Senior Architect

publicjobs; Leinster; On-site; EUR 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Dublin City Council’s Housing Department seeks a Senior Architect to lead the City Architect’s Division and drive a programme of architectural works focused on social housing delivery.

You will manage multi-disciplinary teams, provide strategic architectural advice, oversee master planning, public realm, urban design and conservation projects, and ensure high standards across the council’s built environment.

Qualifications

• Professional architecture qualification as prescribed under the Building Control Act 2007.
• Eligible for registration as an Architect under the Building Control Act 2007.
• Minimum seven years’ experience in architectural work, with at least five years in a leadership role.
• Knowledge of urban design principles and planning policy.
• Experience at strategic management level.
• Knowledge of public service organisation or ability to acquire such knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Lead the City Architect’s Division team and manage a programme of architectural works.
• Deliver architectural projects with a focus on social housing and related master planning.
• Provide strategic architectural advice and cross-department collaboration.
• Manage day-to-day project delivery and contract administration as Employer’s Agent.
• Coordinate design, urban design, public realm and conservation work.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Communication skills

Architectural design

Urban design

Strategic thinking

Public procurement

Health and safety compliance

Team leadership

Education

Professional qualification in Architecture

Job description

Closing Date: 3pm, Thursday, 1st October 2026

About the Employer:

Dublin is an international capital city and is the economic engine of the region and the State. Dublin City Council has a unique and critical role in local government: it is the largest local authority in Ireland, with 63 Elected Members representing and serving 588,000 people in the city area. It plays a pivotal role in the provision of services to the almost 1.5 million people in the Dublin Region, and in ensuring that the city can welcome and support a large number of visitors on a daily basis for employment, business, recreation and tourism.

Dublin City Council takes the lead role in shaping the strategic vision of Dublin as a dynamic and sustainable city and seeks to continually enhance the city’s attractiveness as a place in which to invest, to work, to live and to visit.

About the Role:

Dublin City Council’s Housing Department is responsible for a housing stock of 26,000 units. Under ‘Housing for All’, the Council is working to deliver ambitious programme of social and affordable housing by maximising the supply and availability of suitable accommodation for households unable to provide accommodation from their own resources.

Dublin City Council has several roles in guiding and protecting the architecture of the city. The Council is the owner or developer of a significant stock of housing, civic and community buildings, it is the prime custodian of the city’s public realm and it co-ordinates and permits development by others. The City Architect’s team is a Division within the Housing and Community Services Department, primarily providing a housing delivery role, which also providing an architectural, urban design and conservation services on a cross-departmental basis. The Division also provides strategic architectural advice in relation to the Council’s vision for the future of Dublin. Over the years, the City Architect’s Division has developed particular expertise in the areas of housing design, sustainable building construction, urban design and architectural conservation.

The Senior Architect will lead a team and a programme of works within the the City Architect’s Division whilst also working as part of a wider multi-disciplinary team within the City Architect’s Division and provide advice and leadership to the team. Reporting to the City Architect or such designated person(s) who may be assigned from time to time, the successful candidate will deliver a programme of architectural work and provide support to the City Council on all architectural matters with responsibility on a day-to-day basis for project managing and advancing a diverse range of projects with a focus on the delivery of social housing. The programme of work may also include responsibility for master planning, public realm, urban design and building projects.

About You:

Each candidate shall, on the latest date for receipt of completed application forms for the office:

a) hold a professional qualification in Architecture, which is prescribed under the building Control Act 2007 or a qualification in Architecture that is equivalent to a qualification so prescribed in Section 14 of the Building Control Act 2007 and;

b) be eligible for registration as an Architect under the Building Control Act 2007 without requiring further assessment. Any appointment to the employing local authority will be subject to registration under the Act;

c) have at least seven years satisfactory relevant experience of architectural work including a period of not less than five years satisfactory experience in a responsible capacity as team leader of multi-disciplinary design teams and the administration of construction contracts as Employer’s Agent or equivalent role;

d) have knowledge of the principles of Urban Design and planning policy and practice;

e) have satisfactory experience at strategic management level;

f) have satisfactory knowledge of public service organisation or the ability to acquire such knowledge.

The ideal candidate shall have the following Skills and Experience:

• Possess a current unendorsed full driving licence (Category B) and/or have access to a vehicle as they may be required to travel in the course of their duties.
• Demonstrate the necessary vision, leadership and experience to lead staff in the delivery of the Architectural services and the management skills necessary to optimise the Division’s contribution to the achievement of Dublin City Council’s organisational goals and objectives.
• Have a proven track record in successfully delivering significant works programmes (Housing & Civic / Amenity) and be able to demonstrate excellent project management and delivery skills.
• Be able to demonstrate excellent interpersonal and communication skills; in motivating, managing team resources and build consensus to achieved set targets & goals.
• Have highly developed skills in using architectural design and urban design to promote excellence in the quality of Council projects, to promote quality in the city’s built environment and public places and to contribute to environmental and social sustainability.
• Demonstrate an ability to exercise sound judgement and a high level of technical expertise.
• Demonstrate technical skills that support the City Architect’s Division’s role in the up keep the Council’s extensive building stock, which includes a significant portfolio of social housing, historic buildings, protected structures and major civic buildings.
• Demonstrate an ability to deliver architectural services of the complexity set out in Dublin City Council’s capital programme, including the Social Housing Programme.
• Be innovative and have a career record that demonstrates a high level of competence in the management of staff, customer orientation, conceptual and analytical thinking and initiative.
• Have an ability to work within and lead, multi-disciplined teams on various projects undertaken by the City Architect’s Division and demonstrate a strong track record and relevant management ethos and experience at a sufficiently high level.
• Have a good working knowledge or demonstrate an ability to acquire a good working knowledge of the legal, regulatory and governance framework within which the City Council operates and adhere to corporate policies, protocols and procedures.
• Have a good working knowledge and experience of community consultation in reference to construction projects along with a strong, outward looking perspective and a track record of successful inter-agency collaboration and co-ordination.
• Have a detailed knowledge of the construction of buildings on site.
• Have knowledge of relevant statutory roles and responsibilities as set out under Safety Health & Welfare at Work and Building Control legislation.
• Have experience in the design of buildings, the preparation of sketch plans, working drawings details and specifications.
• Have a deep knowledge and awareness of the Building Regulations and the Building Control Act, and their application in the workplace.
• Have an excellent understanding of the requirements of the planning process.
• Possess excellent organisational and IT skills.
• Demonstrate an ability to effectively manage budgets within project / construction contracts.
• Develop and support their staff to ensure optimum service delivery including full utilisation of the PMDS system.
• Manage significant change programmes, in line with national and local priorities.
• Network effectively with internal and external stakeholders including representatives of Government departments, state agencies, business and community representatives and other bodies to deliver priority programmes and projects.
• Critically analyse and manage the deployment of resources (including human and financial resources), within their areas of responsibility to ensure the delivery of optimal results with the available resources. .
• Promote the role of the City Council and ensure a strong customer focus amongst their teams, reflecting the requirements for balanced and fair decision making and equity of treatment
• Have a strong working knowledge of public procurement and be able to deliver and coordinate necessary packages to enhance project delivery timelines.
• Have a good working knowledge of Health and Safety Legislation and Regulations, the implications for the organisation and the employee, and their application in the workplace in accordance with the City Council’s approach to managing safety in the workplace.

Further information including details on how the Capability Framework for this position is available on www.publicjobs.ie.

The closing date for receipt of completed applications is 3pm on Thursday, 1st October, 2026.

We are committed to a policy of equal opportunity and encourage applications under all nine grounds of the Employment Equality Act.