Applications are now sought to fill the post of Portfolio Manager on a permanent basis at the Housing Finance Agency plc (HFA). The HFA's Office is in Dublin City Centre.
The closing date for receipt of applications is 3pm on 20 February 2026.
About the Housing Finance Agency (HFA)
The Housing Finance Agency plc (HFA) provides loan finance to Local Authorities, Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) and Higher Education Institutions to facilitate the delivery of social and affordable housing. The HFA is a key stakeholder in Ireland's national housing strategy, supporting the implementation of government policy.
The Role
The Housing Finance Agency (HFA) is seeking to recruit a Portfolio Manager to support the newly established portfolio management function. Reporting to the Senior Portfolio Manager, this is a newly created role that will play a vital part in strengthening the HFA's internal oversight of its growing loan book, which is projected to reach €11.9 billion by 2026.
Working closely with the relationship management and credit assessment teams, the successful candidate will be responsible for drafting customer annual reviews, conducting quarterly assessments of larger exposures, carrying our covenant testing, and producing meaningful management information to support strategic decision-making on the wider lending team.
This role is central to embedding a more proactive and data-driven approach to portfolio oversight, particularly in relation to forward funding/construction projects for social and cost rental schemes. As the HFA transitions key processes in-house, this position offers a unique opportunity to shape and deliver a new function within a dynamic semi-State organisation.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Portfolio Financial Oversight: provide financial oversight for a designated portfolio of Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) and Local Authorities (LAs).
Conduct quarterly and annual financial reviews of AHBs, assessing financial performance, liquidity, solvency, covenant compliance, and long-term sustainability.
Review and analyse audited and management accounts, cashflow forecasts and budgets, loan covenant compliance, debt servicing capacity and gearing and development plans.
Identify emerging financial risks and trends within the portfolio and escalate concerns in a timely and structured manner.
•Reporting and Governance: prepare clear, concise financial review papers and recommendations for internal credit committees, senior management, and governance forums.
Produce accurate and timely management information from the live portfolio dashboard. Provide insights and reporting to the relationship management and senior leadership team. Ensure all reviews and decisions are fully documented in line with credit policies, regulatory requirements, and audit standards.
•Risk Management and Credit Monitoring: maintain accurate risk assessments and financial risk ratings for each AHB within the portfolio. Monitor, test, and track financial and information covenants across the loan portfolio. Identify breaches or emerging risks and escalate appropriately. Carry out scenario testing and sensitivity analysis to assess portfolio resilience and inform strategic planning particularly in the area of portfolio concentration risk. Recommend remedial actions, increased monitoring where financial risk is identified.
•Stakeholder Engagement: Build and maintain effective working relationships within the HFA's executive teams. Liaise with internal stakeholders including Relationship Management, Credit Assessment/Operations and Risk teams. Engage constructively with sector stakeholders, regulators, and Departmental bodies as appropriate
•Policy, Systems and Continuous Improvement: contribute to the refinement of financial review templates, monitoring tools, and portfolio management systems. Keep informed of developments in the AHB regulatory framework, housing policy, and public-sector governance requirements. Support broader portfolio management and organisational objectives as required.
ESSENTIAL CRITERIA/QUALIFICATIONS
Essential Qualifications & Experience
•A degree-level qualification in Finance, Economics, Business, or a related discipline.
•Minimum of 3 years' experience in portfolio management, credit analysis, or financial oversight within a lending or financial services environment.
•Experience and strong understanding in the review of financial statements, cashflow analysis, covenant structures, financial modelling, and risk indicators.
•Proven experience in producing management information and conducting scenario analysis.
•Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex information clearly.
•High level of proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and Word.
•Ability to work collaboratively and manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Desirable Experience
•A professional accounting qualification or equivalent financial qualification is highly desirable.
•Knowledge of the Approved Housing Body regulatory environment.
•Understanding of social/affordable housing funding models and public sector lending frameworks.
•Experience in the use of portfolio dashboards or data visualisation tools (e.g. Power BI, Tableau).
•Strong analytical mindset and a proactive approach to problem-solving.
COMPETENCIES
The ideal candidate shall demonstrate the ability to deliver on the following competencies:
•Team Leadership: Supports cross-functional collaboration and leads by example, helping teams deliver high-quality outputs while fostering a culture of adaptability, learning, and continuous improvement.
•Judgement, Analysis & Decision Making: Applies sound judgement and analytical skills to support strategic initiatives, internal reporting, and policy development, ensuring decisions are well-informed and aligned with organisational goals.
•Management & Delivery of Results: Manages multiple priorities and projects efficiently, ensuring timely delivery of internal reports, strategic support, and operational improvements that enhance agency performance.
•Interpersonal & Communication Skills: Builds strong working relationships across departments, communicates clearly and professionally, and ensures effective information flow between the Management Team and wider organisation.
•Specialist Knowledge, Expertise and Self Development: Demonstrates deep understanding of the requirements of their role and sector, while actively pursuing personal and professional growth.
•Drive & Commitment to Public Service Values: Shows dedication to the HFA's mission, upholding integrity, accountability, and customer focus in all aspects of operational and strategic support.
PRINCIPAL CONDITIONS OF SERVICE
Tenure
The appointment is on a permanent contract subject to the satisfactory completion of a probationary period.
Hours of Work
Operating on a 35-hour week with core hours between 08.00am – 6.30pm. The HFA currently operates a flexible work model, with staff currently required to work a minimum of two days per week in the office in Dublin 2.
Salary Scale
The Higher Executive Officer Standard salary scale for the position (rates effective from 1 August 2025) is as follows:
HIGHER EXECUTIVE OFFICER (PPC)
€58,847 – €60,567 – €62,285 – €64,000 – €65,723 – €67,437 – €69,157 – €71,637 LSI1 – €74,112 LSI2
This rate applies to new entrants and will also apply where the appointee is an existing civil or public servant appointed on or after 6th April 1995 and is required to make a personal pension contribution.
Principal Non-Personal Pension Contribution Salary Scale
€56,047 – €57,664 – €59,279 – €60,907 – €62,537 – €64,180 – €65,811 – €68,158 LSI1 – €70,513 LSI2
This rate will apply where the appointee is a civil or public servant recruited before 6th April 1995 and who is not required to make a Personal Pension Contribution.
Long service increments may be payable after 3 (LSI 1) and 6 (LSI 2) years satisfactory service at the maximum of the scale.
Important Note
N.B. Entry will be at the minimum of the scale and the rate of remuneration will not be subject to negotiation and may be adjusted from time to time in line with Government pay policy. Subject to satisfactory performance increments may be payable in line with current Government policy. Different terms and conditions may apply if, immediately before appointment, you are a currently serving civil/public servant.
Annual Leave
In addition to the usual Irish public holidays annual leave for this position is 29 working days, based on a five-day week.
The above represents the principal conditions of service and is not intended to be a comprehensive list of terms and conditions of employment which will be set out in the employment contract to be agreed with the successful candidate.
How to Apply
Applications should be submitted via HIREHIVE only.
Each candidate should submit a short covering letter outlining why you believe your skills, experience and values meet the requirements of the position along with an up-to-date CV.
If applicable, please contact our HR Manager, Katherina Sage if you require a job description in an accessible format. In addition, candidates called for interviews and/or aptitude tests may request reasonable accommodations.
Please note: all job offers are subject to satisfactory references and a pre-employment medical.
The Housing Finance Agency PLC is an equal opportunities employer.