Communications & Media Manager

THE ORGANISATION

The Health Insurance Authority (the “HIA”) is the statutory regulator of the health insurance sector in Ireland. The HIA plays a key role as an independent regulator, a provider of consumer information, an adviser to the Minister for Health (the “Minister”), and as the custodian of the Health Insurance Risk Equalisation Fund. The HIA is a small, dynamic organisation that is committed to delivering on its vision for a well-functioning and transparent health insurance market, where consumers understand their rights and feel empowered in their decisions.

The HIA’s role is to regulate for a well-functioning market and provide consumers with information and tools to make informed choices. The HIA has five principal values that drive its work:

• Professionalism:

The HIA upholds the highest ethical standards and behaves with integrity, care, and respect in all its interactions and work.

• Agile: The HIA works in a flexible, proportionate, and efficient manner with its staff and its stakeholders to deliver the best results for consumers.

• Consumer-focused: The HIA’s work is consumer-centric, putting consumers first in everything it does.

• Excellence: The HIA is focused on delivering the best results by leveraging its expertise, taking an evidence-based and consistent approach to its work.

• Independence: The HIA carries out its statutory functions in an impartial, fair, and transparent manner in the public interest.

Governance

The HIA is a public body which is independent in the exercise of its statutory functions. For public accountability purposes, the HIA operates under the aegis of the Department of Health (the “Department”). The HIA is governed by a Board comprised of seven members who are appointed by the Minister.

Context of the Appointment

The HIA’s Strategic Plan for 2025–2028 has recently been approved by the Board and includes the following key priorities:

1. The Informed Consumer The HIA will empower consumers to make informed choices about their health insurance plans, with easily available and user-friendly tools to support them.

2. A Well-Functioning Health Insurance Market The HIA will use its regulatory powers and expertise to maintain a well-functioning market, and it is recognised as the leading voice on private health insurance.

3. Our Capability and Capacity The HIA will ensure it is resilient with appropriate capability and capacity to deliver its statutory functions effectively, sustainably, and to high standards of corporate governance.

THE ROLE

The principal duties may include responsibilities in relation to the following:

Reporting to the Head of Communications and Stakeholder Engagement, the successful candidate will be responsible for managing the HIA’s communications function and will oversee the operational output of HIA Communications, including public relations, media, social media, events, website, and data analytics.

The candidate will also be responsible for the day-to-day management of the HIA’s website, social media, press releases, media queries, stakeholder enquiries, internal communications, and tracking and analytics of same.

This is a dynamic and strategic role working closely with colleagues in the Communications team and more widely across all levels of the organisation, dealing with suppliers and other stakeholders to ensure that the accuracy and quality of information is of the highest standard and ensuring the best possible customer experience when dealing with the HIA.

• Manage, alongside the Head of Communications and Stakeholder Engagement, the implementation of the HIA communications strategy to further the aim of the “informed consumer”.

• Assist in the management of the development and execution of an annual communications plan and an annual advertising campaign to drive consumer awareness of what the HIA does and how it can help consumers.

• Ensure clear consumer communications which lead to improved understanding of health insurance through the drafting and coordination of press releases and other relevant material for public consumption, for example: responses to press queries, HIA information booklets, communications to third party stakeholders, web articles, and social media posts.

• Manage and develop the HIA’s social media presence, including the creation of relevant and timely content to encourage engagement and improved click-through to the HIA Comparison Tool and website.

• Manage and maintain the content on the HIA’s website and identify areas for improvement, working with third party suppliers to continuously improve consumers’ user experience.

• Manage press coverage and requests for interview or comment to ensure maximum breadth and depth of coverage across media.

• Develop and manage relationships with third party service providers including public relations agencies, advertising providers, graphic design and printing suppliers, other regulators, Government Departments, and the insurance industry.

• Use analytics tools to provide reports and insights on the HIA’s website, comparison tool, and social media accounts for an internal audience.

• Lead in the planning and coordination of the attendance of the HIA at public events.

• Coordinate the preparation, proofreading, dissemination, and publication or promotion of quarterly market reports, Annual Report, and other corporate documents.

• Organise and coordinate internal communications.

• Manage procurement, invoicing, and other administrative tasks within the Communications Team.

• Contribute to and support other HIA projects as required by Senior Management.

• Provide administrative and governance support and coordination to the HIA Senior Management Team.

• Support the Head of Communications and Stakeholder Engagement in any other duties as required by the role, deputising for the Head of Communications when required.

EXPERIENCE AND PERSONAL QUALITIES REQUIRED

The Person

Reporting to the Head of Communications and Stakeholder Engagement, the successful candidate will work as part of the team responsible for delivering a multi-channel communications strategy based on relevant data, experience, and internal and external stakeholder requirements.

