Head of Strategy Implementation

Job description

We are delighted to be recruiting for our client Sport Ireland for a Head of Strategy Implementation to join their team.

Head of Strategy Implementation

Higher Executive Officer Grade

Job Purpose

The core purpose of the Head of Strategy Implementation is to lead the translation, coordination, and management of Sport Ireland’s strategic objectives into actionable business plans and ensuring effective execution. This role is pivotal in driving the organisation towards its goals by overseeing the implementation of effective key performance indicators (KPIs), fostering alignment with strategic/policy objectives, and enhancing the overall impact of Sport Ireland’s mission. The Head of Strategy Implementation will manage corporate planning functions, collaborate with stakeholders, and support corporate governance to ensure the success of strategic initiatives.

Reporting To:

Reporting day-to-day to the Director of Governance and Strategy, the Head of Strategy Implementation plays a central role in coordinating and managing the translation of strategic objectives into actionable and impactful outcomes. The successful candidate will work closely with key stakeholders and partners responsible for strategic delivery.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

The Head of Strategy Implementation will have the following principal duties and responsibilities:

• Lead the implementation of Sport Ireland’s strategy (and associated responsibilities within the Government’s National Sports Policy), ensuring alignment with organisational goals and objectives focused on strategic initiatives aimed at increasing sports participation and enhancing performance.
• Coordinate the development of detailed implementation plans, including SMART Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), specific timelines, and resource allocation.
• Support the development and planning of future organisational strategies, including contributing insights, performance analysis, and lessons learned from current strategy implementation.
• Manage an effective corporate planning function within Sport Ireland and work with other business units to oversee the implementation of operational and strategic plans.
• Monitor evaluate and review the progress of strategic initiatives/strategicmplementation, identifying opportunities and challenges and recommending corrective actions or adjustments as needed.
• Collaborate with internal teams, government agencies, and key stakeholders to drive the strategic agenda, ensure alignment, and facilitate cross-functional engagement instrategy execution.
• Develop dashboards, executive summaries and regular reports for the Director of Governance and Strategy, senior management, and the Board of Sport Ireland on the status of strategy implementation.
• Provide assistance with estimates for budget and resources allocated to strategic initiatives, ensuring efficient and effective use of funds.
• Establish and manage project teams, providing clear direction and support to achieve strategic objectives.
• Foster a culture of accountability and continuous improvement in strategy execution across the organisation.
• Support the achievement of the highest standards of corporate governance within Sport Ireland and sustain compliance with the ‘Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies.’

This is not an exhaustive list, and the role will include any duties required by Sport Ireland from time to time which are appropriate for the position and the needs of the organisation.

Person Specification:

Essential: Qualifications, Experience, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Academically strong with a relevant Third Level Qualification with high proficiency in MS Office
• A minimum of 3 years’ professional experience in a relevant role.
• Experience and strong understanding of strategic planning and implementation.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to see the big picture and translate it into actionable plans that are quantifiable in delivery and accountability.
• Excellent leadership skills with experience in fostering collaboration and maintaining a high-performance work environment.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills –
• Capable of presenting information verbally in a clear, concise, and confident manner.
• Able to produce impactful and high-quality business writing in all communications ranging from standard daily correspondence to comprehensive business reports for consideration by key stakeholders.
• Capable of presenting qualitative and quantitative data to highlight strategy implementation and summarising this information clearly and comprehensively (written, graphically/dashboard and verbal) as required.
• Capable of building and maintaining healthy, effective, and mutually respectful business relationships with a range of stakeholders including an ability to handle conflict/resistance and sensitive information appropriately.
• Strong analytical/interpretative and problem-solving skills, with the ability to make data driven decisions, with a focus on delivering results.
• Excellent planning, administration and organisational skills demonstrating attention to detail, an ability to work to deadlines, management/prioritisation of different and sometimes conflicting workloads.
• Ability to work effectively on own initiative and in a team environment with commitment to personal and professional development.

The desired candidate will be:

• Enthusiastic and highly motivated to perform at a high level.
• Have a postgraduate qualification in strategy/strategic management or a related discipline.
• Have awareness of change management and the impact of it on organisational transformation.
• Have strategic planning/implementation experience within an organisation similar in stature and profile to Sport Ireland, or within the public sector or sport sector.
• Be familiar with project management methodologies and tools (e.g. PRINCE2, Agile, Scrum).
• Demonstrate commitment to staying abreast of emerging trends, and willingness to embrace various IT tools/systems that can enhance the ability to monitor, evaluate, and adjust strategic initiatives through visual engaging and informative dashboards.
• Have knowledge and understanding of the Government’s National Sports Policy 20182027, Sport Ireland’s Statement of Strategy 2023-2027, and other relevant strategies and or policy documents linked to strategic delivery within the sport sector.
• Have an understanding of the Irish sport ecosystem, including Sport Ireland’s key stakeholders and relationships.
• Have a strong understanding of data analytics and performance measurement techniques to drive evidence-based decision-making.

Additional Information:

Contract:

Full-time, Permanent Role.

Salary Scale: Higher Executive Officer (HEO) Standard Scale. The appointment will be made on this scale at a point in line with current Government Pay Policy. New entrants to the public sector commence on the first point of scale.

Location: Sport Ireland, Sport Ireland Campus, Snugborough Road, Blanchardstown, D15

If you would like to apply for this position, please send your CV in confidence to sportirelandjobs@orangerecruitment.ie . Closing date for applications is Monday 29 June 2026 at 5pm.

Sport Ireland is committed to fostering an inclusive workplace which values and benefits from the diversity of the workforce. Sport Ireland is an equal opportunity employer of all qualified individuals. We actively welcome applications from people from all backgrounds and do not discriminate based on any protected groups. If you require reasonable accommodations to interview, please let us know and we will do our best to assist.

Sport Ireland is a Great Place to Work® Ireland.