Apply to be Chairperson to the Board of the Higher Education Authority

The Minister of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science is seeking expressions of interest from suitably qualified candidates for consideration for appointment as Chairperson to the Board of the Higher Education Authority.

The Minister intends making the appointment to fill the current vacancy, which has arisen under Section 16 of the Higher Education Authority Act 2022.

Candidate’s attention is drawn to the general details of the role of Chairperson as set out on page 19 of the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies which can be found here. The Principle states:

• The Chairperson is responsible for leadership of the Board and ensuring its effectiveness on all aspects of its role.
• The Chairperson should display high standards of integrity and probity and set expectations regarding culture, values, and behaviours for the State body and for the tone of discussions at Board level.

The Chairperson is responsible for setting the Board’s agenda in consultation with the CEO, and ensuring that adequate time is available for discussion of all items, in particular for strategic issues. The Chairperson should promote a culture of openness and debate by facilitating the effective contribution of ordinary members in particular and ensuring constructive relations between the executive and members. The Chairperson shall possess the leadership experience required to ensure that the Board guides, challenges and supports the Chief Executive and the executive team whilst holding them to account in doing so.

The Chairperson is responsible for ensuring that members receive accurate, timely and clear information. The Chairperson should ensure there is effective communications with stakeholders.

The same responsibilities of all board members also apply to the Chairperson. These include a responsibility to:

• engage effectively with a range of stakeholders, including Minister(s), senior departmental and agency officials and other relevant bodies;
• constructively challenge and help develop proposals on strategy;
• scrutinise the performance of management in meeting agreed goals and objectives and monitor the reporting of performance;
• satisfy themselves on the integrity of financial information and that financial controls and systems of risk management are robust and defensible;
• satisfy themselves on the application and adequacy of the corporate governance control environment; and determine appropriate levels of remuneration of the CEO, subject to the approval of the Minister with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP delivery and Reform.

Expressions of interest are now invited from suitably qualified applicants with the capacity to demonstrate in their application evidence at an appropriately senior level in the following areas:

Essential

• A proven record of achievement at an appropriately senior level that demonstrates the necessary vision, leadership and management skills, as well as personal resilience;
• Have a well-developed appreciation of best practice in governance, risk management and compliance in a large complex organisation;
• Prior experience of Board membership or of Chairing a Board. Demonstrate that they possess the significant leadership capabilities and experience necessary to discharge the role of Chairperson;
• Have the ability to think, plan and act strategically and to develop organisational strategies, with experience of change management;
• Have strong judgement skills in order to analyse complex issues and facilitate sound decision-making;
• Be able to demonstrate the ability to plan, organise and use organisational resources effectively, as part of a clear results-driven approach;
• Have excellent interpersonal and communication skills including consensus building and influencing skills and the ability to develop constructive relationships with all relevant stakeholders;
• Have the ability to demonstrate high levels of professional and personal integity and probity, imbued with a progressive public-sector ethos.

Desirable

An understanding of the public sector environment, in particular funding, regulatory processes and reporting requirements, accountability structures, and current public sector reform initiatives.

The Minister encourages applications from diverse, qualified candidates to ensure the Board is a true reflection of Irish society and shall have regard to the desirability for gender balance, diversity and inclusion on the Board as the Minister considers appropriate and determines from time to time when making appointments, in line with the updated Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies 2016.

Appointments to the Board will be for an initial period of 4 years. A Board member, including the Chairperson, may be reappointed after the first term ends but may not be appointed for more than two consecutive terms and may not serve as a member for a period of more than 8 years.

• The membership of any member of the Board may be terminated by the Minister at any time, on the basis of reasons to be stated by the Minister.
• A member of the Board may resign his or her membership of the Board by notice in writing sent or given to the Minister, and the resignation shall take effect on the day on which the Minister receives the notice.
• Members of the Board shall, subject to the provisions of Schedule 2 of the Higher Education Authority Act 2022, hold office upon such terms and conditions as the Minister may, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, from time to time determine.
• The roles and responsibilities of Board Members are described in the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies 2016.
• A board member shall cease to be a member of the board if he or she is nominated as a member of Seanad Éireann, is elected as a member of either House of the Oireachtas or as a representative in the European Parliament or elected to the European Parliament.Appointment terms to the Governing Board of the Higher Education Authority (HEA).

The remuneration for the position of Chairperson is €11,970 per annum.

It should be noted that in line with the ‘One Person One Salary’ principle, no public servant will be entitled to receive remuneration in the form of board fees, save for situations that are statutorily provided for e.g. Worker Directors.

Travel and subsistence allowances will be paid in respect of journeys undertaken to attend meetings of the Board or to transact its business. Payments will be made in accordance with approved public sector rates.

The Chairperson is required to devote as much time to duties of the Governing Board as is necessary for the proper and efficient discharge of their duties.

The Governing Board convenes for 2 – 2.5 days per month per annum, of approximately 2.5 hours in duration. Preparation time will be required in advance of meetings.

As an indication of time commitment, (including preparation time), it is estimated that between 25 and 30 days a year will be necessary.

Meetings are held at the HEA offices located in Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 but meetings may take place 1/2 times per annum in one of the Higher Education Institutions.

To be considered for appointment as Chairperson to the HEA Governing Board, your submission should be made via the following link, together with your Curriculum Vitae and a cover letter (see Appendix 1 of the Candidate Information Booklet for help with the online process).

