Communications Officer

About the WDC

The Western Development Commission (WDC) is a statutory body whose role is to promote the social and economic development of the western region of Ireland. The WDC works with a range of stakeholders to support sustainable and inclusive growth in the region and has a strong track record of delivering impactful initiatives and programmes.

Culture of the WDC

At the WDC, we are committed to creating a positive and supportive work environment where employees can thrive and make a difference. Our culture is defined by teamwork, innovation, and a deep sense of purpose. We value diversity, respect for different perspectives, and a willingness to learn and grow. If you are passionate about making a difference in the western region of Ireland and want to be part of a dynamic and collaborative team, we encourage you to apply for this role.

Purpose of Role

Reporting to the Head of Communications, the Communications Officer will support the delivery of WDC’s communications, public relations, and digital engagement objectives. Working closely with the Head of Communications and wider teams, the Communications Officer will help communicate the organisation’s strategy, projects, and initiatives across multiple platforms and to a variety of stakeholders.

This is a key role in maintaining the WDC’s visibility and public engagement, ensuring alignment with our five-year strategy and supporting the delivery of communications campaigns for both internal and external audiences.

Key Responsibilities

The following are the main tasks to be undertaken:

Digital Communications and Marketing

• Manage and implement the social media content calendar across key platforms (Twitter/X, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram).
• Create and curate content for digital channels; monitor performance and engagement metrics.
• Support the delivery of digital advertising campaigns as required.
• Collaborate with internal teams and external stakeholders.

Internal Communications

• Draft and distribute internal newsletters including communications from the CEO.
• Create and analyse staff surveys and feedback forms.
• Assist with the organisation of internal events, staff wellbeing days, and all-staff meetings.

Website Management

• Update and maintain content across WDC and Connected Hubs websites (WordPress CMS).
• Support the delivery of website optimisation aligned with SEO and Google AdWords standards.
• Liaise with the external web agency to resolve issues and implement updates.

Brand and Design Support

• Act, with the wider Communications team, as brand gatekeeper for WDC, ensuring consistent use of logos, templates, and visual identity.
• Support the development of branded materials including reports, presentations, and promotional assets.
• Liaise with graphic design agencies for larger design and print projects.

Events and Campaigns

• Provide logistical support for WDC-hosted and attended events (physical and virtual).
• Assist in the planning, promotion, and delivery of public outreach campaigns and launches.

Administrative and Reporting

• Support budget tracking, financial drawdowns, and payment processing.
• Assist in compiling reports, filing records, and maintaining databases.
• Provide general administrative support to the communications team.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Engage with key stakeholders and partners on projects such as ConnectedHubs.ie.
• Contribute to the preparation of press releases, stakeholder newsletters, and media briefings.
• Maintain the WDC’s image bank (PhotoShelter CMS) and respond to image requests.

The above is not, and does not purport to be, a comprehensive list of all duties involved and consequently, the post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post which may be assigned to them from time to time and to contribute to the development of the post.

Knowledge & ExperienceEssential

Applicants must, by the closing date of application, have the following:

• Proven experience in communications, digital marketing, or public relations.
• Strong content creation and writing skills for digital and traditional media.
• Proficiency in managing websites (preferably WordPress) and social media platforms.
• Excellent organisational and multitasking skills.
• Experience working collaboratively with internal teams and external stakeholders.
• Competence in standard office software and content management tools.

Desirable

The following requirements are desirable:

• Experience working in a public sector or not-for-profit environment.
• Familiarity with communications strategy implementation and campaign management.
• Understanding of regional development issues or working with rural stakeholders.
• Proven experience of working remotely is advantageous.

Key Competencies

For effective performance at this level, the candidate will need to demonstrate that they possess the key competencies for effective performance at Executive Officer level:

• People Management
• Analysis & Decision Making
• Delivery of Results
• Interpersonal & Communication Skills
• Specialist Knowledge, Expertise and Self Development
• Drive & Commitment to Public Service Values

General Information

This competition will be used to fill specific posts in the WDC. Please note, this role is a full-time permanent position and the successful candidate will be required to take up assignment on a full-time basis. Discussion regarding flexible working arrangements can be undertaken once the successful candidate is out of probation.

Health & Character

Candidates must be in good health, capable and competent of carrying out the work assigned to them, and they must also be of good character. Those under consideration for a position may be required to complete a health and character declaration. References will be sought.

In the event of conflicts of interest, candidates may not be considered for certain posts. It is important that candidates list their previous civil or public service employment if they have availed of a voluntary redundancy or retirement scheme and/or are in receipt of an ill-health retirement pension. Failure to do so could lead to disciplinary action.

