Senior HR Partner

The Gallery wishes to recruit a Senior HR Partner on a permanent basis. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced HR professional to lead recruitment and HR operations at the Gallery, ensuring excellence in talent acquisition and HR service delivery.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Recruitment Strategy & Talent Acquisition

• Develop and implement a new recruitment strategy to attract a diverse talent pool and enhance our employee value proposition, ensuring alignment with the Gallery’s workforce planning objectives.
• Lead on introduction of Civil Service Capability Framework Model.
• Expand candidate outreach by leveraging innovative recruitment methods, employer branding, and targeted advertising.
• Promote and embed Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) principles throughout all recruitment processes.
• Develop the Gallery’s career and benefits pages to showcase opportunities and attract top talent.
• Organise and participate in job fairs, networking events, and sector-specific initiatives to proactively engage with potential candidates.
• Develop a structured and engaging onboarding and induction programme to support new hires.

HR Operations & Compliance

• Manage all HR operational processes, including but not limited to sick leave and absence management, annual leave and special leave, salary increments, and probation.
• Ensure compliance with Department of Public Expenditure and Reform guidelines on pay and staffing, as well as all other relevant employment legislation.
• Manage employee lifecycle processes, including contract administration, probation management, promotions, and terminations.
• Maintain HRIS data integrity and accuracy, streamlining HR reporting and analytics for informed decision-making.
• Drive continuous improvement of HR processes and systems by managing and documenting all transactional operational HR activities.
• Ensure timely and accurate HR reports are provided to management, covering key HR metrics.
• Oversee the preparation and writing of reports, policies, presentations, and memos, ensuring clarity, accuracy, and alignment with organisational goals.
• Support effective industrial and employee relations by advising on policy, managing workplace issues, and maintaining positive working relationships with staff and union representatives.

Leadership & Team Management

• Lead the HR team (two HR Partners and a Recruitment Apprentice), ensuring high team performance and professional development growth.
• Drive a collaborative and solutions-focused approach, ensuring best practices in recruitment and HR operations.
• Provide guidance and expertise to departments on HR-related matters, acting as a strategic HR partner to senior managers.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE POSITION:

In order to be considered for this position, candidates will be expected to demonstrate evidence of the following:

Education and Qualifications:

• Successfully completed a QQI Level 8 qualification (or equivalent) in HRM, Employment Law, Business, or a related discipline.
• A master's level qualification (or equivalent) in HRM, Employment Law, Business, or a related discipline is desirable.
• Chartered CIPD membership is desirable.

Experience:

• At least three years of practical experience in HR management, with a focus on recruitment, HR operations, and compliance.
• Strong background in managing HR operational processes and employee lifecycle administration.
• Experience in leading and developing HR teams.
• Demonstrated experience in developing and implementing recruitment strategy, employer branding, and candidate outreach initiatives.
• Experience in using HRIS systems to ensure data accuracy and generate insightful HR reports.
• Extensive experience in managing all HR activities, with a strong understanding of employment legislation and compliance, with particular reference to Civil and Public Service circulars and internal policies. Familiarity with the public service environment is desirable.

Interpersonal Skills and Motivation:

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build positive relationships at all levels.
• Proven ability to cultivate a strong team culture, fostering collaboration and mutual respect.
• Skilled in managing and nurturing stakeholder relationships to align with organisational goals.
• Experienced in leading and working within collaborative, cross-functional team structures.
• A proactive and solutions-focused approach to HR challenges.
• High level of discretion, confidentiality and professionalism in managing sensitive matters.
• Strong ability to motivate teams, support continuous development, and create a culture of lifelong learning and growth.
• Strong influencing and negotiation skills to support organisational and HR objectives.
• A commitment to continuous professional development and staying updated on HR best practices.
• Passion for fostering a positive and inclusive workplace culture.

Conditions of employment

This job description is a guide to broad areas of responsibility and accountability and should not be regarded as a comprehensive listing. This may be subject to review in view of new structures and/or the changing needs of the Gallery. All employees are required to be compliant with NGI screening and Garda Vetting procedures. The post will be subject to a satisfactory medical check and successful completion of a successful probationary period. Applicants must be fluent in English and be eligible to work in Ireland.

Citizenship Requirements

Eligible candidates must be:

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

2. A citizen of the United Kingdom (UK); or

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

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

1 Please note: A 50 TEU permission, which serves as a replacement for Stamp 4EUFAM after Brexit, is considered equivalent to Stamp 4.

Job Details and Application Information

Grade and Salary: Salary is in accordance with point 1 of the Higher Executive Officer (PPC) pay scale €58,264 per annum as per 1 March 2025 pay adjustments.

Candidates should note the National Gallery of Ireland complies with Department of Public Expenditure and Reform regulations and guidelines on Public Service pay and conditions of employment.

Annual Leave: The successful candidate will be entitled to 29 days of annual leave pro rata.

Superannuation: The successful candidate will be placed on the public sector pension scheme.

Benefits include:

• Flexible working arrangements, up to two days working remotely.
• Access to public service pension scheme.
• Access to education support, including full to partial funding and study leave.
• Opportunity to participate in the tax saver and cycle to work schemes.
• Skills development through external and internal learning and training initiatives.

Duration: Permanent

Working hours: Full time, 5 days a week – 35 hours per week (net of breaks), onsite and remote work.

Any personal data that you provide when applying for this position shall be processed in accordance with our Privacy Notice.

How to apply

To apply for this position, please provide the following documents:

• A cover letter, which should be no more than two pages
• A CV, which should be no more than two pages

Candidate Assessment

All applications received within the closing date will be considered for this position as follows:

1. Screening of applications in relation to key criteria.

2. Competitive interview process, including presentation.

Panel

Candidates should note that at the end of the candidate assessment process a panel of successful candidates may be formed based on order of merit, from which future positions may be filled.

Closing date for receipt of applications: 8 June 2025

Interviews will be scheduled in June/July 2025

Equality Diversity and Inclusion Statement

At the National Gallery of Ireland, we value equity, diversity and Inclusion we recognise the benefits it can bring to our staff and our visitors interactions. We celebrate difference and want our people to be representative of all communities. If you require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please do not hesitate to let us know.

The National Gallery of Ireland is an equal opportunities employer