About the WDC:
The Western Development Commission (WDC) is a statutory body established in 1998 to foster social and economic development in the western region of Ireland. Committed to sustainable growth, the WDC collaborates with diverse stakeholders to implement impactful initiatives and programmes aimed at promoting inclusive prosperity.

Purpose of the Position:
Reporting to the Head of Regional Development, the Regional Development Executive is tasked with spearheading strategic economic initiatives within the Western Region. This role plays a pivotal part in advancing the WDC’s mission of driving regional development and leveraging unique advantages to attract talent, develop sectors, encourage investment, and strengthen communities.

Culture of the WDC:
At the WDC, we foster a collaborative and supportive work environment that values innovation, diversity, and continuous learning. We empower our employees to take ownership of their work, providing opportunities for professional growth and development. If you are passionate about making a meaningful impact in the western region of Ireland and thrive in a dynamic team environment, we encourage you to apply for this role.

Remote First :
At the WDC, we embrace a remote-first approach, providing flexibility and opportunities for dynamic collaboration. We believe in harnessing technology to drive innovation and maximize efficiency, empowering our team to thrive in a flexible work environment. We promote in-person collaboration and occasional attendance at our offices located in Sligo, Galway, Letterkenny and Ballaghaderreen. New staff or those on probation may initially work on-site more frequently until completing role induction, as decided by their manager.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Initiative Development:

Develop and implement strategic initiatives/projects aligned with the WDC’s objectives and the WDC Act 1998, focusing on areas such as the creative economy, blue economy, niche tourism, sustainable development, and more.
Collaborate with stakeholders to identify opportunities and address challenges in the region’s socio-economic landscape.

Stakeholder Engagement:

Build and nurture relationships with diverse stakeholders including county councils, diaspora networks, industry experts, Universities and business communities to foster collaboration and identify growth opportunities.
Explore opportunities for engaging the Irish diaspora and leveraging their expertise to support regional development initiatives.
Lead key socio-economic development projects, facilitating collaboration among businesses, organizing working groups, and fostering a vibrant ecosystem for regional development.
Operationalise community projects, ensuring effective utilization of resources and alignment with strategic objectives.
Demonstrate strong project management skills, effectively coordinating resources, timelines, and deliverables to ensure successful project outcomes.
Provide leadership and guidance to project teams, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Community Development and Resilience:

Drive initiatives to enhance community resilience and local wealth building, supporting initiatives e.g. town incubation and the Governments town centre first policy.
Champion the adoption of green technology and digitization in community development projects.

Strategic Planning and Implementation:

Contribute to the development and implementation of the WDC Strategic Statement, ensuring alignment with regional development priorities and performance indicators.
Proactively identify emerging opportunities and propose innovative solutions to advance regional development goals.

Networking and Representation:

Represent the WDC at public meetings and relevant forums, advocating for regional development priorities and fostering partnerships.
Collaborate with national, regional, and local bodies to drive coordinated efforts towards regional prosperity.

The above is not, and does not purport to be, a comprehensive list of all duties involved and consequently, the post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post which may be assigned to them from time to time and to contribute to the development of the post.

Experience:

Proven experience in designing and delivering regional projects related to socio-economic development.
Demonstrated expertise in sectors relevant to regional development, such as the creative economy, sustainable development, and renewable energy.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders effectively.
Strong intercultural skills and the ability to work autonomously with initiative.
Previous experience in rural/regional development work and project management.
Ability to think and plan strategically, with proficiency in budget management.
Business awareness and contextual understanding of the public sector within the western region.
Analytical skills for problem-solving and decision-making in complex environments.
Effective influencing and persuading skills, with a track record of successful project development.
Comfortable with remote working and familiarity with productivity platforms.
Understanding of circular economy principles and sustainability applications.
Conditions:

The post is a full-time, permanent role, subject to a twelve-month probationary period.

All staff members are required to sign up to the WDC Code of Business Conduct under the code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies.

The WDC is a remote-first organisation with its head office in Ballaghaderreen, Co. Roscommon, staff are also located in Galway, Letterkenny and Sligo. The successful candidate may seek to be located in Ballaghaderreen, Galway, Letterkenny or Sligo in line with the remote working policy of the WDC.

Due to the nature of this role, the successful candidate will hold a full driving licence and have access to transport as this post will involve travel nationally in support of the seven county Western Region. When absent from home and your designated office location on official duty, you will be paid appropriate travelling expenses and subsistence allowances, in accordance with Civil Service regulations.

The salary scale for this post will be equivalent to that of the Civil Service Higher Executive Officer Standard Scale:

Personal Pension Contribution (PPC) Pay Rate: The salary for this position, with effect from 1 st January 2024 is as follows: €55,996, €57,633, €59,267, €60,900, €62,539, €64,170, €65,806, €68,167 1 €70,522 2

¹ After 3 years satisfactory service at the maximum.
² After 6 years satisfactory service at the maximum.

Please note: The starting salary for the person appointed to this post will be the first point on the above scale unless the successful application has previous reckonable public sector experience.

To apply:

Please clearly state the position you are applying for in the subject line of the email, submit a cover letter and CV (of no more than four pages) detailing your experience, qualifications and any other relevant information, to careers@wdc.ie .

Closing date for receipt of applications is Monday 13 th May 2024 at 5pm.

A panel may be formed to fill further positions as a Regional Development Executive in the regional development team which may arise within next 6 months (subject to sanction from the parent Department or equivalent).

The WDC is an equal opportunities employer.

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