Eligibility to Compete

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

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

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

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

(d) A non-EEA citizen who is a spouse or child of an EEA, UK, or Swiss citizen and has a Stamp 4 visa; or

(e) 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

(f) A non-EEA citizen who is a parent of a dependent child who is a citizen of, and resident in, an EEA member state, the UK, or Switzerland and has a Stamp 4 visa.

To qualify, candidates must be eligible by the date of any job offer.

Application & Selection Process

This is a competitive competency-based selection process to appoint the most suitable candidate to fill this specific position. A panel for this position may be formed as part of the recruitment process.

How to Apply

As part of the application process, applicants are required to submit the following documentation:

a) A comprehensive Curriculum Vitae (CV), detailing experience relevant to the position (maximum of three pages).

b) A short cover letter or personal statement (maximum of two pages) outlining the applicant’s motivation for applying for the post and demonstrating how their skills and experience meet the requirements of the position.

Both documents should be combined and submitted as a single Word document or PDF, saved using the format FirstName.Surname.

Applications stored on personal online storage sites (e.g. OneDrive, Cloud, Dropbox, etc.) or applications in other file formats (e.g. Google Docs) will not be accepted.

Please note that omission of any or part of the two requested documents, in a single document, will render the application incomplete. Incomplete applications will not be considered for the next stage of the selection process.

Shortlisting

Normally, the number of applications received for a position exceeds that required to fill existing and future vacancies. While a candidate may meet the eligibility requirements of the competition, if the number of applications is such that it would not be practical to interview everyone, the WDC may decide that only a limited number will be called to interview.

The WDC provides for the employment of a shortlisting process to select a group of candidates for interview who, based on an examination of their application, appear to be the most suitable for the position. An experienced interview board will examine the applications against predetermined criteria based on the requirements of the position.

This is not to suggest that other candidates are necessarily unsuitable or incapable of undertaking the job, rather that there are some candidates who, based on their application, appear to be better qualified and/or have more relevant experience. It is therefore in your own interest to provide a detailed and accurate account of your qualifications and experience in your application.

Interviews

The onus is on each applicant to ensure that they are in receipt of all communications from the WDC. As much notice as possible will be given to candidates being called for interview, but usually five working days.

Candidates should make themselves available on the date(s) specified by the WDC and should ensure that the contact details provided on their application are correct.

Interviews may be held in person, online via Microsoft Teams, or through another video conferencing platform, at the discretion of the WDC.

The WDC will not be responsible for refunding any expenses incurred by candidates for attendance at interview.

References

As part of the selection process, candidates may be asked to provide names and contact details of suitable referees. The WDC will only collect these details and contact referees should you come under consideration for the post.

Until all stages of the recruitment process have been fully completed, a final determination on the suitability of a candidate for appointment cannot be made, nor can it be deemed or inferred that such a determination has been made.

Panel

Should the candidate recommended for appointment decline, or having accepted it relinquish it, the WDC may, at its discretion, select and recommend another candidate for appointment based on the results of this selection process.

The WDC may also establish a panel of successful candidates following the results of the selection process. Should a panel be established, candidates will be placed on the panel in order of merit.

Any panel created will expire after a designated period from its establishment or when it has been exhausted, whichever is sooner. Placement on a panel is not a guarantee of appointment to a post, and candidates not appointed at the expiry of the panel will have no claim to a post thereafter.

Candidates' Obligations

Candidates should note that canvassing will disqualify them and result in exclusion from the process.

Candidates must not:

• Knowingly or recklessly provide false information.
• Canvass any person with or without inducements.
• Interfere with or compromise the process in any way.

A third party must not impersonate a candidate at any stage of the process. Any person who contravenes the above provisions or assists another person in doing so is guilty of an offence.

Where a person found guilty of an offence was or is a candidate at a recruitment process:

• Where an individual has not been appointed to a post, they will be disqualified as a candidate.
• Where an individual has been appointed subsequently to the recruitment process in question, they shall forfeit that appointment.

Service & Feedback

The WDC takes all necessary steps to ensure a fair, open and transparent appointment process that produces a quality outcome and commands public confidence.

The WDC also abides by the core recruitment principles of probity, merit, transparency, consistency, best practice, and appointments promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion. All appointments made will comply with relevant employment and equality legislation, and all candidates will be treated fairly, to a consistent standard, and in a consistent manner.

Tenure and Probation

All appointments are subject to the Western Development Commission Act 1998 and staff must agree to the WDC Code of Business Conduct under the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies.

