Head of Equality Diversity & Inclusion (Open Competition)

Head of Equality Diversity & Inclusion (Open Competition)

Position: Head of Equality Diversity & Inclusion

Grade: Higher Executive Officer (HEO)

Whole time equivalent: Full-time (35 Hours per week)

Reports to: Strategic Development Director

Duration: Permanent

Role Closing date: Role Closing date: 12 noon, Tuesday 21st of May 2024

B. Department & Role Overview

The Strategic Development Department in the Arts Council leads the organisation in the development, implementation and evaluation of our corporate strategy, Making Great Art Work, and is responsible for change and programme management within the organisation through the programme management office (PMO).

The Arts Council, in everything it does, strives to respect, support and ensure the inclusion of all voices and cultures that make up Ireland today, from all sections of society, from existing and new communities, and from all social backgrounds, ethnicities and traditions. The Arts Council Equality, Human Rights and Diversity policy was published in 2019 and was retitled as the Equality, Diversity and Equality (EDI) policy in 2023.

The Arts Council's EDI policy is built on the foundation that everyone in Ireland has an equal right to engage with and participate in the arts, regardless of age, civil or family status, disability, gender, membership of the Traveller community, race, religion, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status. The Arts Council recently published the new EDI implementation plan for 2023 to 2025.

The Head of EDI will provide proactive leadership, expertise and direction for EDI activity across the Arts Council, ensuring progress is made towards our goals and that our EDI policy is implemented in a way that is transformative and leads significant change across the arts sector in Ireland.

C. Key Responsibilities

As Head of EDI:

Lead the implementation and further development of the Arts Council EDI Policy across the organisation;

Work in consultation with the EDI Working Group, the Senior Team and the Arts Council Director in planning, prioritising, delivering and reporting on the corporate work programme for EDI;

Liaise within the Arts Council to ensure that the EDI Implementation plan is effectively integrated within the organisation's systems, policies and procedures;

Liaise externally and consult widely with a range of groups and bodies to ensure a continued dialogue between the Arts Council and its relevant stakeholders in bringing this policy implementation to fruition;

Develop robust partnerships with external civil society actors to create meaningful work opportunities in the arts for people from diverse backgrounds, specifically pertaining to the following characteristics - disability, ethnicity, gender, socio-economic background;

Work with the arts sector to proactively promote EDI values and principles in all aspects of their work;

Embed evidence based policy-making and data-driven decision-making practices into all aspects of the policy delivery;

Represent the Arts Council and the Government of Ireland at various national and international forums which platform best practice in EDI;

Communicate and disseminate the policy objectives and outcomes widely and transparently;

Monitor, review and report on the policy effectiveness at different intervals and make recommendations on any modifications that may be required.

As a manager:

Drive the values, vision and mission of the Arts Council;

Actively contribute to the delivery of the Arts Council's strategic goals and the ten year strategy Making Great Art Work;

Strive to develop and implement ways of working effectively to meet objectives;

Be flexible and willing to adapt, positively contributing to the implementation of change;

Take responsibility and be accountable for the delivery of agreed objectives;

Lead project teams by example, coaching and supporting individuals as required;

Successfully manage a range of different projects and work activities at the same time;

Delegate work effectively, providing clear information and evidence as to what is required;

Practice and promote a strong focus on delivering high performance and service delivery;

Contribute to strategic decision-making where required;

Create and maintain collaborative internal and external relationships;

Make clear and timely decisions on important issues as required.

D. Skills Knowledge and Experiences

Detailed knowledge and significant experience of working with equality, human rights and diversity issues;

Comprehensive understanding of the Irish arts sector and the wider public policy environment;

Practical knowledge and experience of project/programme management planning and management techniques;

Experience of developing policy and implementing organisation-wide change projects;

Ability to analyse and synthesise information from multiple sources and apply this in an institutional context;

Excellent spoken and written communication skills and the ability to present complex concepts and policy in a clear, user-friendly and accessible style and format;

Excellent interpersonal skills with high levels of collaboration and the ability to work in partnership with other areas and stakeholders;

Ability to apply sound judgement to problems, including those where precedent may not apply;

An inclusive, responsive and innovative approach to work, and the capacity to undertake challenging projects;

An ability to work under pressure and the determination to drive tasks through to practical completion.

Resume / CV iCloud files currently not available

Necessary cookies These are required to enable core site functionality

Statistics cookies These allow us to analyze site usage so we can measure and improve performance