Ref 645: Director, Grade 4 - Strategic Change & Programme Delivery

SOLAS; Dublin; Hybrid; EUR 108,000 - 134,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Contributory pension

Training & development

Blended working

Equal opportunity employer

Job summary

SOLAS, the Further Education and Training Authority of Ireland, seeks a Director of Strategic Change and Programme Delivery to lead major reform initiatives and ensure benefits realisation across the organisation. The role requires senior leadership to manage complex interdependencies with SOLAS, ETBs, DFHERIS, HEA and QQI.

The post holder will oversee the SOLAS Programme Management Office, embedding best practice and providing regular status reports to the Board and CEO.

Responsibilities

• Lead the programme of change with strong governance, risk and issue management.
• Translate strategic decisions into structured delivery plans and report progress to CEO and Executive Team.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Programme delivery

Governance

Stakeholder engagement

Job description

Director, Grade 4 - Strategic Change & Programme Delivery ref no.645

SOLAS, the Further Education and Training Authority of Ireland, was established on 27 October 2013 and its mission is to fund, co-ordinate and monitor a range of Further Education and Training (FET) provisions that is responsive to the needs of learners and employers. It is an agency of the recently formed Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. SOLAS works in close collaboration with Education and Training Boards (ETBs) across Ireland on provision of high-quality further education and training, equipping learners with relevant skills and knowledge, and providing a pipeline of talent into employment and to the Irish economy and society.

At SOLAS, we put the learner, employers and communities, which FET serves, at the heart of everything we do. Working with sister agencies, SOLAS leads actions in key policy and strategy documents including the most recent Further Education and Training (FET) Strategy 2026 – 2030, the evaluation of the Green Skills Strategy , the National Skills Strategy 2025 and the People Strategy 2020-2024 and others.

SOLAS is seeking to recruit a Director of Strategic Change and Programme Delivery to lead programmes and projects with immediate priorities related to implementation of the Apprenticeship Quality Improvement Plan, Craft Apprenticeship Transfer Plan, Digital Solutions for Craft Apprenticeship, establishment of the Construction Licensing Authority and updating of related course content. This is a senior Director-level role established to provide dedicated leadership, discipline and momentum to a complex programme of organisational and system change. The postholder will translate strategic decisions into structured delivery plans, ensure that dependencies across SOLAS, ETBs, DFHERIS, HEA, QQI and other partners are actively managed, and provide the CEO and Executive Team with clear, timely and evidence-based assurance on progress, risks, issues, decisions required and benefits being realised.

The Director will be responsible for leading the programme of change ensuring strong governance and oversight, risk and issue management, stakeholder engagement, managing interdependencies and ensuring the combined initiatives and projects translate into tangible, long-term sustainable change and benefits realisation. The role will also oversee the operation and development of the SOLAS programme management office, leading on embedding good programme and project management practices across the organisation and providing regular reports on the status of the portfolio of programmes and projects to senior management, the Board and other stakeholders as required. A key purpose of the role will be to support the CEO in maintaining oversight of strategically significant change priorities across SOLAS, ensuring that complex initiatives are sequenced, governed and reported in a way that enables timely executive decision-making, along with robust risk and issue management.

The successful candidate will be a key member of the senior leadership team, contributing to the overall mission and strategic direction of SOLAS and the wider FET and tertiary system. In particular, the Director will work closely with the Apprenticeship Operations team and the Construction, Quality and Climate team, ICT and Digital team, the Higher Education Authority, Education and Training Boards and higher education institutions.

This is a permanent position for which the salary scale ranges from €108,152 to €133,775 per annum (inclusive of two long service increments) for a 35-hour week. Starting pay will be at the minimum point of the scale as per Government Circular E100/8/82. Exceptional circumstances may apply for candidates with current service in the Civil/Public service.

SOLAS offers an excellent benefit package including a contributory pension scheme and the opportunity for further training and development.

The closing date is Thursday, 01 October 2026 at 12:00pm (Noon)

SOLAS, Castleforbes Road, Dublin 1 D01 A8N0 is the base location for this post. A Blended Working policy is in place, and an arrangement is available to request with this role, a minimum requirement of 2 days per week in the office (Castleforbes House, Dublin 1). One of the days being the SOLAS Anchor Day - Wednesday.

The use of AI throughout your recruitment process is limited. To understand more, see our AI Usage Guidelines.

Please note that as a public sector employee, you must reside in the Irish jurisdiction to avail of blended working, and in accordance with Department Public Expenditure and Reform (DPENDR) requirements, you must be available to attend in person if and when required.

SOLAS is an equal opportunity employer. SOLAS welcomes people with diverse and underrepresented backgrounds to apply. If you need assistance or a reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process, please reach out to us on [e-mail] . Canvassing will disqualify.