Senior Quantity Surveyor – Grade I

Job title: Senior Quantity Surveyor Grade I

Employer: Department of Education or Department of Further & Higher Education, Research, Innovation & Science

Location: Offaly

Closing Date: 3pm, Thursday, 6th June 2024

Salary: Starting at €81,632

About the Employer:

Department of Education

The mission of the Department of Education is to ensure that all children and young people have access to a positive learning experience and to facilitate them, through learning to realise their full potential and contribute to Ireland’s social, economic and cultural development. Under Project Ireland 2040, the education sector will have received in excess of €5 billion capital investment over the period 2021-2025. This significant investment allows the Department to move forward on ambitious plans and deliver high quality building projects, with a real focus on sustainability, for school communities across Ireland.

Planning and Building Unit

The Planning and Building Unit of the Department of Education (DOE) is responsible for identifying the current and future infrastructure requirements for the education sector and for overseeing the delivery of a capital programme to deliver accommodation to the required standard, within the allocated resources, and in line with the strategic direction of the Department. The Unit also has responsibility for strategic planning to ensure that the Department can continue to meet future requirements for education accommodation in line with growing demand and changing needs. The Unit currently comprises over 200 administrative and professional staff covering a range of functions across forward planning; site acquisition and property management; school capital appraisal; overseeing and managing delivery of major construction projects, devolved projects and other programmes of capital activity; professional and technical guidance underpinned by research; and financial management.

Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science

The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS) is responsible for policy, funding and governance of the higher and further education, adult education and research sectors and for the oversight of the work of the State agencies and public institutions operating in these areas. Under Project Ireland 2040, the further and higher education sector will receive a total of approximately 2.9 billion capital investment over the period 2021-2025. SOLAS is the State agency that oversees the development of the Further Education & Training (FET) and skills sector, with each of the 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs) undertaking the role of Contracting Authority on capital Projects. The HEA leads the strategic development of the Irish higher education and research system, and has a statutory responsibility, at central government level, for the effective governance and regulation of higher education institutions and the higher education system. Generally, a programmed approach is taken to investment within the tertiary education sector with the HEA and SOLAS managing the capital programmes in their respective sectors as the Sanctioning Authority. Responsibility for planning and delivery of higher education capital projects rests with the Institutions under their remit which fulfil the role of Sponsoring Agency. DFHERIS oversee the policy, governance and funding of these agencies as the Parent Department and ensure prompt progression of the programmes and projects through the life-cycle decision gates as defined in the Public Spending Code/Infrastructure Guidelines.

Capital Planning Division

The DFHERIS Capital Planning Division is separated into four units:

• Climate Action and Capital Planning Unit

• Capital Programme Development, Governance and Evaluation Unit

• Capital Programmes Delivery Unit

• Student Accommodation Unit The Professional and Technical team members work across all four sections, providing technical advice as required to each unit. The role involves working collaboratively and transparently with a wide range of stakeholders over a diverse estate and portfolio of projects in the tertiary education, research and innovation sectors.

About the Role:

Department of Education

Reporting directly to a Technical or Programme Manager in the Planning and Building Unit, the Senior Quantity Surveyor will have continuous internal interaction with the administrative and professional staff in the Planning and Building Unit and the Inspectorate. They will also have significant interaction with external stakeholders at all levels such as schools/institutions, Project Design Team Consultants, professional bodies, and various government departments. The Senior Quantity Surveyor will be required to present the DOE’s position on all relevant policy matters, and to expedite the delivery of school projects by their design teams. The collective responsibility of the Senior Quantity Surveyor and their design team is to ensure designs are fit for purpose and in accordance with the DOE’s brief Design Team Procedures, and Design & Technical Guidance.

Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science

Reporting directly to a Technical Manager or Principal Officer in the Capital Planning Division, the Senior Quantity Surveyor will have continuous internal interaction with the administrative and professional staff in the Capital Investment Units. They will also have significant interaction with external stakeholders at all levels such as agencies under the aegis of the Department, universities, colleges, and public institutions operating in the HE and FET sectors, other government departments and agencies, design teams, contractors and other service providers. The Senior Quantity Surveyor will be required to present the DFHERIS’s position on all relevant policy matters, to engage in the preparation of capital programmes and to support the delivery of third level educational building projects.

About You:

Candidates must have on or before Thursday 6th of June 2024:

1. A qualification in Quantity Surveying at minimum level 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) or NARIC Ireland equivalent;

2. Be included or eligible to be included on the Register of Quantity Surveyors established in accordance with Part 4 of the Building Control Act 2007 as administered by the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI)1 ;

3. Gained Chartered Membership of the SCSI in Ireland or the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS);

4. A minimum of five years’ (post qualification) practical quantity surveying experience in a senior technical position working on significant projects;

5. Knowledge and understanding of the various forms of construction contracts in use in the industry;

6. Ability to actively participate in project cost assessment and analysis;

7. Experience in work planning and a proven ability to work under pressure to tight deadlines;

8. Excellent analytical skills and the ability to take a strategic approach in the delivery of key policy objectives;

9. The capacity to conduct formal and informal inquiries effectively, to collect all the necessary information to report impartially and accurately, to draw conclusions and make recommendations; 10. The ability to foster positive working relationships with colleagues and external stakeholders and to liaise with and represent the organisation credibly and confidently with senior personnel, legal and other professionals;

11. Excellent, interpersonal, motivational and teamwork skills including a proven ability to lead and work in multidisciplinary teams;

12. Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to present complex information in a clear and concise manner;

13. Exceptional organisational skills and the ability to quickly adapt to changing environments;

14. Proven ability to maintain confidentiality, impartiality and discretion;

15. Demonstrate a high level of integrity and a drive for excellence;

16. Good Information Technology (IT) skills with proficiency in Microsoft Office applications;

17. A current full driving licence (Category B), as they may be required to drive in the course of their duties.

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, 6th June, 2024.

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