Adult Education Officer

The starting salary for this role is €64,218 per annum pro-rata

35 hours per week

35 days per annum pro-rata

Job Summary

The role of the AEO is an integral part of the FET Management Team. The role of the AEO is to assist the Chief Executive and the Director of FET in the leadership and management of WWETB’s services in the areas of Further Education and Training. The AEO will have responsibility for the effective management of staff, financial and other resources and their effective use in the delivery of agreed and appropriate support and services as require by stakeholders. In the interest of organisational effectiveness and flexibility, members of the management team, including AEO’s, may be required to rotate within the general FET management team as needs arise.

Key Responsibilities

▪ Strategic leadership and accountability: Manage, coordinate and be accountable for assigned FET and Youth Affairs programmes and support services, in line with WWETB’s Strategy Statement, relevant national FET and youth policies and strategies, and annual Service Plans.

▪ Strategic and service planning: Contribute to the development, implementation and review of the educational elements of WWETB’s strategic plans, annual Service Plans and Annual Reports, taking a leadership role as required.

▪ Needs assessment and responsive provision: Identify the further education and training needs of adults and relevant young people across Waterford and Wexford, and support the development of appropriate responses.

▪ Learner inclusion and participation: Promote inclusive provision and ensure learner voice informs programme planning, delivery and review, addressing barriers to access, retention and achievement.

▪ Access and progression: Strengthen access, transfer and progression pathways within FET and into higher education, apprenticeships and employment, working collaboratively with relevant colleagues and partners.

▪ Staff leadership and development: Lead, support and line-manage assigned staff, promote professional development and contribute to workforce planning and performance management.

▪ Integration and coordination: Work collaboratively with colleagues to strengthen the integration and coordination of FET programmes and support services, in line with WWETB priorities and service requirements.

▪ Service development and change: Lead assigned service development initiatives and organisational change to improve provision, learner outcomes and organisational effectiveness.

▪ Safeguarding and risk management: Oversee implementation of applicable safeguarding, health and safety, data protection and risk management policies within the assigned portfolio, ensuring significant concerns are escalated appropriately.

▪ Quality assurance and improvement: Support the development, implementation and review of WWETB’s quality assurance arrangements, programme evaluation and continuous improvement processes, in accordance with its obligations under the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act 2012.

▪ Financial and resource management: Manage assigned budgets, funding agreements and resources, ensuring effective financial controls, expenditure monitoring and accountability.

▪ Youth funding and service oversight: Oversee assigned youth funding schemes and funded services, ensuring compliance with applicable scheme requirements, funding agreements, quality standards and reporting arrangements.

▪ Partnership development: Develop effective partnerships with statutory agencies, community organisations and employers, including the Department of Social Protection, to support learner engagement and coordinated provision.

▪ Stakeholder engagement: Liaise with local and regional stakeholders to develop programmes that respond to learner, community and employer needs, in line with Government policy.

▪ Evidence-informed planning: Monitor and analyse PLSS and other relevant data to identify trends, inform strategic responses and improve programme planning and service delivery.

▪ Reporting and evaluation: Prepare statistical analyses, reports and recommendations to inform strategic priorities, resource allocation and effective service provision.

▪ Funding-body requirements: Fulfil applicable SOLAS, DFHERIS and other funding-body requirements for programme planning, monitoring and reporting, including FARR, PLSS and European Social Fund reporting, as required.

▪ Representation and communication: Represent WWETB as required and lead communication and promotional initiatives that strengthen awareness of its programmes, services and learner opportunities.

▪ Delegated accountability: Carry out the lawful instructions of the Board and Chief Executive and fulfil any formally assigned Sub-Accounting Officer responsibilities, including accountability for designated budgets and the property, equipment and assets entrusted to the role.

▪ Other assigned duties: Undertake other duties appropriate to the AEO grade as assigned by the Chief Executive or Director of FET.

This job description offers a broad outline of the role’s key duties and is designed to be flexible and adaptable. It will be reviewed periodically to ensure it remains aligned with organisational needs.

Essential Requirements

The following outlines the essential qualifications, skills, and competencies required for candidates applying for the Adult Education Officer position. These criteria are designed to ensure that applicants possess the necessary foundation to excel in the role and contribute effectively to the organisation’s goals.

The successful candidate will:

▪ Have management experience at an appropriate senior level, including leading teams and managing resources.

▪ Have relevant experience in the following:

o Leadership of teaching or learning or training in adult education or further education or training or community or voluntary sectors;

o Governance and management;

o Performance management.

▪ Demonstrate the capacity to work as part of a management team, contribute to the implementation of strategic plans, organisational policies and procedures;

▪ Demonstrate the ability to manage and lead change and to fulfil reform requirements within the ETB;

▪ Have strong interpersonal and collaborative skills including the ability to work effectively with a range of stakeholders and to represent the ETB as required;

▪ Demonstrate that they possess the skills/competencies identified as being important for the role. These include:

o Leadership: Supporting, developing, leading and managing FET staff.

o Analysis & Decision Making: Programme planning, monitoring and implementation.

o Management and delivery of results: Reviewing, reporting and evaluating FET programme and service delivery.

o Interpersonal and communication skills: Promote, establish and maintain effective communications across all FET provision and with relevant voluntary and statutory bodies.

o Specialist Knowledge, Expertise and Self-development: Possess a clear understanding of the role and how it fits into the work of the ETB and maintain a focus on self-development, seeking feedback and opportunities for growth to help carry out the specific role requirements.

o Drive & Commitment to Public Service Values: Develop, manage and implement an ETBwide framework approach to the delivery of further education and training provision and service.

Desirable Requirements

The following outlines the desirable requirements for candidates applying for the Adult Education Officer position and may be used to facilitate shortlisting:

▪ Experience leading education, training, youth or community services;

▪ Demonstrated success in implementing strategic and operational plans, managing budgets and funding agreements, and improving service quality and outcomes. Experience overseeing publicly funded services would be advantageous.

▪ A record of building effective partnerships with statutory agencies, community organisations, employers or education providers. Strong consultation, negotiation, report-writing and presentation skills.

▪ A relevant third-level qualification in education, youth work, community development, management or a related discipline. Knowledge of FET and youth policy, quality assurance, safeguarding and funding arrangements. A leadership or management qualification would be advantageous.

Eligibility to Apply

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

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

▪ A citizen of the United Kingdom (UK); or

▪ A citizen of Switzerland pursuant to the agreement between the EU and Switzerland on the free movement of persons; or

▪ A non-EEA citizen who is a spouse or child of an EEA or Swiss citizen and has a stamp 4 visa; or

▪ 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

▪ 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