Job Description

Post: Programme Manager - Get Ireland Walking Initiative

Project Overview

Get Ireland Walking is an initiative of the Irish Sports Council, it is supported by Healthy Ireland and Mountaineering Ireland (MI) and it is implemented in association with a number of Partner Organisations[1] active in health promotion. The initiative has helped to develop a culture of walking in Ireland by further encouraging and promoting walking and supporting the setup of new walking groups throughout the country. Local Sports Partnerships help facilitate the introduction of the programme at county level. Following a successful pilot phase from 2013 to 2015, the programme is currently expanding and wishes to recruit a new Programme Manager.

Key Responsibilities

The successful candidate will work to; ensure the continued development of the Get Ireland Walking initiative at a national level, facilitate the delivery of the programme at a local level through Local Sport Partnerships and support the established and development of sustainable local community walking groups.

Post:Programme Manager - Get Ireland Walking Initiative

Duration:A one year contract will be offered to the successful applicant,subject to successful completion of a six-month probationary period and this will be renewable subject to availability of continued funding.

Hours of work:Full-time post of 40 hours per week (inclusive of breaks), in a variable working hours’ arrangement involving evening and weekend work.

Annual Leave:21 working days per year.

Salary Range:€36,000 to €40,000per annum.

Reporting to:The person appointed will report to the CEO of Mountaineering Ireland.

Location:The position will be based at the Mountaineering Ireland’s Office, Irish Sport HQ, National Sports Campus, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15.

Interviews:Interviews for this position will be held in Dublin and are provisionally set for the latter half of the week of the14thSeptember 2015.

Candidates should submit one copy of their application form before 15.00hrs on Monday 14thSeptember 2015to “GIW Application”, CEO, Mountaineering Ireland, Irish Sport HQ, National Sports Campus, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15 or email: .

Mountaineering Ireland is the representative body for hillwalkers and climbers in Ireland. It is recognised as the National Governing Body by the Irish Sports Council and Sport Northern Ireland. Mountaineering Ireland serves more than 175 clubs and 11,500 members.

Programme Manager - Get Ireland Walking

Key Responsibilities

Develop policies and strategies to promote walking at a national, regional and local level.

Coordinate national roll out of the Active Community Walking Programmethroughthe Local Sports Partnership network.

Managing the provision of training to Community Walking facilitators and developing new resources to support this programme and overseeingprogramme impact and evaluation activities.

Maintain and update the national register of walking groups and develop resources to support walking groups

Increase awareness of the benefits of walking and promote the aims of Get Ireland Walking.

Manage programme expenditure, programme communications (including website, newsletter and social networking platforms), programme stakeholder / partner updates and programme monitoring and evaluation work.

Plan andsupport the implementation of new initiativeswith partners and explore opportunities for new partnerships to promote walking and advance the objectives of the programme.

Complement the work of Mountaineering Ireland as a whole through increasing participation, knowledge and partnership and undertake other tasks which may be required by the Chief Executive Officer from time to time.

Ensure that all programme activities are carried out in accordance with MI’s Children’s Policy and the Code of Ethics and Good Practice for Children’s Sport.

Personal Specification Programme Manager - Get Ireland Walking

Applicants for the post will be assessed and considered according to the following qualifications, skills and criteria.

Factor

/ Essential / Desirable
Qualifications and attainments /
  • A third level qualification. *
/
  • Marketing or Sport Management qualification.
  • Health / Health promotion qualification**
  • Community Development.
  • Experience of outdoor recreation training schemes or awards**.

Work and other experience /
  • At least 3years’ experience of programme / project management. *
  • Experience of managing programme / project budgets.*
/
  • Experience of working in a similar role.
  • Proven experience of delivering a project through agencies and focused on community groups**.
  • Experience working for a sporting or voluntary body.

Skills / specialist knowledge /
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills.
  • Excellent presentation skills, incl. group / community engagement skills*
  • Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail.
  • Excellentworking knowledge of the Microsoft Office suite.
  • Experience of website content management and communication via social media, social networking.
/
  • Good knowledge of the benefits and positive impact of an active lifestyle.
  • An understanding of the role of Mountaineering Ireland, the National Trails Office, the Irish Sports Council and Healthy Ireland.
  • Knowledge of key policy drivers from Central Government / Irish Sports Council / Health Service.

Disposition and personal qualities /
  • Proven ability to work as part of a team.*
  • Strong interpersonal skills.
  • The ability to work under own initiative with a thorough and efficient approach.
/
  • Loyalty and commitment.

Other factors /
  • Willingness to work unsocial hours including evenings and weekends as well as occasional public holidays.*
  • Access to a form of transport that will enable the post holder to meet the requirements of the post in full.*
  • Willingness to undertake travel including overnight stays.*
/
  • Active participation in walking or hillwalking.

*Essential Criteria - Only those applicants who clearly demonstrate on their application form relevant achievement, experience, knowledge and understanding of essential criteria will go forward to the next stage in the recruitment and selection process.

**Desirable Criteria - which may be used for shortlisting for short listing if required.

All other essential and desirable criteria will be assessed by interview and/or selection.

1

[1]Irish Sports Council, Health Ireland, Mountaineering Ireland, Health Service Executive Health Promotion and Improvement, Irish Heart Foundation, Age and Opportunity, Arthritis Ireland, Ireland Active and the GAA.