The closing date for the campaign is no later than 3pm on 18 October 2024

If you have any questions regarding the application process please emailstateboards@publicjobs.ie  .

Shortlisting

The selection process may include a shortlisting process dependent on the numbers of applications received.

Specifying background and experience

Please take care when submitting your expression of interest. As the Assessment Panel will generally make its recommendation(s) based on consideration of the documentation which you submit, it is most important that you do the following:

1. Ensure your Cover Letter (and supporting CV) clearly specifies how your particular background and experience meets the requirements of the Board position(s) specified in this booklet, and

2. That you fully answer any supplementary questions which are presented to you as part of our online application process.

This will help ensure that the Assessment Panel is as informed as possible as to the basis and suitability of your candidature.

Conflicts of interest

You must also confirm that you do not have any conflicts of interest or legal impediment which would be likely to interfere with your ability to play a full part on the Governing Board of the HEA. You must also confirm that you can make yourself available to attend meetings of the Governing Board of the HEA.

Nominees outside this process

In making nominations, and in line with best practice as set out in the Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards, it should be noted that it is open to the Minister to consider suitable nominees other than those identified through this process, provided their preferred nominee meets the specified criteria.

Gender balance

The Minister shall have regard to the desirability for gender balance on the Governing Board of the HEA as the Minister considers appropriate and determines from time to time when making appointments.

The Higher Education Authority (HEA) is the statutory agency responsible for higher education (including higher education research) in Ireland to ensure that a high- quality higher education and research system is in place which meets the needs of students and contributes to social, economic, cultural and sustainable development. The HEA is also the statutory funding authority for the universities, technological universities, institutes of technology and other higher education providers and is the advisory body to the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research Innovation and Science (DFHERIS) in relation to the higher education sector. The HEA also has responsibility for the oversight of higher education institutions and the higher education system. As such the HEA is the lead organisation for the development of a higher education and research system that meets the needs of Irish society and the Irish economy and is accountable to the Minister for that leadership. The HEA and DFHERIS agree an annual service level agreement.

A key aim of the HEA is to create a higher education system that maximises opportunities and ensures a high - quality experience for students.

Functions of the HEA

The HEA was established in 1972 by the Higher Education Authority Act 1971. The Higher Education Authority Act 2022 replaced the Higher Education Authority Act 1971 and the new Act provides for a more detailed list of functions and objectives, which reflects the expanded role of the HEA since its establishment.

The Objects which the HEA is required to have regard to when performing its functions are set out in Section 8 of the Higher Education Authority Act 2022 and include:

• to promote the attainment and maintenance of excellence in teaching, learning and research in a high quality higher education system;
• to support designated institutions of higher education in contributing to social, economic, cultural and environmental development and sustainability (including the promotion and use by those institutions of the Irish language);
• to hold designated institutions of higher education to account for their performance and for securing value for money in the use of funding provided under this Act;
• to advance equality of opportunity, diversity and inclusion in higher education;
• to strengthen engagement with the education system and society generally;
• to respect the academic freedom of higher education providers and academic staff in those providers;
• to acknowledge the responsibility of designated institutions of higher education for the performance and governance of those institutions
• to provide that, as far as practicable and having regard to resources available, the needs of the student in higher education are a primary consideration.

The functions of the HEA are set out in section 9 of the Higher Education Authority Act, 2022

The key themes from the 2022 Act include:

• Governance, leadership and operational excellence;
• Funding, value for money, sustainability and performance;
• Evidence, policy and strategic planning;
• Quality and academic excellence;
• Equality, diversity and inclusion;
• Education, Skills, engagement and co-operation;
• Research planning, support and funding.

Further details on the HEA may be obtained from the HEA website.

Composition of the HEA Governing Board

The composition of the HEA Governing Board is set out in Section 16 of the Higher Education Authority Act, 2022. The Board consists of eleven ordinary members and a Chairperson, appointed by the Minister.

Subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Acts, 2014, applications will be treated in strict confidence. All enquires, applications and all aspects of the proceedings are treated as strictly confidential and are not disclosed to anyone, outside those directly involved in that aspect of the process.

Certain items of information, not specific to any individual, may be extracted from computer records for general statistical purposes.

The Data Protection Act 2018 provides that the processing of personal data shall be lawful where such processing is necessary for the performance of a statutory function of a controller. PAS is mandated by statute under the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act, 2004 to act as the centralised assessment and selection body for the civil service and to carry out all the procedures necessary to undertake the recruitment, assessment and selection of suitable candidates for appointment. By submitting your personal data (including your name, address, contact details and details of your education and work history contained in your curriculum vitae and cover letter) via publicjobs.ie, you acknowledge that such data may be used by the Public Appointments Service and disclosed to and used by client departments, in connection with its statutory roles to assist and advise relevant Ministers in relation to appointments to the boards of State bodies. The information contained in your publicjobs profile is yours to manage, amend, update or delete as appropriate. For more detailed information on our Data Protection Policy, please see our Code of Practice for the Protection of Personal Data in the Public Appointments Service.

If your application is assessed and you are considered to be suitable for appointment your c.v. and cover letter (and any additional supplementary information requested as part of the application process), will be forwarded to the State Board Liaison Officer in the relevant Department. Once it obtains your personal data, the Department will act as data controller of such data and will retain it for up to one year following the appointment/s. Unless you request the withdrawal of your application such data may be used in considering your suitability for other similar vacancies/roles that arise for a period of up to one year for this Board.