The appointment will be for a full-time, permanent role, subject to a probationary period as specified in the employment contract. Candidates must satisfactorily complete a twelve-month probationary period before the permanent appointment can be confirmed.

In the following circumstances, your contract may be extended and your probation period suspended:

• The probationary period stands suspended when an employee is absent due to Maternity or Adoptive Leave.
• In relation to an employee absent on Parental Leave or Carer's Leave, the employer may require probation to be suspended if the absence is not considered to be consistent with the continuation of the probation.
• Any other statutory provision providing that probation shall:

Where probation is suspended, the employer should notify the employee of the circumstances relating to the suspension.

Duties of Post

The duties and responsibilities set out in this job description are indicative of responsibilities related to this role. As with all posts, the nature of WDC business is evolving and flexibility is required to adapt to changing business needs.

Remuneration

Based on 40 hours gross per working week (or 35 hours net), the successful candidate will be paid on the Executive Officer Standard Scale as of 1 June 2026:

€38,803 – €40,764 – €41,871 – €44,030 – €45,965 – €47,838 – €49,703 – €51,534 – €53,419 – €55,296 – €57,289 – €58,624 – €60,527 (LSI1) – €63,227 (LSI2)

LSI1: After 3 years satisfactory service at the maximum. LSI2: After 6 years satisfactory service at the maximum.

Please note that the starting salary for the person appointed to this post will be the first point on the above scale unless the successful applicant has previous public sector experience as per Circular 08/2019.

The PPC (Personal Pension Contribution) scale applies when the individual is an existing civil or public servant appointed on or after 6 April 1995, or is a new entrant to the civil or public service and is making a compulsory personal pension contribution. A different rate will apply where the appointee is not required to make a Personal Pension Contribution.

Important Note

Interested applicants should understand that entry will be at the first point of the appropriate scale and will not be subject to negotiation. The rate of total remuneration may be adjusted from time to time in line with Government pay policy.

Candidates should note that different pay and conditions may apply if, immediately prior to appointment, the appointee is a serving civil or public servant.

Office Location

The WDC is a remote-first organisation with its head office in Ballaghaderreen, Co. Roscommon. Staff are also located in Galway, Letterkenny, and Sligo.

The successful candidate may seek to be located in Ballaghaderreen, Galway, Letterkenny, or Sligo in line with the WDC's remote working policy.

New staff or those on probation may initially work on-site more frequently until completing role induction, as decided by their manager or the CEO.

Flexible Working

The WDC operates a flexible working model, recognising the benefits of flexible working while supporting collaboration, innovation, and employee wellbeing.

As a regional development agency serving Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Roscommon, Mayo, Galway, and Clare, regular in-person engagement remains an important part of how we work. Staff are expected to attend team meetings, management meetings, staff development days, and other organisational events held across the region throughout the year.

Many roles within the WDC also require engagement with businesses, communities, stakeholders, and partner organisations across the Western Region. Employees are therefore expected to be available to travel and build relationships throughout the region as required by their role.

The WDC maintains flexible office locations in Sligo, Galway, Letterkenny, and Ballaghaderreen. Employees may be required to attend these locations from time to time in line with business needs.

New employees, or those undertaking induction or probation, may be required to attend in person more frequently during their initial period of employment, as agreed with their manager.

Given the regional nature of the role and the requirement for regular in-person engagement across the Western Region, candidates should carefully consider their ability to meet these requirements when applying.

Travel

Due to the nature of this role, the successful candidate will hold a full driving licence and have access to transport, as this post will involve travel nationally in support of the seven-county Western Region.

When absent from home and your designated office location on official duty, you will be paid appropriate travelling expenses and subsistence allowances in accordance with Civil Service regulations.

The candidate may also be prepared to undertake occasional international travel in the undertaking of their duties.

Hours of Attendance

Hours of attendance will be fixed from time to time but will amount to not less than 40 hours gross per week (35 hours net).

The successful candidate will be required to work such additional hours from time to time as may be reasonable and necessary for the proper performance of their 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.

Annual Leave

The annual leave allowance will be 23 working days per year. This leave is based on a five-day working week and is exclusive of the usual public holidays.

Sick Leave

Pay during properly certified sick absence, provided there is no evidence of permanent disability for service, will apply on a pro-rata basis in accordance with the provisions of the sick leave circulars.

Officers who will be paying the Class A rate of PRSI will be required to sign a mandate authorising the Department of Social Protection to pay any benefits due under the Social Welfare Acts directly to the employing organisation.

Payment during illness will be subject to the officer making the necessary claims for social insurance benefit to the Department of Social Protection within the required time limits.