Senior Programme and Communications Manager

Key purpose of role

The DRI Senior Programme and Communications Manager is responsible for leading change and continuous improvement across the organisation. There are two key areas in the role portfolio. The first is to project manage DRI’s core programme of work, including programme planning, managing budgets, strategic planning, project delivery and reporting. The second is delivery of DRI’s communications strategy, editorial and strategic management of DRI’s communications channels, and identification and development of DRI’s audiences. This role requires excellent organisational and communications skills, as the successful candidate will be required to liaise and collaborate with staff across the DRI consortium (Royal Irish Academy, Trinity College Dublin and Maynooth University), as well as with a range of external stakeholders. The successful candidate, as a member of a busy multidisciplinary team, will also support DRI research projects, contribute to events, lead and contribute to task forces and working groups, and participate in other activities as they arise. The position is based at the Digital Repository of Ireland at the Royal Irish Academy.

Key accountabilitiesProgramme Management:

• Work closely with the DRI Director in the day-to-day operations of the DRI to support efficient strategic planning, a well-functioning team, and timely achievement of deliverables
• Project manage DRI’s programme of work and assist with the management of DRI’s research-funded projects
• Draft key narrative and financial reports and proposals to funders and partners for review and sign-off by the DRI Director and RIA Executive Director
• Administer and support DRI budget operations, including budget forecasting, tracking income and expenditure, payment reconciliation, assisting with purchasing and procurement, liaising with the financial departments at the RIA and DRI’s partner institutions, and recordkeeping
• In line with duties, lead or contribute to key task forces and working groups within DRI, and with relevant external bodies
• Support DRI governance through membership of and secretariat to the DRI management team and secretariat to the DRI Board

Communications:

• Deliver DRI communications and social media strategies in line with DRI’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policy
• Provide editorial and strategic management of DRI’s social media channels, the DRI website, DRI blog, press releases and DRI’s monthly newsletters, while adhering to accessibility standards for communications content
• Provide editorial support for DRI publications and manage the implementation of processes and procedures to support DRI’s publications workflow
• Maintain DRI’s communications metrics and manage DRI’s press and publicity contacts database, audience development initiatives, and press and publicity engagement
• Support the onboarding and exit of DRI staff
• As the owner of an overview of DRI’s programme of work, ensure excellent communication across the organisation, and facilitate the coordination of activities by other key functions across DRI

Note: To qualify candidates must be eligible by the date of any job offer. This job description is a guide to broad areas of responsibility and accountability and should not be regarded as a comprehensive listing. The job description may be subject to review in the view of new structures and / or the changing needs of the Academy.

Person specificationEssential requirements

• A third-level degree in a discipline relevant to DRI’s remit (arts, humanities, social sciences, information)
• A minimum of five years’ experience in one or more of the following: operations management, project management, programmes administration, office management
• Demonstrable experience in a communications role
• Experience managing research grant budgets
• Experience working with distributed teams
• Evidence of the capacity to develop, manage and measure the success of workplans at the organisational level, with attention to strategic priorities, managed growth and staff harmony
• Experience managing multiple budget lines with demonstrable accounts management experience
• Excellent skills in organisation, project management, time management, report writing and IT (capacity to learn new platforms)

Desirable qualifications

• A postgraduate degree in a relevant area
• Qualification in or experience of PR
• Experience in event management software such as Eventbrite/Ticket Tailor, Canva, Mailchimp, media monitoring and developing reports and presentations
• Working knowledge of publisher metadata systems
• Proficiency in the Irish language

Further Information

Salary: Salary is on the AES Scale €53,640 – €71,282. Candidates should note that entry will be at the minimum of the scale and the rate of remuneration may be adjusted from time to time in line with government pay policy. If you are currently a serving civil or public servant, your entry point to the PayScale may be higher based on your current salary.

Hours of Work: The normal hours of work are 35 hours per week.

Overtime is not paid in respect of excess attendance which, should it arise, is discharged by time off in lieu at times agreed in advance with the Executive Director.

This role is suitable for blended working.

Leave: The annual leave entitlement is 25 days per annum, pro-rata for shorter periods. Entitlement to leave for public holidays is in accordance with the terms of the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997. There is a requirement to take up to four days annual leave where the Academy is closed at Easter and Christmas.

Employee Benefits: Examples of some of our current employee benefits include:

• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Family friendly policies
• Blended working policy
• Availability of an optical benefit scheme
• Availability of a cycle to work scheme
• A range of learning and developmental opportunities
• Sick leave scheme
• Paid maternity, adoptive and paternity Leave
• Automatically entered into a pension scheme
• Employee assistance programme

Medical: Staff shall, if required, and at the expense of the Academy, submit to a medical examination by a registered medical practitioner nominated by the Academy and shall authorise such medical practitioner to disclose and to discuss with the Academy the results of the examination and the matters which arise from it so that the Academy can ascertain any matters that they consider might impair a staff member from properly discharging his/her duties.

Pension: Details of the appropriate pension scheme will be provided upon determination of appointee’s status.

Permanent Pension contribution: This appointment is subject to the Additional Superannuation Contribution (ASC) effective from 1 January 2019.

Application Process

Completed applications consisting of one electronic copy (with all documents contained in one Word document) must be submitted to recruitment@ria.ie in the order as set out below:

• A brief cover letter demonstrating how you meet the qualifications and experience for the position (max. 700 words)
• A curriculum vitae summarising your qualifications and relevant experience (max. 4 pages)

Applicants will be shortlisted based on information provided in their application.