Job Description of Director General of Science Foundation Ireland
The Director General’s functions are set out under sections 13 and 14 of the Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland) Act 2003. Subsection (6) of Section 13 specifies that: -
“(6) The Director General shall carry on and manage and control generally the administration and business of the Foundation and shall perform such other functions as may be determined by the Board.”
In this context the Director General shall have the following duties and responsibilities in his capacity as Director General of the Foundation:
General
- To advise the Board on the policies required to discharge its functions;
- To organise and present the information required to enable the Board to establish the policies required to enable it to discharge its functions;
- To establish the financial and executive resources required to discharge the functions of the Board effectively and efficiently;
- To be responsible for the executive measures needed to give effect to the policies of the Board;
- To deploy the financial and executive resources available to the Board to enable the policies and responsibilities of the Board to be effectively and efficiently discharged.
Organisation and Staffing
- To put in place an appropriate organisational structure to allow the functions and policies of the Board to be effectively discharged;
- To ensure that a clear definition of executive responsibilities is available at different levels of the organisation;
- To put in place an appropriate delegation of responsibilities to executives to facilitate the effective and efficient discharge of the executive measures required to discharge the responsibilities and policies of the Board
- To ensure that an appropriate system of communication is put in place between different levels of the organisation to facilitate a thorough understanding and knowledge of the measures needed to effectively achieve the objectives of the Foundation;
- To put in place appropriate arrangements to facilitate and encourage staff at all levels of the organisation to put forward proposals on ways to improve the effectiveness and efficiency with which the organisation discharges its functions;
- To put in place appropriate arrangements for the training and development which staff require to effectively undertake their responsibilities within the organisation;
- To select, appoint, transfer, suspend and dismiss members of the staff of the Foundation in accordance with the policies of the Board;
- To approve salary levels and adjustments for members of the staff of the Foundation in accordance with policies of the Board;
- To approve rates and procedures governing the payment of expenses incurred by members of the staff of the Foundation in the course of their employment.
Financial
- To supervise the preparation of annual estimates of expenditure, revenue and operating budgets for submission to, and for the approval of, the Board;
- To arrange effective communication and liaison with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and other Government Departments as necessary with the objective of ensuring that the functions, policies and responsibilities of the Board are clearly understood and that adequate provision is made for the financial resources required for the effective discharge of these functions, policies and responsibilities;
- To authorise all expenditure within the budget established for the Foundation and to delegate responsibility as appropriate to officers or servants of the Foundation;
- To arrange for the submission of the accounts of the Foundation to the Comptroller and Auditor General for audit at such times as the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, shall direct and, when the accounts are so audited, to arrange for the submission of these accounts, together with the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General, to the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment;
- To ensure that expenditure and revenue trends are effectively monitored on a continuing basis and that appropriate action is taken to ensure that expenditure remains within budget.
Communication
- To ensure that proper and effective records of the business and operations of the Foundation are maintained;
- To supervise the preparation of the annual report of the Foundation and any other reports required for the Board or Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment;
- To accompany the Chairman and other members of the Board of the Foundation as required at meetings with the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment;
- To put in place appropriate arrangements to ensure that there is a good knowledge and appreciation of the functions and work of the Foundation by the business sector, Government Ministers and Oireachtas members, Government Departments and agencies and members of the public in general;
- To ensure appropriate representation of the Foundation on such external bodies and on such occasions as may be considered appropriate
- To ensure that SFI plays an integral and constructive role in the overall National Science and Technology Policy and Institutional Framework through establishing co-operative and collaborative relationships with the relevant Government Departments, Agencies and other stakeholders.