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The Position

Meath County Council invites applications from suitably qualified persons who wish to be considered for inclusion on a panel from which permanent and fixed-term contract vacancies for the position of Healthy Ireland Coordinator shall be drawn.

Healthy Cities & Counties Programme

The Healthy Cities & Counties Programme is a Department of Health funded initiative located within local government with a concerted focus on life-long wellbeing, prevention of illness; enabling wellbeing environments and the reduction of health inequities. More specifically, the programme highlights the important role and responsibility that local government has in enhancing community wellbeing outcomes.

The Healthy Cities & Counties Programme promotes a whole-of-local-government approach and seeks to demonstrate how coherent actions across the wider determinants of health and wellbeing areas of local government activity can produce benefits across broader development objectives and many other related policy areas. This alignment of health and wellbeing activity alongside other local government initiatives with shared objectives is important in driving coherence and collaboration across local government. The programme has a formal governance arrangement within the LCDC structure which gives it a strong platform from which to build collaborative effort and support high level goal efforts within Local Economic and Community Plans.

The Healthy Ireland Coordinator is responsible for the delivery of the programme. A Healthy Ireland Fund secured from the Department of Health is provided to each Local Authority to help leverage activity in specific outcome areas. The fund is used to lever support for projects in specific outcome areas and its management and administration forms part of the overall work programme of the Coordinator.

The primary work of the Healthy Ireland Coordinator is a collaborative and networking role to encourage implementation of key wellbeing determinant objectives within local government, explore resource and partnership opportunity locally, regionally and nationally to influence resource allocation flows to the Local Authority for wellbeing outcome focused projects, and seek out opportunity from a European perspective considering the WHO European Healthy Cities Network approach and relevant EU programme activity.

Further information on the programme is available in Appendix A.

Purpose, Duties and Responsibilities

Introduction

The Healthy Ireland Coordinator is an Administrative Officer grade post. Administrative Officer positions are assigned functional responsibility for the management of their respective Healthy Ireland Programme areas.

The Coordinator is the primary point of contact and liaison with other sections in relation to all operational matters for the Healthy Ireland Programme for which they are responsible and other assigned duties/functions, depending on the organisational arrangements in place.

The post holder will work under the direction and control of the Senior Executive Officer or analogous grade or other officer designated by the Chief Executive or Director of Services as appropriate. The Coordinator is responsible for management of the day-to-day operations of the relevant programme and is a contributor to the strategic and policy making decisions of the local authority.

They will be expected to contribute to the development and implementation of policies and strategies and to work closely with the elected councillors, Oireachtas members and senior managers in delivering services to the highest standard.

The post holder may represent the Local Authority on committees and at meetings, including for example Municipal District meetings, Strategic Policy Committee meetings and may be asked to report on progress in their respective section or department. The post holder will be expected to support the operations of the elected Council, the Strategic Policy Committees, Municipal Districts and other Council Structures.

The job description below outlines the requirements for the position that operates within a multi-level governance environment—from municipal district and community level to national and EU levels. This is not a conventional Administrative Officer position. The postholder will be responsible for coordinating, influencing, and aligning activity across political, managerial, sectoral, and community domains, working at local, municipal district, plenary, regional, national and European levels.

The positions require professionals with the ability to coordinate, influence, and lead cross-sectoral and community initiatives that address health inequalities, promote prevention, and build resilient, inclusive place within their designated Local Authority.

The role will support the delivery of the emerging outcomes framework for Healthy Ireland in 2026, and the WHO European Healthy Cities Network (Phase VIII) objectives at local and regional levels.

The role prioritises actions to improve the wider determinants of health through local government’s statutory and developmental responsibilities, with a strong emphasis on empowering communities, research and innovation, intersectoral collaboration, data management and evidence-informed decision-making.

The Healthy Ireland Coordinator will perform such duties as may be assigned from time to time which will involve the facilitation, implementation and promotion of the policies and objectives of Meath County Council for the advancement of the Healthy Cities & Counties Programme.

The duties of the post of the Healthy Ireland Coordinator include, but are not limited to:

• Work intensively with communities of interest and place to co-design, develop, and implement locally tailored wellbeing initiatives.

• Apply principles of empowerment, participation, social justice, and equality in all aspects of planning and delivery.

• Work with relevant Healthy Ireland partners to ensure integrated and improved delivery of health and wellbeing initiatives and support programmes across the County Council.

• Use and gather relevant local datasets to target communities experiencing the greatest health inequities and build evidence case for resource allocation or intervention.

• Develop a 5 year Healthy Cities & Counties Work Programme based on local need and priorities- established from innovative and participatory community engagement and needs assessment exercises with Annual Action Plans comprising of Healthy Ireland Fund or similar funding to action local priorities.

• Participate in Regional Healthy Ireland Coordinator Cluster and National Network fora.

• Map, align and leverage local authority activities that influence the wider determinants of health and include within relevant Healthy Ireland data gathering exercises.

• Advise elected members and senior executives on relevant policies and programmes related to health and wellbeing and deliver relevant upskilling/enabling opportunities.

• Facilitate Local Authority wide/Regional Health and Wellbeing Networks and support the development of local wellbeing forums, and wellbeing leadership initiatives within communities.

• Work confidently and sensitively with elected representatives, senior executives, and cross-sectoral leaders to address determinants of health activity within the local authority.

• Act as a catalyst and connector across directorates and sections (e.g planning, transport, housing, environment, community) to align activity with health and wellbeing objectives.

• Champion whole-system, place-based, preventative approaches to health and wellbeing, working across local authority directorates and with external partners to create enabling environments that foster wellbeing for all.

