ABOUT THE LAND DEVELOPMENT AGENCY

The Land Development Agency (LDA) is a commercial, semi-State body that seeks to maximise the supply of affordable homes on public and other land in a financially sustainable manner, supporting the creation of thriving communities and delivering ongoing positive social impact. It is overseen by an independent board of directors and is funded with €5 billion of equity capital committed by the Government. It is also permitted to borrow up to €1.25bn.

The LDA has commenced construction on a number of projects on State land and has a delivery pipeline in excess of 20,000 homes. It also works in partnership with the country’s largest and most experienced homebuilders and will deliver a further 8,000 homes under the Government’s Project Tosaigh initiative. Additionally, the LDA is working on large-scale longer-term strategic areas by master-planning and bringing forward planning applications in locations such as Limerick Colbert Quarter, the Digital Hub in Dublin and Sandy Road in Galway.

The Role

The Business Manager role is a senior role within the Chief of Staff function, sitting on the management team and working very closely with the Chief of Staff. The Chief of Staff function comprises Corporate Strategy, Sustainability, Economics, Public Affairs and Communications, Governance Framework and Community and Stakeholder Engagement. The role drives engagement within and external of the Chief of Staff areas, ensuring that the business operations align with the strategic objectives of the LDA. This role supports the delivery of the wider Chief of Staff agenda, driving collaboration and organisational effectiveness by working closely with the Chief of Staff and engaging with internal and external stakeholders. The role will work across departments, supporting collaboration, consistency, and the smooth execution of priority initiatives.

This position is ideal for a collaborative, motivated and organised professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment and is eager to broaden their skillset whilst contributing to strategic and day-to-day project and business management activities. The role holder will likely have some exposure to confidential and sensitive information and will be expected to demonstrate ethical and professional judgement, discretion and confidentiality. This role will report directly to the Chief of Staff.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Be a trusted advisor, sounding board and key support to the Chief of Staff on strategic and operational items across the Agency
Act as a key point of contact, engaging with both internal and external stakeholders, when required
Act as a delegate for the Chief of Staff in projects and meetings, where appropriate
Due to the varied responsibilities of the Chief of Staff function, the business manager will be required to lead or provide input into ad hoc projects, as required. This will require agility, strong multitasking capabilities and a high level of comfort with ambiguity
Foster engagement, knowledge sharing and strong communication across functions within the Chief of Staff area to promote cohesion and collaboration, while proactively addressing and removing any roadblocks
Build and maintain strong collaborative relationships across the Agency to develop a deep understanding of day-to-day and strategic priorities, enabling effective support to the Chief of Staff and wider business in delivery of the business agenda and workflow
Collaborate with the Governance team to support the Governance Framework, assisting in the development, management and continuous implementation of organisational policies and procedures to ensure smooth operation of business activities in compliance with the governance framework of the LDA
Contribute to working groups on Risk Management and Internal Control activities and support Business Unit SMEs in delivering presentations on strategic policies and procedures as appropriate
Lead the preparation and consolidation of monthly reports for Executive Management Team and Board meetings, and other ad hoc reporting requirements. This will include working with the EMT to track and report progress on the Agency’s key management initiatives
Coordinate the compilation of the LDA annual report ensuring accuracy, consistency and timeliness
Prepare and coordinate the delivery of the CoS function's annual workplan

Skills Required

Demonstrates exceptional communication and organisational skills
Ability to plan and execute projects on time and within budget
Proven ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities effectively
A collaborative team player, with excellent interpersonal skills, who builds strong working relationships
Skilled in stakeholder engagement, with the ability to foster long term partnerships
Proven horizon scanning and anticipatory skills
Adaptable and agile in a dynamic environment
Comfortable navigating ambiguity
Self-starter, who values autonomy and operates effectively with minimal direction
Takes a strategic agency wide perspective
Solution orientated with a can-do attitude
Maintains composure under pressure
Strong leadership skills, able to guide, influence and achieve outcomes through others
Embraces the open nature of the role and thrives in an environment with broad scope and evolving challenges

Qualifications and Experience Requirements:

Third level qualification, or equivalent, in Business, Project Management or a related discipline
Minimum five years’ experience working in a comparable senior role
Deep experience in stakeholder relationship management
Leadership experience in enhancing business unit, departmental and wider organisational collaboration and effectiveness
Sector knowledge helpful, but not necessary

The Land Development Agency (LDA) is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to promote and support a diverse and inclusive workforce, and we endeavour to provide reasonable accommodation.

Business Manager (Chief of Staff)

Job Description