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Assistant Principal Officer, Higher Education PPP Programmes Dublin 4 (Hybrid Working) About the Role You will work across 11 higher education buildings, making sure facilities run in line with contractual agreements, governance frameworks and agreed performance standards. It’s a hands-on role that combines strategic oversight with regular site visits, stakeholder engagement and relationship management. Working in a hybrid model, you will act as our client’s representative, working closely with Education Institutions, the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA), the relevant government department and private sector partners to keep the PPP programme running smoothly day to day. Key Responsibilities • Act as our client’s operational lead for your assigned PPP programmes • Oversee the day-to-day operational delivery of the PPP portfolio, keeping facilities managed in line with agreed contractual, governance and performance standards • Carry out regular site visits across the PPP portfolio to monitor operational performance, engage with stakeholders and spot opportunities for improvement • Coordinate operational activities across multiple HEIs, keeping programme delivery and governance consistent • Manage operational issues and support their resolution, acting as an escalation point where needed • Support the rollout of change initiatives across the PPP programme while keeping services running without disruption • Oversee the rollout of governance frameworks throughout the operational phase of the PPP programme • Monitor compliance with contractual obligations, governance arrangements and agreed service standards • Manage the rollout and ongoing administration of agreements with participating HEIs • Develop and put in place assurance and monitoring programmes to support effective governance and compliance • Identify risks and work with stakeholders to put in place the right corrective actions • Keep programme activities in line with public sector governance and regulatory requirements • Analyse operational, financial and performance data to monitor programme effectiveness and spot trends, risks and opportunities • Prepare reports, briefing papers and recommendations to support senior management decisions • Produce programme performance updates and presentations for internal and external stakeholders • Support the development of consistent reporting and monitoring frameworks across the PPP portfolio • Help prepare briefing material for senior management, governance committees and key stakeholders • Build and maintain strong working relationships with HEIs, the NDFA, the relevant government department and other key programme stakeholders • Act as the primary contact for operational PPP matters • Represent our client at governance meetings, operational forums, working groups and stakeholder engagements • Support HEIs in understanding governance requirements and operational processes • Build collaborative working relationships across all programme partners to support successful operational delivery What You’ll Need • Minimum Requirement of Level 8 qualification (or higher) in Business, Engineering, Construction, Facilities Management, Project Management, Law, Finance or another relevant discipline • 8 years experience managing complex operational programmes, infrastructure, facilities, estates or contract management environments • Strong operational management experience, with the ability to oversee multiple sites and stakeholders • Excellent contract management and governance experience • Strong commercial awareness and experience working in regulated or compliance-driven environments • Proven stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build effective relationships across public and private sector organisations • Excellent communication, negotiation and influencing skills • Strong analytical skills, with experience interpreting operational and performance data • Experience preparing reports and presenting information to senior stakeholders • Proven leadership and people management experience • A full driving licence and willingness to travel regularly between sites Desirable Experience • Experience working within Public Private Partnership (PPP) programmes • Knowledge of the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) and public sector governance • Experience in higher education, healthcare, local government or other public infrastructure environments • Experience managing facilities, estates or operational service contracts • Knowledge of public procurement processes • Experience using reporting and data visualisation tools such as Power BI For immediate consideration, please email your CV to [email protected] or call Darren O’Connor on 051 878813. 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