Executive Officer

1. PREAMBLE

Mary Immaculate College is an autonomous, university-level, Catholic College of Education and the Liberal Arts. Founded in 1898, and linked academically with the University of Limerick, MIC is the oldest higher education institution in Limerick. Significant expansion in recent decades has seen the College’s menu of educational programmes expand across two impressive campuses, one based in the heart of Limerick City and one in Thurles, Co. Tipperary. The diverse student community is made up of more than 5,000 learners, participating in fifteen undergraduate degree programmes and a wide range of postgraduate programmes up to and including doctoral level. Academic staff members engage in professional academic research activities, and research underpins all teaching and learning at the College.

MIC seeks to prepare its students for professional excellence and to nurture their capacity to lead flourishing lives.

2. CANDIDATE PROFILE & SCOPE OF THE POSITION

The College wishes to fill the position of Executive Officer – Academic Administration, MIC St. Patrick’s Campus, Thurles on a full-time, permanent basis.

The assignment of the post-holder will entail diverse responsibilities in a complex setting, liaising with staff, students and key stakeholders. The post-holder will be required to deal with highly confidential information in a very discreet manner. The role will involve dealing with correspondence, managing and analysing data, supporting the compilation of reports, student queries and event planning and organisation.

Essential Qualifications, Experience & Skills

or

(b) A minimum of 3 years’ relevant experience, preferably in a higher education administrative setting.

Cuirfear fáilte roimh iarratais ó dhaoine go bhfuil dearcadh dearfach acu i leith na Gaeilge.

Applications are welcome from people who have a positive outlook to Irish.

Please note that current government policy may have implications for the re-employment of applicants who are currently in receipt of a public sector pension.

3. JOB DESCRIPTIONReporting Relationship

The Executive Officer (EO) in Academic Administration will support the delivery of high-quality academic administration services within MIC Thurles, contributing to quality assurance, governance, regulatory compliance, process improvement, and institutional development.

Reporting to the Higher Executive Officer (HEO) Academic Administration and working closely with the Senior Executive Officer (SEO), the post-holder will provide professional administrative and operational support to ensure the effective delivery of Academic Administration services and institutional objectives. The appointee will liaise with the Vice Dean MIC Thurles, and those in leadership/management positions within the Faculty of Education, and other College personnel and with relevant College bodies in carrying out the duties attached to the post.

The role will support quality assurance and governance activities, Teaching Council compliance, programme development and review processes, and the implementation of institutional policies and procedures. The Executive Officer will contribute to the development and maintenance of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), promote consistent administrative practices, and support continuous improvement initiatives.

The post-holder will coordinate a broad range of academic administration activities, including data management and reporting, committee and project support, stakeholder engagement, and the organisation of meetings, reviews, and events. The role will require the preparation of reports, correspondence, and management information, together with the accurate management of records and confidential information.

The successful candidate will possess strong organisational, analytical, and communication skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities, work collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders, and exercise initiative and sound judgement.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Support quality assurance, governance, and regulatory compliance activities, including Teaching Council requirements, institutional reviews, programme reviews, accreditation processes, and quality assurance audits.
• Develop, implement, maintain, and review Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and administrative processes to promote consistency, compliance, operational effectiveness, and continuous improvement.
• Coordinate academic administration activities, including programme development, programme reviews, curriculum changes, and other institutional initiatives.
• Collate, validate, analyse, and manage data from multiple sources, preparing reports, statistical returns, briefing papers, and management information to support reporting, planning, and decision-making.
• Maintain accurate records and documentation, ensuring compliance with data protection, information governance, confidentiality, and institutional requirements.
• Act as a key point of contact for staff, students, and external stakeholders, providing professional support and facilitating effective communication and collaboration across departments and campuses.
• Prepare and manage correspondence, reports, agendas, minutes, and other administrative documentation, ensuring accuracy and timely completion.
• Organise and coordinate meetings, training sessions, quality reviews, events, and project-related activities, including logistics, documentation, and follow-up actions.
• Contribute to the achievement of MIC Thurles strategic objectives through high-quality service delivery, process improvement, operational excellence, and such other duties appropriate to the grade as may be assigned by the HEO Academic Administration, SEO, or Vice Dean MIC Thurles.

The list of duties and responsibilities as detailed is not exhaustive. The performance of the entire range of duties is not necessarily confined to any one individual, as the work requires that the staff function in a flexible manner and work together as a team. The College retains the right to assign new duties and/or to re-assign staff to other areas of the College, in response to service needs.

4. TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENTGeneral

All persons employed will sign an appropriate contract, which will contain terms and conditions of the employment. A job description is given to all applicants for employment and this will form part of the contract documentation.

Place of Work

The appointee’s normal place of work will be Mary Immaculate College, St. Patrick’s Campus, Thurles. The College reserves the right to require the appointee to work from any other location. It is a requirement of the College that the appointee must reside within a reasonable distance of the College.

MIC operates a blended working policy, which offers scope for the post holder to combine office attendance with remote working, subject to the provisions of the policy.

Exclusivity of Service and Outside Work

The person appointed will be required to devote their full-time attention and abilities to their duties during their working hours in the College and to act in the best interest of the College at all times. Therefore, for as long as the successful applicant is working in the College, they may not, without the prior written consent of the Vice President Administration and Finance (VPAF), be actively engaged or concerned in any way, either directly or indirectly, in any other business or undertaking where this is or is likely to be in conflict with the College’s interests or the performance of the duties that the person has been employed for.

The appointee will not, during their tenure of office, undertake paid outside work unless they have received the permission of the VPAF of Mary Immaculate College to undertake such work on the terms and conditions as agreed for the particular undertaking in question. In every case, it is the duty of the appointee to seek in writing the prior permission of the VPAF. It is also the duty, in every case, of the appointee to inform the person or body for whom the work is being undertaken, that the work is being conducted in a private capacity and that the College cannot in any circumstances be responsible for such work.

Probationary Period

The appointment is subject to satisfactory completion of the standard 6-month probationary period. The probationary period may be extended at the discretion of the College but will not in any case exceed 11 months. Absences during the period of probation will extend the probationary period. Performance and conduct during the probationary period will be reviewed through a process of assessment meetings.

Termination of the appointment during the probationary period, for any reason or no reason, will be at the discretion of the College. The disciplinary procedure will not apply to a dismissal during probation where the probationary employee has been employed by MIC for less than 12 months.

Hours of Attendance

The full-time working hours are 35 hours per week. The normal hours of duty are Monday to Thursday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, with a 1-hour unpaid lunch break each day, and Friday, 9:00 am to 4:45 pm with a 45-minute unpaid lunch break.

However, the duties attaching to the position are such that the post holder may be required to work evenings/weekends on occasion to accommodate service needs. Subject to College policy, the post holder may avail of Time-Off-In-Lieu (TOIL) or overtime where working hours exceed the contract hours per week. The College reserves the right to adjust starting and finishing times or days of duty to meet service needs.

Salary

The salary scale for this position has been approved by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and the Higher Education Authority in line with Government Policy on Public Sector remuneration. The rate of remuneration may be adjusted from time to time in line with Government pay policy. The appointment will be made on the salary scale at a point in line with current Government Pay Policy. New entrants to the Civil or Public Sector, as defined in Circular 18/2010, will commence on the first point of the salary scale.

The grade for this post is Executive Officer. With effect from 1 June 2026, the annual salary scale for Executive Officer (New Entrant – Grossed Up) grade is:

€36,569; €38,803; €39,595; €41,870; €44,030; €45,966; €47,838; €49,703; €51,534; €53,418; €55,297; €57,288; €58,625; €60,529 (LSI 1); €62,444 (LSI 2).

With effect from 1 June 2026, the annual salary scale for the grade of Executive Officer (Non-New Entrant – Grossed Up) is:

€39,595; €41,870; €44,030; €44,966; €47,838; €49,703; €51,534; €53,418; €55,297; €57,288; €58,625; €60,529 (LSI 1); €62,444 (LSI 2).

Increments are awarded in line with national pay agreements.

Salary will be paid on a monthly basis on the 25th of each month, or the previous Friday if the 25th falls on a weekend, using the PayPath facility. Payment of salaries and wages are subject to statutory deductions, i.e. Income Tax (PAYE), Superannuation Contributions, Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) and Universal Social Charge (USC).

Superannuation

New entrants to the public service will be required to participate in the Single Public Service Pension Scheme and pay superannuation contributions at the appropriate rates in accordance with the provisions of the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act, 2012.

All other eligible appointees are automatically included in the Colleges of Education Pension Scheme on taking up appointment. In compliance with the Colleges of Education Pension Scheme, deductions amounting to 6.5% are made from salary.

The appointee will be required to pay Additional Superannuation Contribution (ASC) under the provisions of the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act, 2017.

Appointees who commenced employment in the public service between 1 April 2004 and 31 December 2012 and have not had a break in employment of greater than 6 months will have no mandatory retirement age.

All other appointees will have a mandatory retirement age of 70.