Job Title:
Assistant Director/Senior Planner
Employer:
Northern & Western Regional Assembly
County:
Roscommon
Closing Date:
3pm, Thursday, 27th November ****
Starting Salary:
€91,851
About the Employer:
Established in ****, the Northern & Western Regional Assembly, is one of three Regional Assemblies and is part of the regional tier of government in Ireland.
It covers the local authorities of Cavan, Monaghan, Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Roscommon, Mayo & Galway City & County with 25 Assembly Members representing the 9 local authorities at regional level.
The Regional Assembly has statutory responsibility for Regional, Spatial and Economic policy and forges links between the European Union (EU), and national and local levels through regional spatial and economic planning for the benefit of the Northern & Western Region.
It plays an important role in promoting and supporting balanced and effective regional development and is tasked to co-ordinate, promote and support strategic planning and sustainable development, and to promote effectiveness in Local Government and public services.
The overarching objective of the Assembly is the physical, cultural, social and environmental development of the region, whilst supporting quality of life, economic development as well as transitional measures in respect of Climate Action and a Low Carbon Region.
The Assembly interacts with a wide variety of Government Departments, agencies, local authorities and stakeholders from the private sector and the third level sector at local, regional national and EU levels to achieve these objectives and our key functions include:
• Prepare, adopt and implement the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy for the Northern & Western Region (RSES)
• Managing Authority for ERDF co-funded Regional Programmes and active participants in EU funded Projects
• Advocating on behalf of the Region, particularly in relation to Strategic policy & investment decisions.
• Oversight and assessment of Local Authority Policies in Planning & Economic Development.
• Promote coordinated public services.
The RSES for the Northern & Western Region came into effect in January **** and has the overall objective to deliver the transformative change set out in the National Planning Framework (NPF) including balanced regional development and a transition to a Low Carbon and Climate Resilient Society.
Critical tasks facing the Assembly in the short to medium term include influencing and participating in the transformative change underway in Ireland as part of the National Planning Framework process, clearly identifying the policy levers required to achieve this, and to review the RSES and developing effective regional change initiatives.
About the Role:
The Assistant Director / Senior Planner position forms part of the senior management team for the Northern and Western Regional Assembly and has particular responsibility for sustainable spatial planning and economic development across the Northern and Western region.
This post provides effective leadership and delivery of proposed new strategies and drives the delivery of the Assembly's wider regional planning and economic development functions.
The postholder will work under the direction of the Regional Assembly Director, in close contact with the Elected Members of the Assembly, the Designated Chief Executive for the Assembly, other Local Authority Chief Executives, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, other senior public servants, staff of the other Regional Assembly's, third level institutions, and wider non-governmental and community interests.
This is a great opportunity to join the Northern and Western Regional Assembly at a time of transformation and innovation.
Reporting to the Director of NWRA, the Assistant Director / Senior Planner is charged with the efficient management, direction and development of the Planning and Economic Development Department.
Managers at this level work within defined parameters relevant to the position, in accordance with the Assembly's vision and objectives as set out in its Corporate Plan.
Delivery of efficient services and value for money is crucial.
This is a senior managerial position with responsibility to lead on policy development and implementation, service delivery and change management in a dynamic and goal driven environment.
Stakeholder and external relations are a key area of the role as is the giving of balanced high-level advice across planning, economic, social and environmental areas.
The position is pivotal in terms of ensuring spatial equity across the region.
This role offers the opportunity to demonstrate leadership, innovation, agility and a commitment to customer service.
The role of Assistant Director / Senior Planner in the Northern and Western Regional Assembly will involve engaging with the active delivery of strategic policy through the development and implementation of the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy and to contribute to a multi-disciplinary approach to key policy areas such as Smart Specialisation, Climate Action, Sustainable Transport and Marine Spatial Planning.
The Assistant Director / Senior Planner will be required to work closely with the Senior Management Team and Elected Members to deliver on strategic corporate objectives including the aims and objectives of the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy.
About You:
It would be desirable if the successful candidate had the following Skills and Experience:
• An ability to work within and lead multi-disciplinary teams;
• Have experience of managing and leading multi-disciplinary and cross functional teams and have the ability to motivate, empower, encourage and achieve maximum efficiency and value for money from the personnel and processes under their control;
• Strong planning, operational, project and programme management skills;
• Excellent working knowledge of planning legislation and the principles, practices and techniques of planning and construction;
• Excellent knowledge, or the ability to quickly acquire same, of national, regional and local government functions, services and activities particularly in relation to planning, project management, EU funding/ budget management and development;
• Have experience of analysing and considering new and emerging national policies and guidelines with a view to assessing the implications of such developments for the region;
• A proven ability to work under pressure and to think laterally maintaining a solution orientated mindset in dealing with a wide range of issues;
• An ability to achieve delivery of competing demands within prescribed timelines and deadlines;
• Have experience of maintaining sound employee relations and conflict resolution;
• Have a track record of delivering results;
• Have an understanding of Local Authority and Regional Assembly services and structures in Ireland, particularly as they relate to the planning function, or have the ability to quickly acquire same;
• Be capable of working in close consultation with key stakeholders and of seeking co-operation and consensus with a whole range of bodies and representative groups;
• Be experienced in meeting regularly with stakeholders, providing updates, presentations and reports, taking customer feedback and ensuring any learning from same is used to enhance the operations of the organisation;
• Be experienced in contributing to the operational and strategic planning processes and in the implementation of the agreed aims of same;
• Have excellent interpersonal, communication and influencing skills;
• Have experience, knowledge and values to mentor planning staff and promote the NWRA as a place of work;
• Have good knowledge and awareness of statutory obligations of Health and Safety Legislation, the implications for the organization and the employee, and their application in the workplace;
• Have experience of managing finance and budgets and ensuring value for money;
• Have experience of providing information on the pattern of demand and activity and the skills to schedule / programme the carrying out of work;
• Have good general ICT skills;
• Have a focus on the customer and on service improvement including taking ownership and resolving issues arising.
The Closing Date for this competition is Thursday, 27th of November at 3pm.
We are committed to a policy of equal opportunity and encourage applications under all nine grounds of the Employment Equality Act.