Project Liaison Officer

THE COMPETITION:

Galway County Council is inviting applications from suitably qualified candidates with relevant experience for the position of Project Liaison Officer – Specific Purpose Contract. The purpose of this recruitment campaign is to form a panel from which Temporary positions may be filled.

THE ROLE:

The Project Liaison Officers will form part of the dedicated N6 Galway City Ring Road project team. They will provide a coordinated liaison service between those affected by the project and Galway County Council, Galway City Council, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, the project consultants, property, legal and valuation advisers, advance works contractors and, when appointed, the main construction contractor.

The Project Liaison Officers may be allocated to each of the team areas of focus as set out below:

• homeowners and residential properties;

• businesses, institutions and strategic stakeholders; and

• landowners and other land interests, including agricultural land.

These areas of focus are intended to provide clear ownership of stakeholder relationships while allowing the officers to operate as a coordinated team and to support one another as project requirements evolve.

The homeowner and residential focus will include sensitive engagement with householders affected by full or partial property acquisition, access requirements, accommodation works and construction impacts. The business and strategic stakeholder focus will include organisations such as the Education institutions, commercial enterprise and sporting facilities, together with major regional employers, representative organisations, elected members and other public representatives affected by or interested in the construction of the scheme.

The landowner focus will include agricultural and other land interests and matters such as land acquisition, access, accommodation works, drainage, fencing, water supplies, land severance and the continuity of farming operations.

Project Liaison Officers will report to the N6 Galway City Ring Road Project Coordinator, or another designated senior officer, and will work closely with the Senior Engineer for the National Roads Office, the Project Resident Engineer and the wider multidisciplinary project team.

The role is primarily one of liaison, coordination, monitoring and record management, communication, public relations and stakeholder.

QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE POST

CHARACTER:

Candidates shall be of good character and demonstrate integrity, sound judgement, fairness and respect in dealings with colleagues, contractors, property owners, a broad range of stakeholders and the public.

HEALTH:

Candidates shall be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service, including the ability to work in an active construction-site environment.

CITIZENSHIP:

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 or 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 or the UK or Switzerland and has a stamp 4 visa.

EDUCATION, TRAINING, EXPERIENCE, ETC:

Each Candidate must, on the latest date for receipt of completed application forms:

a) Have obtained a minimum qualification at Level 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications in Engineering, Architecture, Project Management, Surveying, Construction Management or a related discipline and/or full membership of an appropriate professional institute

And

b) Have satisfactory experience in a project management role with a minimum 7 year experience of taking construction projects through from inception to completion.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The duties of the Project Liaison Officers will include, but will not be limited to, the following:

Stakeholder Engagement

• Establish early contact and maintain constructive relationships with affected homeowners, landowners, occupiers, businesses, institutions, major employers and other relevant stakeholders.

• Act as an accessible and consistent point of contact for affected parties and their representatives.

• Provide clear and accurate information, using approved project material, concerning proposed land acquisition, accommodation works, surveys, advance works, construction activities and statutory processes.

• Engage sensitively with householders affected by full or partial property acquisition and refer legal, valuation and compensation matters to the appropriate advisers.

• Understand the operational requirements of affected businesses and institutions and assist the project team in addressing matters such as access, deliveries, services, business continuity and construction programming.

• Liaise with agricultural landowners concerning farm access, livestock movement, crops, drainage, water supplies, fencing, gates and other impacts on retained lands and farming operations.

• Plan and facilitate engagement with elected members, public representatives, representative organisations, major employers and other strategic stakeholders in accordance with the approved project communications arrangements.

• Receive, record and coordinate responses to enquiries, concerns and complaints and ensure that agreed actions are followed through.

Access, Property and Accommodation Works

• Seek and document agreement for access to private property for surveys, investigations and advance works and ensure that the required notices are provided.

• Where access cannot be obtained by agreement, refer the matter promptly to the Project Coordinator and the relevant property or legal advisers for consideration of the appropriate statutory process.

• The postholder will be required to contribute heavily to preparation for Assessment, Arbitration, Mediation or any other proceedings relating to land acquisition.

• Assist in verifying ownership, occupancy and contact information and in identifying rights of way, access arrangements and other property interests requiring further investigation.

• Facilitate the early identification, agreement and documentation of accommodation works and other property commitments.

• Liaise with affected parties, the design team and property advisers to ensure that authorised agreements and commitments are appropriately reflected in the project design and contract documentation.

