Community Development and Culture Manager

Summary:

The Community Development & Culture Manager plays a central role in ensuring the GDA delivers an inclusive, socially equitable, culturally rich, and community centred urban regeneration project that brings real social and economic benefits to local communities.

The role focuses on advancing community engagement, inclusion, and access to opportunities by building on established GDA programmes. It supports pathways to employment, training, enterprise and family development helping to build community capacity and reduce barriers to participation. The role also leads community engagement across arts, heritage and histories, ensuring diverse voices and identities shape the areas ongoing development.

Grade: Higher Executive Officer

Starting Salary: €59,435

Point of entry on this salary scale may differ from the minimum point of the scale if the successful candidate is a current public or civil servant.

Pension: Public Service Pension Scheme

Employing Authority: Grangegorman Development Agency

Office Location: Floor 4, Park House, 191 North Circular Road, Dublin 7

Working Hours: 35 hours per week

Blended / Agile / Remote Working: Blended Working Policy in place, available subject to role requirements

Annual Leave: 29 days

Tenure: 5-year Fixed Term Contract

Other Benefits:

• Professional development and supported learning opportunities

• Annual health check and flu vaccination

• Employee wellbeing initiatives

• Tax-efficient travel schemes (Bike to Work and TaxSaver)

• Team development events

The Community Development & Culture Manager plays a central role in ensuring the GDA delivers an inclusive, socially equitable, culturally rich, and community centred urban regeneration project that brings real social and economic benefits to local communities.

The role focuses on advancing community engagement, inclusion, and access to opportunities by building on established GDA programmes. It supports pathways to employment, training, enterprise and family development helping to build community capacity and reduce barriers to social and economic participation.

The role also leads community engagement across arts and cultural development, heritage and histories, ensuring diverse voices and identities are reflected in the areas ongoing development. These cultural dimensions complement the community development work by supporting a strong sense of place, celebrating diverse cultural identities and contributing to a vibrant and socially cohesive environment.

Reporting to the Head of People & Engagement, this role will enhance existing work and lead the delivery of an integrated Community Development, Arts, Culture & Heritage Engagement Strategy, positioning social cohesion, community capacity, cultural vibrancy, and local heritage at the core of the GDA’s long term objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Vision

• Lead the development, implementation and continuous evolution of a holistic Community Development, Arts, Culture & Heritage Engagement Strategy aligned to the next phase of the Grangegorman Development.

• Partner with key stakeholders to develop community, arts, culture, and heritage initiatives that support inclusive engagement, strengthen place identity, and deliver meaningful public value.

• Identify emerging societal, demographic, cultural and community needs to shape strategic priorities and future initiatives.

Community Development & Participation

• Maintain and strengthen existing community development engagement structures, ensuring the community’s voice remains central to planning and decision-making.

• Support the development of sustainable, resilient communities around Grangegorman, enabling them to thrive throughout the next phase of the development and beyond.

• Deepen relationships and partnerships with surrounding communities, fostering trust, transparency and long-term collaboration.

• Further embed community benefit principles across all community engagement and delivery activities.

• Strengthen a sense of shared ownership and belonging in the emerging Grangegorman Urban Quarter.

• Support and coordinate the work of the Build to Last Forum (BTLF) acting as secretary and ensuring effective communication and follow through.

• Represent the Agency on the Grangegorman Area Based Childhood (ABC), supporting early years and family initiatives in the neighbourhood and participate in other groups as required.

• Engage with the Community Liaison Committee to promote awareness of community benefits and to share updates on the work of ABC and BTLF.

• Lead and coordinate community-focused events such as business breakfasts, meet the contractor events, apprenticeship information events and other initiatives that support local participation and opportunity.

• Design inclusive, evidence-based engagement methods that enable participation from diverse, underrepresented, or marginalised communities.

• Promote and coordinate community benefits arising from the Grangegorman regeneration, piloting new initiatives that enhance the social and economic inclusion.

Cultural, Arts & Heritage Development

• Work in close collaboration with Grangegorman Histories Working Group and the Public Art Working Group, ensuring alignment with GDA priorities and community needs.

• Coordinate, support and enable the work of both working groups, ensuring effective communication, shared planning, timely reporting, and alignment with GDA priorities, governance requirements and community needs.

• Act as the primary link between the GDA and the existing arts and histories governance structures, ensuring that decision-making, resourcing and project delivery are cohesive, transparent and well-managed.

Research, Evidence & Narrative Stewardship

• Commission, edit, and publish updated editions of Joining Up the Dots (socio-economic and demographic profile), establishing a data baseline for strategic development.

• Oversee research, consultation, and knowledge gathering that supports community and cultural planning.

• Continue to lead the implementation of the Grangegorman Employment Charter and refine it in response to emerging community and project priorities.

Governance, Coordination & Stakeholder Management

• Coordinate and act as secretary to the Build to Last Forum, ensuring clear governance processes, timely reporting, and effective communication.

• Map community, arts, culture and history related activities across the Agency and integrate them into a coherent, cross functional framework.

