Helping the Hills Trainer and Technical Adviser (part-time)

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JOB OPPORTUNITY HELPING THE HILLS TRAINER & TECHNICAL ADVISER (part-time) The Role The main focus of the Trainer and Technical Adviser role is on developing and delivering specialist training courses. The Trainer and Technical Adviser will also provide bespoke technical advice on how to address upland path erosion or related issues. The ideal candidate will be recognised for their achievements in this specialist sector, they will be self-motivated, competent and have demonstrated experience of training others in hand-built upland path work. The Trainer and Technical Adviser will work closely with Mountaineering Ireland s Environmental Officer (new role), and report to Mountaineering Ireland s Access & Environment Manager. The role will also include engagement with the Helping the Hills Steering Group. The Helping the Hills programme is funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht (DRCDG). This is a part-time (core work - two days per week) hybrid or remote role that will involve a needs-based mix of face-to-face engagement and desk work, with consequent travel to upland areas across the country. Additional work is anticipated where clients (e.g. local authorities or local development companies) request site-specific, specialist technical advice. Key responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of the Helping the Hills training programme, at times working in conjunction with external trainers and local site managers.
• Develop a suite of training opportunities including: upland path condition survey techniques; path monitoring and maintenance; upland path repair and construction; and the management of upland path projects (see proposed programme in Appendix 1).
• Create training materials and resources (including defined learning outcomes, guidance notes and instructional videos) to support the Helping the Hills training programme.
• Work with the Environmental Officer to plan and facilitate training courses and two network events each year.
• Provide technical input, including text, photos and videos, for Helping the Hills communications, case studies, website and publications.
• Provision of technical advice and mentoring (online and over the phone) to Helping the Hills Network members and other relevant organisations.
• Engage with and provide quarterly reports to the Helping the Hills Steering Group.
• Ensure connection with Scotland s Upland Path Advisory Group, including attending one event per year and reporting back to the Helping the Hills Network.
• Provide specialist technical advice on request (eg from local authorities or local development companies), including site visits to identify repair/management options and project supervision for upland path works, at both design and construction stages. Note: this work is not included in the core hours for this role; these additional days will be agreed with the Trainer and Technical Adviser on a case-by-case basis with costs covered by the beneficiary).

General Responsibilities

• Prioritising workload and managing competing demands effectively.
• Acting as an ambassador for the Helping the Hills programme and Mountaineering Ireland and representing the organisation professionally.
• Other tasks which may be required in the support of Mountaineering Ireland s work as designated by line management.

Remuneration, benefits and role location

• The salary for two days a week will be in the range of €26,000 €31,000 per annum, commensurate with skills and experience. Any additional days in the delivery of specialist technical advice to external bodies will be paid at the same rate.
• Mountaineering Ireland offers a competitive employer pension contribution, outdoor clothing allowance and the bike-to-work scheme, as well as training and development opportunities.
• This is a two-year contract, subject to successful completion of a six-month probation period. The role will require evening and weekend work at times, with time off in lieu.
• Annual leave 9.5 days per annum in year one, 10 days in year two (based on a full-time equivalent of 23 days in year one and 24 in year two). Leave entitlement will increase pro rata for any additional days worked in the provision of technical advice on request.
• The position is based at the National Sports Campus Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, with flexible hybrid working options available.
• Mountaineering Ireland is an Equal Opportunities Employer.

Process Please complete this Application Form and send email to: jobs(AT)mountaineering.ie (only information submitted on the application form will be considered; CVs will not be accepted). Closing date for applications is Wednesday 1st April 2026 Interviews will be held in-person on Wednesday 15th April 2026 Background to the Helping the Hills programme Mountaineering Ireland started the Helping the Hills initiative with a conference in Glendalough in 2012, followed by a study visit to England in September 2013 and a seminar event in Dublin in November 2013. The Helping the Hills Guiding Principles emerged from these events. More recently, there was an online Helping the Hills network event in January 2021 and a two-day event in May 2023 showcasing the Croagh Patrick path project. At the end of the 2021 event, it was agreed that a Helping the Hills Network should be formed to:

• To advocate for a considered, quality approach to addressing upland path erosion, to raise the profile of upland path management and highlight the need for investment in this area, including in ongoing maintenance.
• To facilitate connection and information-sharing between interested organisations.
• To help develop capacity to deliver quality upland pathwork on the island of Ireland.
• To build on the Helping the Hills Guiding Principles and support the development of a shared understanding of good practice in upland path management.

The event at Croagh Patrick in 2023 showed the value of the Helping the Hills Network and the need for resources to deliver a structured programme to build skills and capacity to deliver quality upland path work. A Steering Group has been formed to reactivate the Helping the Hills Network and guide this programme, its membership includes representation from: Croagh Patrick Stakeholders Group; Irish Uplands Forum; Joyce Country and Western Lakes Geopark; Landscapes NI and European Network of Outdoor Sports; MacGillycuddy Reeks Forum; Mountaineering Ireland; National Parks & Wildlife Service and the Rural Recreation Officer network. In consultation with the Helping the Hills Network, Mountaineering Ireland submitted a proposal to the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht (DRCDG) to:

• respond to training and capacity needs to address path erosion in upland areas;
• capture and share learning from recent projects;
• consolidate the Helping the Hills Network.

Funding was awarded in February 2026 for year one of a two-year Helping the Hills programme. The programme uses the Outdoors Recreation Infrastructure Knowledge and Skills Framework (ORIKS) as its reference. For more on the background to the Helping the Hills programme, see:

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