• Maintain an accurate register of accommodation works and property commitments and monitor their implementation, with technical inspection and acceptance undertaken by authorised engineering personnel.

• Coordinate pre-construction property surveys.

• Support the compulsory purchase and land acquisition processes, including the coordination of communications concerning Notices to Treat and Notices of Entry, while ensuring that formal statutory functions are undertaken by authorised personnel.

• Maintain accurate factual records of notices, access, entry onto lands, agreements and property commitments and provide these to the relevant property, legal and valuation advisers.

• Assist in compiling factual information for compensation, assessment or arbitration processes and attend to give factual evidence where required.

• Support implementation of the applicable agreement between TII, the Irish Farmers’ Association and the relevant government department, as in force from time to time.

Construction-Stage Liaison

• Act as an intermediary between affected parties, the project team and the construction contractor in relation to access, work sequencing, disturbance, service disruption and property-related concerns.

• Assist in maintaining reasonable access to homes, businesses and retained lands during construction, subject to construction and health and safety requirements.

• Facilitate Traffic Management Co-Ordination Group with appointed contractors, An Garda Síochána, ambulance service, fire service, Galway City Council and other relevant stakeholders as may be required.

• Work with businesses, institutions and major employers to identify and mitigate construction impacts on their operations.

• Monitor the implementation of agreed accommodation works and environmental mitigation measures and report any apparent non-compliance to the Project Resident Engineer or Project Manager.

• Coordinate responses to issues involving private access, wells, water supplies, drainage, fencing, gates, crops, farm operations and other affected property features.

• Ensure that urgent incidents and service interruptions are promptly escalated and that agreed remedial actions are tracked to completion.

Communications and Records

• Maintain complete, accurate and auditable records of stakeholder contacts, meetings, agreements, commitments, complaints and actions.

• Identify stakeholder, communications and reputational risks and bring them to the attention of the project team.

• Prepare meeting records, reports, maps, briefing material and approved stakeholder information.

• Handle personal, commercially sensitive and property-related information securely and in accordance with data protection requirements.

• Refer media enquiries to the local authority’s authorised spokesperson and act as a spokesperson only where expressly authorised. Prepare and contribute to newsletters, press releases and response to media queries.

• Undertake other duties appropriate to the role and grade as may be assigned.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

The successful candidate should be able to demonstrate:

• Relevant experience in stakeholder, landowner, property, business or community liaison within an infrastructure, construction, planning, property or comparable environment.

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including empathy, active listening and the ability to explain complex information clearly and sensitively.

• Strong negotiation, influencing, conflict-resolution and problem-solving skills.

• The ability to interpret approved maps, property plans and project information and communicate their contents accurately.

• Strong organisational skills, including the ability to manage multiple stakeholder cases, commitments, meetings and deadlines.

• Experience of maintaining accurate records, preparing clear reports and handling confidential information appropriately.

• The ability to work effectively with engineers, consultants, contractors, legal and valuation advisers and other stakeholders.

• Sound judgement, including an understanding of the limits of delegated authority and when matters require escalation.

• An understanding of local authority, land acquisition and statutory processes.

• Good ICT skills and an appropriate awareness of health and safety requirements associated with site visits and construction activities.

It would be advantageous for candidates to demonstrate one or more of the following:

• Previous experience in a liaison role on a national road or other major infrastructure project.

• Experience of compulsory purchase, land acquisition, accommodation works or the applicable TII land acquisition arrangements.

• Experience of engaging with homeowners affected by property acquisition, relocation or significant construction impacts.

REMUNERATION:

The salary scale for the position of Project Liaison Officer (effective 1st June 2026) ranges from:

Point 01/06/2026

1 €80,680

2 €83,153

3 €84,338

4 €86,828

5 €89,339

6 €91,842

7 €94,364

LSI 1 €97,533

LSI 2 €100,692

Entry point to this scale will be determined in accordance with Circulars issued by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. The rate of remuneration may be adjusted from time to time in line with Government Policy.

• Experience of business, institutional or strategic stakeholder engagement, including business continuity or engagement with public representatives.

• Knowledge of agricultural operations and issues affecting rural land, including access, drainage, water supplies and farm accommodation works.

• Experience of coordinating access for surveys or advance works or resolving property-related issues during construction.

• Familiarity with property mapping, geographical information systems, title information, rights of way or property schedules.

• The ability to communicate through the Irish language and/or possession of a current Safe Pass, or the ability to obtain one.