• Develop and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with all Grangegorman stakeholders.

Events and Engagement Programming

• In collaboration with GDA communications and relevant working groups organise and lead community development, cultural and heritage activities—both in person and virtual.

• Ensure that programming reflects diversity, accessibility and high-quality public engagement.

Communications & Representation

• Work closely with the GDA Communications Team to ensure clear, consistent, and compelling communication of community and cultural activities and events.

• Produce high quality reports, briefing materials, submissions and updates for internal and external audiences.

• Represent the GDA at community and cultural public events, conferences, seminars and stakeholder forums.

Performance Management, Evaluation & Reporting

• Develop KPIs, monitoring tools and evaluation frameworks that measure both community impact and cultural value.

• Prepare milestone reports documenting progress, learning, and the evolving methodologies that guide strategic delivery.

• Ensure that evaluation processes reflect quantitative, qualitative, and cultural impact measures.

Financial & Procurement Management

• Manage assigned budgets, including procurement and contract management of consultants, artists, researchers and service providers.

• Ensure compliance with GDA procurement procedures and public-sector standards.

The functions and responsibilities assigned to this position are based on the current stated role and may be changed from time to time. The person appointed requires the flexibility to fulfil other roles and responsibilities at a similar level within the GDA.

Candidate Requirements

Candidates shall on the latest date for receipt of completed application forms have the following:

Eligibility to compete and certain restrictions on eligibility

Eligible Candidates must be:

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

• A citizen of the United Kingdom (UK);

• A citizen of Switzerland pursuant to the agreement between the EU (European Union) 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 because 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.

To qualify, candidates must meet one of the citizenship criteria above by the date of any job offer. Candidates who are not citizens of the aforementioned countries must have the necessary permissions to work in Ireland.

Collective Agreement: Redundancy Payments to Public Servants

The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform letter dated 28th June 2012 to Personnel Officers introduced, with effect from 1st June 2012, a Collective Agreement which had been reached between the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Public Services Committee of the ICTU in relation to ex-gratia Redundancy Payments to Public Servants. It is a condition of the Collective Agreement that persons availing of the agreement will not be eligible for re-employment in the Public Service by any Public Service body (as defined by the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Acts 2009 – 2011) for a period of 2 years from termination of the employment. People who availed of this scheme and who may be successful in this competition will have to prove their eligibility (expiry of period of non-eligibility) and the Minister’s consent will have to be secured prior to employment by any Public Service body.

Incentivised Scheme for Early Retirement (ISER)

It is a condition of the Incentivised Scheme for Early Retirement (ISER) as set out in Department of Finance Circular 12/09 that retirees under that Scheme are not eligible to apply for another position in the same employment or the same sector. Therefore, such retirees may not apply for this position.

Qualifications and Essential Requirements

• A Level 8 qualification (or equivalent) on the National Framework of Qualifications in community development, cultural/arts management, social sciences, heritage/arts administration, public administration, or a related discipline.

• Alternative pathway: Candidates without an NFQ Level 8 qualification may be considered if they have a minimum of eight years of relevant professional experience in community development or related area.

• A minimum of five (5) years relevant experience in community development, cultural development, public engagement, or a related field, including experience in a coordination or leadership role within a multi stakeholder environment.

• Experience collaborating with, motivating and supporting multi-disciplinary teams.

• A proven track record of building effective partnerships with diverse agencies and community stakeholders.

• Strong skills in managing complex stakeholder relationships, including governance groups and community forums.

• Exceptional communication, negotiation and interpersonal skills, including confidence and sound judgement in managing sensitive issues, competing perspectives, and community expectations.

• Project management experience in planning and delivering multi stream programmes.

• Experience designing or using monitoring, evaluation, and impact measurement tools.

• Budget management experience and familiarity with public sector procurement.

• A strong commitment to inclusive practice, social equity and cultural sensitivity.

Desirable Requirements

• A relevant postgraduate qualification would be an advantage.

• Experience with public art commissioning or cultural programming.

• Experience delivering heritage projects, interpretive work or community history initiatives.

• Knowledge of creative placemaking, cultural policy or urban cultural development.

Salary

Entry will be at the minimum of the scale and increments may be awarded subject to satisfactory performance and to changes in the terms and conditions relating to salary increments in the Civil/Public Service generally. The rate of remuneration may be adjusted from time to time in line with Government pay policy.

PPC (Personal Pension Contribution) Scale (for officers who are existing civil or public servants appointed on or after 6 April 1995 or who are new entrants to the civil or public service and who are making a compulsory personal pension contribution).

Higher Executive Officer Standard Scale – PPC

€59,435 – €61,173 – €62,908 – €64,640 – €66,380 – €68,111 – €69,849 – €72,353 LSI1 – €75,788 LSI2

A different rate will apply where the appointee is a civil or public servant recruited before 6th April 1995 and who is not required to make a Personal Pension Contribution.

Other pay and conditions may apply if, immediately prior to appointment, the appointee is a serving civil or public servant.