• Explore resource mechanisms across all Government Departments and at EU level to address local community priorities.

• Leverage research, data, innovation, and WHO/EU collaboration to encourage local government leadership in improving health and wellbeing outcomes.

• Develop or contribute to funding bids where appropriate in conjunction with communities to resource local priority initiatives.

• Capacity to influence, align, and coordinate across internal directorates and external stakeholders and demonstrate partnership management and stakeholder engagement skills e.g co-ordination of Sláintecare Healthy Communities Local Implementation Team.

• Use local data, research, and evidence to shape decisions and measure outcomes and.

• Represent the Local Authority in regional and national networks and participate in international platforms such as the WHO European Healthy Cities Network.

• Drive whole-of-local-government, whole-of-community and whole-of-place approaches to wellbeing, focusing on the social, economic, environmental and cultural determinants of health.

Qualifications for the Post

Character

Candidates must have on the latest date of receipt of completed applications:

• be of good character with a friendly, open and outgoing disposition is essential

• have the ability to stay focused and resilient under pressure

• the capacity to interact effectively with local elected members and people from a broad range of sectors including local development/community organisations.

• have the enthusiasm for meeting and working with a variety of people and groups on an on-going basis

Health

Each candidate must be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.

Education and Experience

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

(a) A third-level degree (NFQ Level 8 or higher) in a relevant field such as community/sports development, youth work, social sciences, public health, social policy, public administration, planning, or related discipline.

(b) A minimum of 2 years’ relevant experience in any of the following:

• Local government, public sector, or similar roles involving strategic planning, project coordination, or community engagement.

• Work with disadvantaged communities or target populations to address social exclusion or inequality.

• Cross-sectoral coordination or partnership development.

• Policy development, research, or evaluation related to the determinants of health.

• Operating effectively within political, community and policy-making environments, demonstrating ability to work across boundaries of role, sector and geography.

• Project management and delivery, budgeting and performance-monitoring experience.

Desirable Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Knowledge and understanding of Sláintecare Reform, Healthy Ireland Outcomes Framework.

• Experience of building, managing and nurturing partnerships and relationships across a wide range of key stakeholders

• An understanding and/or experience of local government structures and political environment

• Facilitation and group-work skills.

• Understanding of those who experience health inequalities.

• Experience of report writing, strategic planning and funding application processes

• Effective communication skills.

• Excellent IT & administration skills, including MS Word, Excel & Power Point

• Experience in managing budgets and finances and experience with processing payments

• An understanding and/or experience in gathering qualitative and quantitative data, analysis, research and evaluation to policy and practice.

• Appreciation of use of social media and varied communication platforms

• Understanding of multi-level governance and/or experience of working across local, regional, national and European contexts.

Miscellaneous Provisions

Salary

Salary scale: €60,011 - €78,015 per annum (EL 07/25), analogous to the Administrative Officer grade. Payment of increments is dependent on satisfactory performance. Entry point of this scale will be determined in accordance with the appropriate Department Circulars.

Hours of Work

The normal working hours will be 35 hours per week. Duties may require the successful applicant to work outside of normal working hours i.e. attendance at evening/weekend, training duties etc. as part of normal working hours without additional remuneration. All hours worked will be subject to the provision of the Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997 as amended. You may be required to complete a time-sheet in accordance with the Organisation of Working Time Regulations, 2001.

Start Date

Meath County Council shall require a person to whom an offer of employment is made to take up an appointment within a reasonable period of time, usually two months from date of offer, to meet the organisational requirements of the Council. Meath County Council reserves the right to withdraw its offer in the event that an appointment is not taken up within such a period.

Leave

30 days per annum

Sick Leave

The terms of the Public Service Sick Pay Scheme will prevail.

Probation

The following provisions will apply:

(a) there shall be a period after such appointments take effect during which such persons shall hold the position on probation,

(b) such period shall be 9 months but the Chief Executive may at his or her discretion extend such period,

(c) such persons shall cease to hold the position at end of the period of probation unless during such period, the Chief Executive has certified that the service of such persons is satisfactory.

Travel

It is desirable that holders of the post should hold a full driving licence for class B vehicles and shall be required to drive a motor car in the course of their duties and for this purpose, provide and maintain a car to the satisfaction of the local authority. Travelling expenses and subsistence expenses necessarily incurred in the course of official duties will be refunded in accordance with appropriate rates in line with the relevant Department Circulars and Local Authority Travel and Subsistence Policy. Meath County Council, as employer, must be indemnified on your insurance policy. If during your employment, your licence is revoked, even temporarily, or if you receive endorsements on your licence, which may affect your duties, you are obliged to notify the Council immediately.

Residence

The person holding the office must reside in, or at an address convenient to performing the role/function as approved by the Chief Executive.

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

Safety and Welfare

The holder of the post shall co-operate with the terms of Meath County Council’s Safety Statement and Major Emergency Plan. He/she shall familiarise him/herself with the safety rules and procedures and make proper use of all safety, clothing and equipment.

Training

It is a condition of employment that successful candidates will be required to participate in training programmes relevant to the skills necessary for the performance of the duties attaching to the post.

Garda Vetting

Successful candidates may be subject to Garda Vetting in advance of appointment to the position.

Outside Employment

The officer may not engage in private practice, or be connected with any outside business, which would interfere with the performance of official duties.

Superannuation Contribution

Membership of the Local Government Superannuation Scheme or the Single Public Service Pension Scheme is compulsory for all employees. Details will be provided to the appointee prior to appointment.