Policy and Research Officer

The Role

The Standards and Quality Assurance (S&QA) division is responsible for delivering two core functions of the Mental Health Commission – the production of standards, guidance, rules and codes of practice (on the Standards Team), and the regulation of approved centres (on the Regulation Team).

The Executive Officer will support the Director of Regulation, the Head of Standards, and the Head of Regulation in achieving the overall objectives of the S&QA team within the MHC. Their primary role is to contribute to the delivery of an efficient and effective service to the public, and to colleagues in the Commission.

Working with a team of clerical officers, executive officers, and higher executive officers, the candidate will be required to ensure that the administrative processes surrounding regulatory duties, and those relating to standards development are carried out to a high standard.

The successful candidate will be required to engage and communicate effectively with various internal and external stakeholders, including staff, officials from government departments and public bodies, private sector bodies, disability organisations and others.

The duties of the Executive Officer are varied and can involve assignment to different parts of the organisation or different areas of work. The performance of the entire range of duties is not necessarily confined to any one individual within a division as the work requires that employees in the role function in a flexible manner and work effectively together as a team to deliver required outcomes or outputs.

As an Executive Officer, the holder of the post will be expected to actively contribute to and participate in the overall development of the MHC and to promote its policies and values at all times. The successful candidate will support the operations of two teams within the Standards and Quality Assurance division: the standards team and the regulatory team.

Key Responsibilities

Under the overall direction of the Director of Regulation, the Executive Officer’s key duties and responsibilities will include:

• Supporting regulatory managers to generate correspondence, forms and documentation

• Providing assistance to policy and research managers, contributing to the development of standards, guidance, rules, and codes of practice

• Conducting high-quality research to build an evidence base to assist with the development of standards, guidance, rules and Codes of Practice, including comparative research

• Organising and coordinating focus groups, individual interviews and working groups with relevant stakeholders

• Analysing feedback obtained from surveys, focus groups, individual interviews and working groups to produce reports

• Analysing the submissions from the mental health services, including quality notifications and registration forms

• Making amendments to written material to incorporate feedback from internal and external stakeholders

• Assisting team members with carrying out audits to ensure that business plan objectives are met

• Taking ownership of assigned tasks and prioritising competing tasks in order to ensure that they are completed on time and to a high standard

• Presenting material (written and oral) in a clear, concise, comprehensive and convincing manner

• Analysing and preparing responses to non-routine issues, queries, correspondence etc.

• Providing Clerical Officers with on-the-job training and support to deliver objectives

• Sharing information, knowledge and experience with colleagues with the purpose of assisting the team/organisation to meet its objectives

• Assisting with preparations for meetings, conferences and presentations, including developing supporting materials

• Coordinating and developing internal policies, SOPs, and guidance

• Contributing to and carrying out project work as and when required

• Keeping up-to-date with the practices and procedures of the MHC and developing and maintaining the technical skills and knowledge required to perform effectively in the role

• Contributing to new and more effective ways of work and implementing changes to improve efficiency and effectiveness as directed

• Any other duties that are deemed appropriate by the line manager

Reporting and Working Relationships

The Executive Officer is accountable to the Chief Executive of the MHC and reports directly to the relevant line manager within the Standards and Quality Assurance Division.

Essential Requirements

The candidate must possess, by the closing date, the following:

• Minimum 2 years’ relevant work experience to include the development of public policy, conducting and analysing research and stakeholder engagement

• Level 6 or higher on the National Framework of Qualifications or 2+ years’ experience in a related role within the Public Sector

• Effective communication skills, both written and verbal, and demonstratable experience of report writing skills

• Strong information technology skills, including experience using Microsoft Office packages and demonstrated experience in using a wide range of relevant information sources and online research tools

• The requisite competencies to carry out the role as outlined below

Desirable

The following criteria are considered desirable for the post:

• Experience in dealing with regulatory and/or compliance matters

• Understanding of mental health and/or mental health services

• Previous public sector experience

Competencies

The person appointed to the role of Executive Officer will be required to show evidence of the following competencies:

People Management

• Consults and encourages the full engagement of the team, encouraging open and constructive discussions around work issues

• Gets the best out of individuals and the team, encouraging good performance and addressing any performance issues that may arise

• Values and supports the development of others and the team

• Encourages and supports new and more effective ways of working

• Deals with tensions within the team in a constructive fashion

• Encourages, listens to and acts on feedback from the team to make improvements

• Actively shares information, knowledge and expertise to help the team to meet its objectives

Analysis and Decision Making

• Effectively deals with a wide range of information sources, investigating all relevant issues

• Understands the practical implication of information in relation to the broader context in which s/he works – procedures, divisional objectives etc.

