Administrative Officer

The Role Maynooth University is committed to a strategy in which the primary University goals of excellent research and scholarship and outstanding education are interlinked and equally valued. We are seeking an excellent administrator to join our staff as the Administrative Officer for the Department of Education. The succesfull candidate oversees the administrative functions of the Department and acts as line manager for the administrative staff. They also oversee financial planning, and expenditure and are responsible for ensuring that the Department complies with the University’s internal controls monitoring. These fiduciary responsibilities are of paramount importance requiring accuracy, efficiency and timeliness. As such this is an integral role in the management, both strategic and operational, of the Department. The successful candidate is centrally involved in supporting the recruitment of students onto professional programmes, which requires more detailed recruitment processes than standard academic course applications. They will also be responsible for onboarding a substantial Occasional Staff cohort, which are involved in the professional delivery of our programmes.

The successful candidate has a central role in contributing to long-term planning activities and strategic development within the department. They report directly to the Head of Department and delegate dayto-day course administration to the administrative team.

Principal Duties Administrative and other duties: • Support the administrative duties of the Head of Department • Advise and recommend procedural, policy and organisational frameworks to support the work of the Department • Coordinate the administrative functions of the Department and lead the administrative team • Contribute to business planning and management: financial forecasting, monitor spend across all BUs, raise requisitions etc. • Onboard Occasional Staff and manage Occasional Staff teaching, assess pay and expenses • Lead on administrative recruitment and support HoD on academic recruitment • Design and implement process improvements to enhance administrative work • Oversee exams processes across all programmes • Overall responsibility for Academic Database accuracy • Support the Department and the Center for Public Education and Pedagogy in research activities • Work with key internal units (Finance, Registry, Curriculum Office, Exams, HR, Grad Studies) • Lead on timetabling • Lead on programme advertising (incl. designing an annual newsletter and all materials for open days) • Interfaces with a large internal and external ‘customer’ base (current students, prospective students, 25 core staff and 113 occasional staff, central university units, the Teaching Council) • ‘Go-to’ person for knowledge of departmental and university policies and procedures • Internal Control: the postholder supports the HoD on Finance to ensure that year-on-year, the use of public monies remains within budget and enables the delivery of information that is accurate, reliable and that facilitates sound decision making • Monitor academic Programme Administration • Supports the HoD on long term planning activities by providing ideas on service development and strategic development within the department • Analyse and interpret information and contribute to the production of reports for internal use and for external agencies • Initiate and lead changes in response to University or external agency policies • Undertake on-going review of policy, procedures and practices relevant to the operation of the Department.

The ideal candidate will have: Essential • Experience managing large budgets and financial planning • Minimum of 3 years’ experience managing a team in a relevant administrative leadership role • Relevant third level qualification • Excellent communication skills for managing people with respect, dignity and compassion • Adaptable and flexible approach in adjusting priorities in a constantly changing environment • Proactive and confident approach to work on own initiatives; synthesising information, identifying issues and making recommendations • Excellent analytic and problem solving skills • Excellent ability to make reasoned judgements • Excellent organisational skills in order to identify critical tasks, prioritise and organise resources to support achievable operational objectives • Excellent written communication skills with the demonstrated ability to write clear and concise documents and present accurate data for informed decision making • Excellent IT skills that can inform development of administrative planning and implementation • Excellent Excell skills • An ability to foster and fully support a team environment • A positive, constructive and friendly approach to communication with internal and external stakeholders, including students, staff and outside agencies Desirable • Demonstrate ability for collaborative decision making and working collegially both within and across Departments and University Offices • Familiarity with regulatory frameworks and policies that inform the work of the Department and the University overall • Exercise discretion and confidentiality with information and documentation Department of Education

The Maynooth University Department of Education is a dynamic and growing department committed to developing innovative educational ideas, school-university partnerships, and close links with the community. It has 23 academic and 6 administrative staff and it offers undergraduate and postgraduate degrees to approximately 900 students. The department offers Initial Teacher Education for postprimary teachers through the Professional Master of Education, the Bachelor of Science with Education, and the Bachelor of Mathematics with Education. Its postgraduate offerings focus on professional programmes in Leadership and Education, Guidance Counselling, as well as offering a range of M.Ed. options, and large EdD and PhD programmes. It is home to the TL21 Research & Professional Development Programme. The Department also hosts Research Centre for Public Education and Pedagogy. Throughout the academic cycle, the Department interfaces with an intricate network of 200 secondary schools nationwide.

Faculty and Research Institutes The Faculty of Social Sciences comprises the Departments of Adult and Community Education; Anthropology; Applied Social Studies; Design Innovation; Economics; Education; Froebel Primary and Early Childhood Education; Geography; International Development; Sociology, the School of Law and Criminology and the School of Business..The role of the Faculty is to co-ordinate the academic activities of individual departments, to oversee the strategic development of departments, and to support interdepartmental activities and programmes. The University has also developed a number of interdisciplinary Institutes to support excellent research and to build research capacity across disciplines.

The University Maynooth University is a very distinctive university, a collegial institution focused on science and engineering, humanities, and social sciences, and equally committed to research, teaching and community engagement. Located in Ireland’s only university town, its distinctive features and character owe much to its unique history and heritage. It provides a high-quality educational experience to over 15,000 students on a campus with 18th century roots and 21st century dynamism. The strategic trajectory and accomplishments of Maynooth University, in the 25 years since its establishment as an autonomous public university, are exceptional, and a source of great pride to the university community, staff, students and alumni. Maynooth University is now acknowledged to be one of the leading young universities in the world, and in 2022 ranked # 1 in Ireland in the latest Times Higher Education (THE) Best Young University Rankings. Maynooth University’s growing global reputation is based on the originality, quality, importance and impact of its research and scholarship, commitment to teaching and learning, the quality of academic programmes, and its leadership in widening participation in higher education. The sources of success are the dedication of its staff and the energy and engagement of its students. Salary

Administrative Officer I (2023): € 55,111– € 78,632 p.a. (9 points) Appointments will be made in accordance with public sector pay provisions. Hours of work

A 35-hour working week is in operation in respect of full-time positions (prorated for part-time positions). This can be reviewed or adjusted from time to time through national agreements. Location

The place of work is the campus of Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare.