Skillnet Ireland is a business support agency of the Government of Ireland. Our mandate is to advance the competitiveness of Irish businesses through enterprise-led talent development. Skillnet Ireland partners with more than 57 enterprise bodies, providing talent development, upskilling and innovative business supports to 24,035 businesses and 90,136 workers throughout the country every year. The agency has been recognised as an international best-practice model by the European Commission, the OECD and the ILO, among others.

Our mission is that we are “helping businesses in Ireland to be the best they can be, through innovative and enterprise-driven people development”. We partner directly with companies and industry groups to ensure we understand their needs and talent priorities. We also help companies to understand and embrace innovation, to build business competitiveness through skills.

Skillnet Ireland is funded from the National Training Fund through the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.

At Skillnet Ireland, our people are our greatest strength, are at the core of our culture, and the driving force behind our success.

Role Purpose

To co-design, develop, implement and manage national initiatives delivered through external partners, ensuring alignment with Skillnet Ireland’s strategic objectives and government policy. This role acts primarily through a network of enterprise-led partnerships - enterprise bodies, consortia and industry groups - to deliver national workforce solutions at scale. Success depends on the ability to influence, guide and enable external organisations to deliver national objectives effectively.

Key Responsibilities

Portfolio & Programme Management

Lead a portfolio of strategic national workforce development programmes, establishing governance structures, delivery agreements, and performance frameworks with industry partners.
Guide partner organisations through end-to-end programme delivery, ensuring alignment with Skillnet Ireland's operational standards, funding requirements, and quality frameworks.
Monitor programme performance through robust KPIs and metrics, working with the Performance and Evaluation team to track outcomes and drive continuous improvement.

Partner Relationship & Collaboration

Build and maintain strategic relationships with delivery partners, acting as their primary point of contact and fostering trust-based collaboration.
Co-design innovative solutions to national workforce challenges with partners during programme ideation and ongoing development cycles.
Facilitate cross-partner knowledge sharing and communities of practice to strengthen sectoral ecosystems and drive collective impact.

Stakeholder Engagement & Communication

Manage relationships with diverse stakeholders including employers, advisory groups, training providers, government departments, and partner agencies.
Represent and communicate the strategic purpose, value, and impact of portfolio programmes to external audiences.
Collaborate with internal teams (Finance, Operations, Communications, Public Affairs, Policy) to translate strategic objectives into actionable delivery plans and ensure coordinated support for partners.

The Individual

Positive in outlook, plots a pathway through ambiguity and is able to respond quickly to change and emerging trends.
Acts with integrity and understanding; leads by example and adheres to high ethical standards.
Incorporates feedback to continuously improve the research and strategic planning process.
Builds credibility quickly with diverse stakeholders, from enterprise leaders to government officials.
Balances strategic oversight with hands-on relationship management, enabling partners to perform while maintaining accountability.
Navigates complex partner ecosystems with tact, diplomacy and clarity of purpose.

Essential Qualifications & Experience

Third-level qualification in business, learning and development, or related discipline.
5+ years' project and/or relationship management experience in complex multi-stakeholder organisations, ideally within an L&D agency, internal talent function, or partner management role.
Demonstrated commercial acumen and understanding of policy context.
Proven ability to engage diverse stakeholders with integrity, adhering to high ethical standards and building trust across all levels.
Experience leading programmes involving multiple teams and varied stakeholders.
Budget and grant management expertise, including budget control and financial planning.
Strategic thinking with strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
Excellent communication (oral and written), presentation, and collaboration skills, engaging effectively with stakeholders from C-Suite to operational teams.
Sound understanding of learning principles, processes, technologies, and emerging trends.
Proficiency in MS Office and Office 365 (including MS Teams and SharePoint).

Desirable Qualifications & Experience

Master's degree in a relevant field.
Project or programme management qualification (e.g., PRINCE2, PMP, Agile).
Demonstrated ability to design and implement practical L&D strategies and solutions.
Experience with business systems such as CRM (Microsoft Dynamics), data visualisation tools (PowerBI), and project management software (Asana).
Public sector or publicly funded programme experience.

Application Details

Interested candidates should send a comprehensive CV, which outlines why you should be considered for this position. Applications can only be made using the Skillnet Ireland Careers page. The closing date for receipt of completed applications is by 1pm, Monday, 05th January 2026.

An attractive and competitive package will be offered to the successful candidate.

Skillnet Ireland is currently operating a hybrid working model for individuals and roles that meet the business needs and the criteria of suitability.

Skillnet Ireland is an Equal Opportunities Employer that values equity, diversity and inclusion as we recognise the benefits it can bring to our workforce, our partners and external stakeholders.

If you require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Strategic Programmes - Manager

Job Description