Senior Policy & Advocacy Manager

Location: Hybrid / Ireland
job type: Contract / Full-time
Sector and subsector: Voluntary/Charity General
Annual Salary range:from € 70,000.00 to € 90,000.00

Senior Policy & Advocacy Manager A senior national role shaping policy, evidence and influence for people with Down syndrome across Ireland.

REPORTS TO Deputy CEO & Head of Public Affairs

CONTRACT Full-time, three-year fixed-term contract, with opportunity to renew

LOCATION Hybrid or Remote depending on expereince

SALARY BENEFITS

• 4% employer pension contribution; 25 days annual leave

WORKING MODEL About the role Down Syndrome Ireland is seeking an experienced Senior Policy & Advocacy Manager to lead and further develop our national policy and advocacy function at a significant point in the organisation's development.

This is a senior role with substantial autonomy and responsibility. The successful candidate will operate with authority across Government, the Oireachtas, the HSE, statutory agencies and the wider disability and social policy sector, developing credible policy solutions and advancing them through policy, legislative, funding and implementation processes.

The postholder will take day-to-day leadership of DSI's policy programme, translating the priorities of people with Down syndrome and their families, organisational expertise, data and evidence into practical proposals capable of influencing national decisions.

Reporting to the Deputy CEO & Head of Public Affairs, the postholder will work closely with senior leadership and colleagues across DSI, while exercising significant professional judgement and working independently to identify opportunities, develop policy positions and progress agreed priorities. They will bring the credibility and confidence to represent DSI directly with senior decision-makers across Government and the public service and, ideally, established relationships across relevant Departments, the HSE, statutory agencies and the wider policy system.

A major initial responsibility will be leading DSI's policy and secretariat support for the Cross-Party Oireachtas Group on Down Syndrome and helping translate its programme into tangible policy outcomes.

The role will be central to delivery of the advocacy commitments within Unity and to strengthening DSI's position as Ireland's leading authority on the policy and systemic issues affecting people with Down syndrome throughout their lives.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the development and delivery of DSI's national policy and advocacy programme within the strategic direction agreed by the Deputy CEO & Head of Public Affairs and Senior Management Team.
• Develop annual and multi-year policy priorities aligned with Unity and emerging Government opportunities.
• Identify where DSI should intervene and recommend how best to secure policy, legislative, funding or implementation change.
• Develop authoritative, evidence-informed policy positions, recommendations and proposals.
• Lead the preparation of major submissions, consultation responses, policy papers and briefings.
• Provide senior policy advice to the Deputy CEO, CEO, Senior Management Team and, as required, the Board.

2. Government, legislation and political affairs

• Maintain a strong understanding of the Irish political, legislative and public-policy environment and identify developments affecting people with Down syndrome.
• Monitor Government strategies, legislation, Budgets, regulatory developments, implementation plans and departmental initiatives and determine where DSI should engage.
• Analyse proposed policy and legislation, assess how commitments are being implemented in practice, identify gaps between policy intent and the lived experience of people with Down syndrome, and develop practical recommendations for reform.
• Prepare high-quality briefings for Ministers, Government Departments, Oireachtas members, statutory agencies and other decision-makers.
• Build and strengthen credible working relationships with senior officials, political representatives, the HSE, statutory agencies and policy stakeholders, and represent DSI at appropriate Government, Oireachtas and sectoral forums.
• Work closely with the Deputy CEO & Head of Public Affairs on political strategy and major Government relationships while independently progressing the policy work required to convert engagement into outcomes.

3. Cross-Party Oireachtas Group on Down Syndrome

• Lead DSI's policy and secretariat function for the Cross-Party Oireachtas Group on Down Syndrome.
• Drive the agreed programme of work between meetings, with a strong focus on policy outcomes rather than meeting administration.
• Develop the objectives, evidence, briefings and recommendations required for each stage of the Group's programme.
• Coordinate engagement with Oireachtas members, Government Departments, external experts and relevant stakeholders.
• Ensure commitments and agreed actions are recorded, progressed and followed through.
• Identify opportunities to translate the Group's work into Government policy, legislation, funding and implementation.

4. Policy development across the life course Lead policy development across the issues affecting people with Down syndrome throughout their lives, including early intervention, education, health, employment, housing, independent living, social protection and income supports, transport, community participation, ageing and cross-cutting disability rights, data and service-planning issues.

The postholder will not be expected to be the technical expert in every field, but will be responsible for bringing together internal expertise, evidence, lived experience and external insight to develop robust DSI policy positions.

5. Evidence, data mapping and organisational insight

• Ensure DSI policy and advocacy is grounded in robust evidence, service experience and the lived experience of people with Down syndrome and their families, including structured engagement with the National Advisory Council (NAC), Regional Advisory Councils (RACs) and other member structures.
• Lead the identification, mapping and interpretation of relevant national and organisational data to build a stronger evidence base on population, service access, unmet need, inequalities and outcomes for people with Down syndrome across the life course.
• Identify gaps in national data and evidence and develop practical approaches to strengthen DSI's understanding of need through organisational information, member and family insight, published research, statutory data and external evidence.
• Translate data, evidence and organisational knowledge into clear policy arguments, measurable recommendations and credible propositions for Government and public bodies.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across DSI to identify emerging issues, patterns of unmet need and areas where policy or service provision is failing to meet need.
• Use evidence and data to demonstrate the scale and impact of identified issues, develop the evidence and policy case for sustained multi-annual statutory investment, support funding and policy asks, and strengthen DSI's ability to influence legislative, policy and implementation change.
• Monitor national and international evidence, policy developments and emerging practice relevant to DSI priorities.

6. Strategic advocacy, communications and influence

• Translate policy recommendations into clear influencing objectives and stakeholder strategies.
• Work closely with the Deputy CEO & Head of Public Affairs, colleagues across DSI and external communications and public affairs advisers to ensure advocacy, communications and stakeholder engagement support agreed policy outcomes.
• Develop influencing plans around priority policy areas.
• Build constructive alliances with disability organisations, NGOs, professional bodies, researchers and other stakeholders where collaboration can strengthen the case for change.
• Represent DSI confidently and authoritatively in external meetings, consultations, working groups, conferences and policy forums.
• Lead and coordinate external specialist support where communications, public affairs, stakeholder intelligence, research, engagement or strategic expertise can strengthen delivery, ensuring the Senior Policy & Advocacy Manager retains clear internal ownership of the policy and advocacy programme.

The person we are looking for We are looking for an experienced policy professional capable of operating independently at a senior level. The successful candidate is likely to bring substantial experience from public policy, Government, politics, public affairs, advocacy, the NGO sector, a statutory organisation, a professional body, academia or another environment involving complex policy development and influence.

Rather than requiring a prescribed number of years' experience, we are particularly interested in evidence that candidates have already operated with the judgement, authority and independence required for this role.

• Significant experience developing high-quality public policy, legislative or advocacy positions.
• A strong understanding of Irish Government, Oireachtas and policy-making processes.
• The ability to analyse complex policy, legislation and data and translate them into practical recommendations.
• Strong political judgement and an understanding of how policy change is achieved.
• Experience influencing senior stakeholders and building trusted relationships across Government . click apply for full job details