Communications Manager

Overview of the Civil Service

The Civil Service is at the heart of Irish society. Everything we do impacts our country, and most importantly, our people. We are a robust and trusted institution, which has served the people of Ireland since the foundation of the State. While the challenges which face the Civil Service today are different to those faced at the foundation of the State, our core values remain the same.

The Civil Service is a large complex organisation employing over 50,000 people in approximately 40 Government Departments and offices and a range of other bodies. Every day the Civil Service makes a vital contribution to Irish life. Everything the Civil Service does, from carrying out the work of Government to delivering frontline public services, impacts Ireland in some way.

Why work in communications in the Civil Service?

Working in communications with the Civil Service provides an excellent opportunity to lead and shape communications policy, strategy and practice within Government and to develop your career as a skilled communications professional.

The role of Communications Manager gives you the opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives. You will work on some of the most important issues, keeping the public informed and supporting the delivery of policy and public services.

Improving communication capacity across government departments and offices is a key enabler to ensure effective policy implementation and understanding.

Opportunities now exist for experienced communications professionals with leadership experience and a record of significant achievements to take up the role of Communications Manager in the Civil Service.

This senior level position offers an exciting opportunity for ambitious, enthusiastic and committed professionals with a strong commitment to serving the public interest. The role involves collaborative working and a willingness to take on new challenges. Successful candidates will be offered a dynamic, satisfying and varied career, with competitive terms and conditions.

About the role

The Communications Manager position is a senior role that will have responsibility for leading and shaping communications programmes within an organisation.

As a senior manager, you will set the strategy and workplan for your team and take responsibility for delivery. Your specialist knowledge and experience will support the delivery of excellent, public-focused communications.

Focusing on departmental priorities and business objectives, you will provide leadership to team members and help build capability across the communications function.

As a key member of the departmental/organisational communications team, you will play a pivotal role in managing the team and communications across a variety of work streams. This could include, for example, strategic communications and campaigns, media relations, event management, digital communications, stakeholder engagement or internal communications.

You will have a keen understanding of the political system in Ireland, and a strong interest in current affairs.

You will have the authority, experience and personal impact to provide communications advice and support to senior leaders and build excellent working relationships with counterparts in other government departments and agencies as well as external organisations.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

Depending on the organisation to which you are assigned, the following is an overview of the type of responsibilities and tasks involved in the Communications Manager role:

Providing leadership in the setting of strategic direction for the communications work of the organisation.

Working at a strategic level with senior officials, advisers and relevant ministers to align all communications with organisational priorities.

Collaborating both within the organisation’s communications team and across the organisation, Government, and external bodies, to deliver consistent, coherent, high-quality, cost-effective, accessible, public-focused communications.

Leading sub-teams within the communications team, taking responsibility for managing performance, supporting individuals to develop their personal skills and careers, with a strong focus on nurturing talent.

Developing and delivering communications programmes involving media relations, social and digital communications, event management, stakeholder communications, internal communications, and corporate communications in alignment with ministerial and government priorities.

Embedding evidence and research into objective-focused communications activities. Using data, trends and analysis to develop engaging content for all channels.

Please note:

The above is a general guide to the role and is not an exhaustive description of the duties which are associated with the role or tasks which may be assigned to the role of Communications Manager in the Civil Service. The specific duties of each Communications Manager role will largely be determined by the Civil Service organisation to which you are assigned.

Vacancies and Location

Candidates who are successful in this competition will be placed on a panel, in order of merit from which vacancies for Communications Manager arising across the Civil Service will be filled. These vacancies may exist in one of many Government Departments, Offices or in an agency of a Government Department.

Although the majority of vacancies arising over the lifetime of the panel are expected to be located in the wider Dublin area, a limited number of vacancies may arise in some regional locations which may also be filled from this panel.

Candidates should note the following:

Successful candidates from this competition may be placed in any Civil Service organisation, government department, office or other bodies such as An Garda Síochána.

An offer from this competition must be accepted within a maximum period of five working days. If the offer is not accepted within that timeframe, the offer will be considered to have been refused.

It is not expected that appointments will be made from this panel after December 2027.

Working Environment

Candidates should be aware that requirements in relation to working onsite at their place of work will be in line with their assigned organisation’s Blended Work Policy.

The Communications Manager role may involve some travel and some weekend/out of hours work. Where this occurs, Civil Service travel and subsistence rates will apply.

Benefits

As well as a rewarding and challenging career, some of the benefits of working as a Communications Manager in the Civil Service include:

Competitive salary, starting at €81,475 with yearly increments for satisfactory performance

Public Sector pension

30 days of annual leave per year

Access to well-being programmes to support a healthy work-life balance

Opportunity to avail of the ‘Cycle to Work’ scheme, and the tax saver public transport pass

Opportunity to join the Public Service Credit Union

Subject to business needs and a satisfactory probationary period:

Flexible working with a commitment to work-life balance and a family-friendly workplace (including work-sharing arrangements and a wide variety of special leave options);

Access to Shorter Working Year Scheme;

Facility to apply for career breaks;

Learning and development opportunities.

Opportunities for promotion through internal, interdepartmental and open competitions

Essential

Candidates must have on or before Thursday 18th of September 2025:

a) A qualification at minimum level 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) or NARIC Ireland Foreign Qualifications equivalent in a relevant discipline such as Communications, Public Relations, Marketing etc.

and

b) At least 4 years’ experience managing communications projects or programmes for an organisation, including experience across at least four of the areas below:

Media relations

Social / digital media

Public affairs / stakeholder engagement

Event management

Internal communications

Campaign management

Marketing / advertising

OR

At least 6 years’ experience managing communications projects or programmes for an organisation, including experience across at least four of the areas below:

Media relations

Social / digital media

Public affairs / stakeholder engagement

Event management

Internal communications

Campaign management

Marketing / advertising

Candidates must also have:

Experience of leading multi-disciplinary teams including line management and staff development.

Experience of leading on the planning and delivery of communications with demonstrated evidence of having devised and implemented effective communications strategies and programmes based on analysis, data, audience understanding and business objectives.

Experience of managing day-to-day media and stakeholder enquiries.

Experience of managing digital and social media, including developing bespoke content, for effective communications purposes.

Demonstrable experience of exercising sound judgment and making the right call under pressure.

Experience of handling budgets and ensuring value for money.

Strong research and analytical skills with excellent attention to detail.

Proven organisational skills with the ability to deal with multiple demands and competing priorities to tight deadlines while producing high-quality work.

The ability to act as a spokesperson and to manage communications on behalf of an organisation in a professional and comprehensive way considering reputation and risk management.

Excellent interpersonal skills with a demonstrated ability to network, build relationships and engage effectively with, influence and secure support from stakeholders at all levels of seniority.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills (including presentation skills) with proven experience in communicating complex issues clearly and concisely to a diverse audience.

A motivated, flexible and adaptive approach, the capability to contribute positively to the implementation of change, and the ability to use their own initiative as and when appropriate.

A keen understanding of the political system in Ireland, or the capacity to quickly acquire same, and a strong interest in current affairs.

Well-developed IT/digital skills including a good working knowledge of MS Office suite and familiarity with specialist software packages used in the communications area.

A commitment to continuing professional learning and development.