Senior Communications and Public Affairs Specialist

Job Type – Full-Time Permanent (we will also consider a part-time position for a candidate who exceeds the minimum required experience and qualifications).

Location – Flexible (hybrid homeworking) based in the Republic of Ireland with some travel to offices in Naas/Dublin and other events in Ireland, Northern Ireland and Europe.

Working hours – Typically 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday but hours of work are flexible (a part-time role may also be considered for the right candidate as above)

Salary - Competitive Package.

Reporting to – Head of Energy Storage Ireland.

The candidate:

The successful candidate will work as part of a team to build support for the policies and priorities of Ireland’s energy storage and electrification industries by developing and delivering key messages to critical political, industry, policymaking and media stakeholders.

You will be able to draft high-quality, accessible and concise public affairs and communications content to tight deadlines and you will be comfortable publicly representing the organisation to different stakeholders and audiences. You will also be able to develop high-quality content and insights to inform the associations’ member engagement and create innovative content to promote energy storage and electrification in general across various print, broadcast and digital media channels.

You will enjoy finding new ways to explain complex policy and technical issues so that they are accessible to a wide array of audiences and you will be committed to helping Ireland respond to the climate emergency.

This role will be split on an approximate 80:20 basis in terms of time and workload between two associations: Energy Storage Ireland and Ireland Electrified. These organisations are based in the same location and share resources and staff.

Energy Storage Ireland

Energy Storage Ireland (ESI) is a representative body for the energy storage industry in Ireland and Northern Ireland. We work to promote the benefits of energy storage to decarbonising Ireland’s energy system and engage with policy makers to support and facilitate the development of energy storage on the island.

Our vision is to deliver the energy storage technologies necessary to enable a secure, carbon free electricity system on the island of Ireland by 2035.

You can find out more about the work of ESI, our members, structure, events and reports by visiting our website: www.energystorageireland.com

Ireland Electrified

Ireland Electrified is a membership association representing those across Ireland who are working together to electrify our country.

Our members, working in electric heat, domestic and industrial, as well as electric transport, have come together to advocate for the right policies that will help accelerate the electrification of our heating and transport sectors.

You can find out more about the work of Ireland Electrified, our members, structure, events and reports by visiting our website: www.irelandelectrified.ie  

Role Description

Achieving the renewable energy targets set out in Climate Action Plan will require an unprecedented mobilisation across every level of Irish society.

The role of the Senior Communications & Public Affairs Specialist is to build support for the development of energy storage and electrification as key enablers of a cleaner, more independent Irish energy system. By supporting the development of renewable electricity, reducing our reliance on imported fossil fuels and delivering economic benefits to consumers, energy storage and electrification are key pillars of the energy transition.

Duties will be varied and will include but are not limited to:

• Draft high-quality, clear and concise public affairs and communications content to support delivery of key strategic objectives of ESI and Ireland Electrified;
• Develop networks with key political, policy-making and media stakeholders;
• Assist with media enquiries, requests for information and development of association position papers and thought-leadership articles;
• Support member committees and working groups in the areas of communication and stakeholder engagement;
• Develop high-quality content and insights to inform ESI and Ireland Electrified’s communications and member engagement;
• Create innovative content to promote the associations and energy storage/electrification in general across various media channels;
• Stay up to date on policy developments in Ireland and Northern Ireland;
• Monitor the media and escalate any matters relevant to the energy storage and electrification sectors;
• Updating ESI and Ireland Electrified websites and social media platforms;
• Support the team on membership engagement and promotion of new membership opportunities;
• Support in promotion of conferences, events and publications.

Knowledge/Skills/Experience

Essential:

• Minimum of 4 years’ experience working in public affairs or communications;
• Relevant third-level qualification in Public Affairs, Communications, Journalism, or a related field;
• Excellent understanding of the Irish political, media and policymaking landscape;
• Outstanding written and verbal communications skills;
• Experience designing high-quality digital content and use of social media channels such as LinkedIn;
• Comfortable representing the organisation in formal and informal settings;
• Experience in establishing, building and maintaining relationships with key political and media stakeholders;
• Highly organised with an ability to multi-task, to take responsibility and to work to tight deadlines;
• Demonstrated ability to work as part of a team, while also being able to define and guide own work under minimal supervision;
• Committed to playing your part in responding to the climate emergency and making Ireland energy-independent; and,
• Experience working with MS Office tools – particularly MS Word, MS Excel, and MS SharePoint.

Desirable Criteria:

• Experience of working in a membership-based organisation;
• Knowledge of the Irish energy sector and, particularly, renewable energy, energy storage and electrification;
• Knowledge of energy storage and/or electrification technologies, their use cases and benefits;
• Clean and full driving licence;
• Experience using WordPress and website management; and
• Familiarity with policymaking and relevant stakeholders in the energy sector such as Government departments, planning authorities, the energy regulator, electricity system operators etc.

Work Environment and Benefits:

ESI and Ireland Electrified are sister associations of Wind Energy Ireland (WEI) which is the representative body for the Irish wind industry. WEI manages the administrative functions of ESI and Ireland Electrified via agreements between the two associations and so this position will be employed by WEI, but the primary duties of the role described above will fall under the remit of ESI and Ireland Electrified.

We pride ourselves on being a good employer, creating a people focused company, developing teams, enhancing roles and supporting our people.

We are committed to a positive progressive culture that facilitates a great work environment.

• Our office is based in Naas, Co. Kildare although we also carry out work/meetings in Dublin. We accommodate flexible working arrangements, and staff are required to be available to attend meetings and/or work from the office when needed (typically approx. 4 days per month). There may also be instances where we use other workspaces outside of Naas.
• Staff are also required to be available to attend conferences and policy forums (typically 4-5 events annually).

We currently provide the following non-salary benefits:

• 23 annual leave days and 4 company days, plus an option to buy-back an additional 3 days annual leave each year.
• Healthcare scheme provided by VHI.
• Pension scheme with employer contributions.
• Income protection insurance for staff.
• Hybrid and flexible working.
• Supportive maternity & paternity schemes and parents leave.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• A competitive sick pay scheme.
• Phone and laptop, along with home office equipment.
• Mileage at standard civil service rates.