• Identifies and understands key issues and trends

• Correctly extracts and interprets numerical information, conducting accurate numerical calculations

• Draws accurate conclusions and makes balanced and fair recommendations backed up with evidence

Delivery of Results

• Takes ownership of tasks and is determined to see them through to a satisfactory conclusion

• Is logical and pragmatic in approach, setting objectives and delivering the best possible results with the resources available through effective prioritisation

• Constructively challenges existing approaches to improve efficient customer service delivery

• Accurately estimates time parameters for project, making contingencies to overcome obstacles

• Minimises errors, reviewing learning and ensuring remedies are in place

• Maximises the input of own team in ensuring effective delivery of results

• Ensures proper service delivery procedures/protocols/reviews are in place and implemented

Interpersonal and Communication Skills

• Modifies communication approach to suit the needs of a situation/audience

• Actively listens to the views of others

• Liaises with other groups to gain co-operation

• Negotiates, where necessary, in order to reach a satisfactory outcome

• Maintains a focus on dealing with customers in an effective, efficient and respectful manner

• Is assertive and professional when dealing with challenging issues

• Expresses self in a clear and articulate manner when speaking and in writing

Specialist Knowledge, Expertise and Self Development

• Displays high levels of skills/expertise in own area and provides guidance to colleagues

• Has a clear understanding of the role, objectives and targets and how they support the service delivered by the unit and Department/Organisation and can communicate this to the team

• Leads by example, demonstrating the importance of development by setting time aside for development initiatives for self and the team

Drive and Commitment to Public Service Values

• Is committed to the role, consistently striving to perform at a high level

• Demonstrates flexibility and openness to change

• Is resilient and perseveres to obtain objectives despite obstacles or setbacks

• Ensures that customer service is at the heart of own/team work

• Is personally honest and trustworthy

• Acts with integrity and encourages this in others

How to Apply

Eligibility to Compete

Candidates must, by the date of 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;

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

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

d. A non-EEA citizen who has a Stamp 4 permission or a Stamp 5 permission.

Please note that a 50 TEU permission, which is a replacement for Stamp 4EUFAM after Brexit, is acceptable as a Stamp 4 equivalent.

Selection Process

The selection process will include:

• Shortlisting of applications

• A competitive interview, and

• Completion of all relevant checks as set out below

Additional selection steps may be included.

A selection board shall be established and shall use the essential requirements as referred to earlier in this candidate information booklet to shortlist candidates. Scoring at the shortlisting stage shall be based on the information contained in the application form. Therefore, it is in your interest to provide a detailed and accurate account of how your skills, personal qualities, qualifications, and experience meet the requirements of the post. While candidates may meet the eligibility criteria of the competition, if the numbers applying for the post are such that it would not be practical to progress all candidates to the next stage of the selection, which is the interview process, the MHC may decide that a certain number of candidates shall only be progressed to the next stage. Candidates will be progressed through the various stages of the selection process based on their order of merit at each stage.

Following the interview stage, the MHC shall produce a panel of candidates listed in order of merit. Not all those interviewed may be placed on the panel.

Prior to recommending any candidate for appointment to a position, the HR team complete all relevant checks. Until all stages of the recruitment process have been fully completed a final determination cannot be made nor can it be deemed or inferred that such a determination has been made.

Should the person recommended for appointment decline or having accepted it, relinquish it, the MHC may at its discretion, select and recommend the next person on the panel for appointment and this will be based on the results of this selection process.

The MHC is under no obligation to select a candidate from this panel and may cancel this competition at any time depending upon business needs.

Please note that any offer of employment made to a successful candidate may be subject to satisfactory:

• Reference verification

• Qualification verification

• Medical Assessment

• Garda Vetting

At the reference verification stage, referees sought will include your current employer and your next most recent employer.

Salary

The Executive Officer salary scale (rates effective 1 February 2026) is as follows:

€38,419 - €40,360 - €41,456 - €43,594 - €45,510 - €47,364 - €49,211 - €51,024 - €52,890 - €54,749 - €56,722 - €58,044 - €59,928¹ - €62,601²

LSI 1 after 3 years satisfactory service at the maximum.

LSI 2 after 6 years satisfactory service at the maximum.

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

This rate will apply where the appointee is an existing civil or public servant appointed on or after 6 April 1995 or is newly recruited to the MHC and is required to make a personal pension contribution.

Location

The usual place of work will be the Mental Health Commission, Waterloo Exchange, Waterloo Road, D04 E5W7. The MHC reserves the right, at its discretion, to change this location to any other place within Ireland.

Staff at the MHC can apply for a blended working arrangement as per the MHC Blended Working Policy.

Hours of Attendance

Hours of attendance will be fixed from time to time but will amount, on average, to not less than 40 hours gross of rest breaks or 35 hours net of rest breaks per week.

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 his/her duties, subject to the limits set down in the working time regulations. This may include working evenings and weekends.

Outside Employment

The position will be full-time, and the appointee shall not engage in private practice or be connected with any outside business which conflicts in any way with his/her official duties, impairs performance or compromises his/her integrity.

Annual Leave

The annual leave allowance for the position of Executive Officer will be 23 days per annum. This allowance is subject to the usual conditions regarding the granting of annual leave in the public sector, is based on a five-day week and is exclusive of the usual public holidays.

The Organisation of Working Time Act 1997 (as amended)

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

Superannuation and Retirement

The successful candidate will be offered the appropriate superannuation terms and conditions as prevailing in the Public Service, at the time of being offered an appointment. Further information is available on request.

Candidates are also advised to refer to the following for further information:

• Incentivised Scheme for Early Retirement

• The Department of Health Circular 7/2010

• Collective Agreement: Redundancy Payments to Public Servants