaison with staff of NPWS, NBDC, NGOs and academic institutions with competence in monitoring of waders, coastal habitats and pollinators;

•Leading on socio-economic elements of the project, monitoring of socioeconomic impacts of the project actions on the local economy and population;

•Coordinating monitoring of the impact of project actions on restoration of ecological and ecosystem functions;

•The Project Manager will organise and take part in Advisory Panels for scientific and local stakeholders. Where required, they will liaise with Beneficiaries to support training, workshops and meetings for Beneficiary staff and other bodies.

•The Project Manager will oversee the development of the AfterLIFE plan for the project (i.e. the improvement, continuation and expansion of project actions and goals).

Key Competencies for the Role

Candidates are required to demonstrate, with relevant examples in the Application Form, how they satisfy the competencies listed below.

• Leadership
• Management and Delivery of Results
• Judgement, Analysis and Decision Making
• Interpersonal and Communication Skills
• Specialist Knowledge, Expertise and Self Development

Eligibility Requirements

Qualifications and Experience

Essential:

Candidates must, on or before closing date for the competition:

•Have achieved at a minimum Level 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications in a subject relevant to this role, such as natural sciences (ecology, botany, zoology, environmental science) or agricultural science

and

•Have a minimum of 5 years’ experience relevant to this post (including project and financial management experience)

and

•Have a full clean driving licence and access to their own transport.

In addition, candidates must demonstrate an appropriate level of competence in those competencies listed in the ‘Key Competencies for this Role’ section above.

Desirable:

•An understanding of Irish and EU policy relating to agri-environment schemes and biodiversity conservation and management;

•Geographical Information Systems (GIS) experience;

•Training in Project Management, preferably through a project management qualification (e.g. Prince 2, PMP);

•Experience of managing multi-stakeholder projects;

•An ability to communicate in spoken Irish;

•Familiarity and experience of working on projects targeting conservation, monitoring/assessment or restoration of two of the following: coastal habitats, waders, pollinators.

Specific Candidate Criteria

Candidates must:

•            Have the knowledge and ability to discharge the duties of the post concerned;

•            Be suitable on grounds of character;

•            Be suitable in all other relevant respects for the appointment to the post concerned; and if successful, they will not be appointed to the post unless they agree to undertake the duties attached to the post and accept the conditions under which the duties are, or may be required to be, performed;

•            Be fully competent and available to undertake, and fully capable of undertaking, the duties attached to the position.

Eligibility to compete and certain restrictions on eligibility

Citizenship Requirements

Eligible candidates must be:

1.A citizen of the European Economic Area (EEA). The EEA consists of the Member States of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway; or

2.A citizen of the United Kingdom (UK); 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 has a stamp 4 permission1 or a Stamp 5 permission 

1 Please note that a 50 TEU permission, which is a replacement for Stamp 4EUFAM after Brexit, is acceptable as a Stamp 4 equivalent.

If your visa expires, this may result in your being stepped down from your employment until such time as you have regularised your permission to work in the State.

How to Apply

An application must be made on the Application Form which is available for download from the https://www.gov.ie/en/organisation-information/453df-recruitment-in-the-department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/

Candidates do not need to submit a Curriculum Vitae.

Your fully completed application form must be submitted to [email protected] by the closing date and time of 17th January 2025 at 12pm noon, as stated on the Application Form

The admission of a person to a competition, or invitation to attend interview is not to be taken as implying that the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is satisfied that such a person fulfils the requirements.

On receipt of an application, you will be issued with an acknowledgement by email. Please note that all further correspondence will be carried out via email.