Excellent interpersonal skills are essential, as well as a proven high degree of initiative, flexibility, creativity, organisation, and problem-solving skills.

Essential Requirements

• Experience of public relations, media, and working in a busy communications role. • Strong experience of managing social media accounts and content management. • Demonstrable written communication skills and an ability to write for a variety of audiences, including writing for the web and social media and minute taking. • Experience using a content management system, for example Drupal or WordPress. • Experience of using Google Analytics and similar platforms and collating and presenting communications analytics data for a non-technical audience. • Experience of dealing with third party suppliers in the communications area, for example advertising agencies, media agencies, and website management agencies.

Desirable Requirements

• Understanding of the health insurance industry.

• Experience of the public sector environment.

• A strong command of the Irish language.

Shortlisting

A shortlisting exercise will be employed when assessing eligibility of applications. Eligible applications will be shortlisted according to how well the experience and skills as described by applicants match the requirements of the role of Communications and Media Manager – Higher Executive Officer.

The criteria for the shortlisting exercise will be based on the information as outlined in this Candidate Booklet. It is important that applicants consider the information contained in this Candidate Booklet in presenting their relevant qualifications, skills, and experience in their application.

The candidates whose applications, in the opinion of the shortlisting panel, appear best suited to the position will be shortlisted for interview.

Interview

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend a competency-based interview.

The HIA reserves the right to invite candidates to a second-round interview and to undergo further assessment, including the use of psychometric assessment if required.

It is anticipated that first round interviews will occur in April 2026.

CONDITIONS OF SERVICE

Tenure

The position is a full-time position. The appointment is on a permanent basis as a public servant, subject to satisfactory completion of the specified probationary period.

Probation

The successful candidate must serve a probationary period of six months duration during which time the candidate’s performance will be assessed. The probationary period may be extended in exceptional circumstances.

Salary and Payment Arrangements

The salary scale for the position (rates effective from 1 February 2026) is at the level of Higher Executive Officer (Personal Pension Contribution) as follows:

€59,435, €61,173, €62,908, €64,640, €66,380, €68,111, €69,849, €72,353¹, €75,788²

Long Service Increments may be payable after 3 years (LSI-1) and 6 years (LSI-2) satisfactory service at the maximum of the scale.

Important Note

Entry will be at the minimum point of the scale and the rate of remuneration will not be subject to negotiation and may be adjusted from time to time in line with Government pay policy.

Different pay and conditions may apply if, immediately prior to appointment, the successful candidate is already a serving civil or public servant. The rate of remuneration may be adjusted from time to time in line with Government pay policy.

Payment will be made monthly in arrears by Electronic Fund Transfer into a bank account of the staff member’s choice. Payment cannot be made until a bank account number and bank sort code have been supplied to the HIA. Statutory deductions from salary will be made as appropriate.

A staff member appointed to the post of Higher Executive Officer will agree that any overpayment of salary or of travel and subsistence may be deducted from future salary payments due in accordance with the Payment of Wages Act 1991. Any such overpayment will be notified to the staff member in accordance with agreed internal procedures.

Location

This role is based in the HIA’s office at Beaux Lane House, Mercer Street Lower, Saint Peter's, Dublin 2. The HIA reserves the right, at its discretion, to change the primary location to any other place within Ireland.

The HIA offers flexitime and has Blended Working guidelines in place allowing employees to apply for Blended Working, a mix of office-based and remote working. The HIA has put a significant number of supports in place to make the experience when working remotely as seamless as possible. The HIA has a modern information technology infrastructure to help colleagues collaborate virtually, provides colleagues with the equipment they will need, and has implemented new ways of working to keep its people connected.

Essential Training

The post holder will be required to undertake the following essential compliance training:

• HIA induction • Health and Safety • Data Protection (General Data Protection Regulation) • Cyber Security Awareness • Generative Artificial Intelligence Literacy • Accredited Product Adviser certification (CIP-01, CIP-02, and CIP-05)

Working Week

Hours of attendance at work will be arranged from time to time by the HIA and will amount to 35 hours net per week. Normal working hours will be 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. with a minimum of 30 minutes for lunch. The HIA operates a flexible working hours scheme.

You will be required to work such additional hours from time to time as may be reasonable and necessary for the proper performance of your duties, subject to the limits set down in the working time regulations. The rate of remuneration payable covers any extra attendance liability that may arise from time to time.

The terms of the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997 will apply, where appropriate, to this appointment.

Annual Leave

The annual leave allowance for this post will be 29 working days per annum, on a pro rata basis, to be taken at a time or times convenient to the HIA.

Sick Leave

Payment for absences through illness, during properly certified sick absence, provided there is no evidence of permanent disability for service, may be made in accordance with the provisions of the HIA’s sick leave scheme. These sick leave arrangements are subject to any changes arising in the terms and conditions of sick leave in respect of the public service generally.