Assistant Secretary Building Services and Capital Works Support

Job title: Assistant Secretary Building Services and Capital Works Support Employer: Office of Public Works Location: Dublin Closing Date: 3pm, Thursday, 22nd October 2026 Starting Salary: €171,517 About the Employer: The Office of Public Works (OPW) is a Government Office under the remit of the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure Public Service Reform and Digitalisation and Minister of State for the Office of Public Works. With responsibility for coordinating Strategic Flood Risk Management Policy and delivering flood relief schemes, it also has a delivery focus, through maintaining, and managing public property and infrastructure for the State. The OPW employs approximately 2400 staff in a wide variety of positions at its Headquarters in Trim, major centres in Dublin, Kilkenny and Claremorris, along with some 100 locations throughout the country. The OPW’s annual budget is approximately €700m. The Vision of the organisation, ‘to protect and enhance the State’s built and natural environment for future generations’, reflects the increasing focus on driving National Development Plan delivery across all areas, in a sustainable manner that is fully aligned with the Government’s climate action ambition to significantly reduce the State’s carbon footprint. About the Role: The Assistant Secretary – Building Services and Capital Works Support will support the Chairman and Management Board to manage the effective delivery of a range of capital projects on behalf of the OPW, as well as its Clients. With responsibility for delivering the projects outlined in the OPW NDP Programme efficiently and on a value for money basis, the successful person will ensure excellent project oversight, anticipating and managing risk. This role will involve close collaboration with colleagues in the OPW, and with external stakeholders, to ensure that the OPW Sectoral Investment Plan is appropriately managed, with progress tracked and reported. The successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate a strong commitment to sound project management and delivery, including inputting to measures across the wider Civil Service, as required. This role will interface with senior stakeholders across the Civil Service, as well as with the political system, requiring an ability to persuasively communicate and engage stakeholders. The person will be expected to manage a range of property projects and maintenance programmes as part of the OPW NDP Programme, interacting with relevant departments, as well as external parties, including contractors and delivery partners. In addition, good knowledge and experience of parliamentary and political processes, are a requirement of this position. Strong leadership and collective support for organisational change, including inputting into key organisational and corporate responsibilities, is required. This role reports directly to the OPW Chairman and leads a new Division within the OPW, with several direct reports at Principal Officer Level. This role will carry responsibility for a range of units, with five direct reports across Property Maintenance, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Services, Energy Efficiency and Climate Action Delivery, as well as Civil and Structural Engineering. It will also entail close collaboration with other Capital Delivery divisions. Ongoing improvement and innovation in relation to how the OPW carries out its projects is critical and collaboration with the Office of the State Architect in respect of the roll out of Building Information Modelling methodology, will be a key enabler of innovative ways of working. In delivering on the above aspects of the role, the Assistant Secretary, Building Services and Capital Works Support will: - Drive a strategic approach to implementation of a range of Capital projects, including Property maintenance and engineering service projects; - Support the Chairman in their role as Accounting Officer, through ensuring sound management of the capital expenditure under their remit, including reporting to the C&AG and the Public Accounts Committee; - Enhance the mechanisms to effectively manage and maintain appropriate oversight of a range of capital services and projects, including supporting reporting requirements; - Manage the procurement strategy required to ensure that construction projects are procured on a value for money basis, in line with public procurement regulations; - Oversee the development of appropriate specifications for construction projects, including approvals, project schedules and cost analysis, for selection and awarding of contracts; - Closely manage the delivery of projects, against budgets and timeframes, with design teams, contractors, specialists, and construction management firms; - Support and input into the internal project reporting processes, to ensure the OPW can monitor progress under the OPW Sectoral Investment plan; - Ensure that the necessary Project governance protocols are adhered to, in order to effectively anticipate, mitigate and monitor project risks; and Contribute effectively and constructively as a member of the Management Board including supporting and enabling leadership through the Department’s Senior Management team, fostering its values and a culture of opportunity with encouragement for development, training and knowledge sharing. About You: The suitable candidate will: - Have a proven record of accomplishment as a leader and senior manager in a large or complex organisation, with a capacity for sound judgement and strategic decision making. - Demonstrate a strong understanding and track record in the management of large capital budgets. - Have demonstrated senior level experience of leading the development of strategically important capital programmes. - Proven ability to lead organisational change, to foster organisational development and to collaborate with senior colleagues and staff at all levels and disciplines in the organisation; - Have led the delivery of large scale capital programmes/projects, ensuring successful delivery, with reference to budgets, timelines and stakeholder engagement. - Have a proven track record in the areas of dynamic planning, budgeting, and prioritisation at a senior management level in a complex, multi-dimensional organisation in either the public or private sector; - Have a proven ability to lead organisational change, to foster organisational development and to collaborate with senior colleagues and staff at all levels and disciplines in the organisation - Have excellent negotiating, influencing and interpersonal skills in an environment of multiple stakeholders, including an ability to recognise and manage different stakeholders’ perspectives to achieve mutually acceptable outcomes. - Have a proven track record of achievement in their career to date, including leading change and delivering performance improvements in business-critical operational areas. - Have clearly demonstrated a strong corporate commitment at a senior management level in support of broader organisational performance and development. Further information including details on how to apply for this position is available on www.publicjobs.ie. The closing date for receipt of completed applications is 3pm on Thursday, 22nd October, 2026. We are committed to a policy of equal opportunity and encourage applications under all nine grounds of the Employment Equality Act.