Manager, Government Affairs

The Manager, Government Affairs is a client‑facing role supporting Ibec’s political engagement, stakeholder management and influence activity across Government and the Oireachtas. Working directly with members and political stakeholders, the role helps ensure Ibec presents a coherent, informed and influential voice, aligned to the One Ibec strategy and focused on delivering measurable impact and value. The role supports the organisation’s stakeholder architecture and the development of the Stakeholder Management System, contributes to governance and statutory lobbying compliance, and provides political insight, horizon‑scanning and strategic analysis to the Head of Government Affairs. 

The role also provides the opportunity to coach, strengthens cross‑organisational collaboration, and help ensure Ibec’s political activity is coordinated, consistent and member‑focused.

The closing date for applications is 10am on Monday 21st September.

Strategic delivery of Government Affairs priorities

• Support delivery of the Government Affairs Strategy, ensuring alignment with Ibec priorities and the One Ibec approach.
• Provide timely political analysis, insights and guidance to the Head of Government Affairs and Executive Director to inform organisational decision‑making.

 
Stakeholder Relationship Management 

• Assist in prioritising political engagement by identifying high‑impact stakeholders, committees, departments and policy opportunities.
• Represent Ibec at senior political engagements when required.
• Support the development, quality assurance and strategic framing of political briefings, talking points and engagement plans.
• Coordinate with internal teams to ensure alignment between policy content, political messaging and priority stakeholder groups.
• Monitor political, legislative and regulatory developments across Government, Oireachtas committees and state agencies, providing synthesised analysis and implications to the Head of Government Affairs and Executive Director.
• Ensure political intelligence is shared across the organisation to reinforce One Ibec collaboration and increase the collective value of insights.

 
Stakeholder Relationship Framework 

• Support oversight and continuous improvement of the Stakeholder Management System (SMS) to enhance collaboration and shared value creation across IBEC.
• Contribute to the strategic design, governance and ongoing development of the enterprise‑wide stakeholder management framework.
• Support the creation and maintenance of organisation‑wide standards for data quality, tagging, classification and strategic reporting.
• Assist in evolving the SMS from a tracking system to a shared strategic intelligence asset that strengthens One Ibec collaboration and improves organisational impact.
• Promote adoption and consistent usage across divisions to improve data quality and collective insight.
• Commission and coordinate advanced CRM analytics (e.g., sentiment tracking, network mapping, influence pathways) that support enterprise‑wide decision‑making and demonstrate delivered value.

 
Statutory Lobbying Returns & Ethical Governance
 

• Support the review of lobbying returns to ensure compliance with statutory, ethical and internal governance requirements.
• Maintain documentation, audit trails and risk‑control processes related to lobbying activity.
• Act as a point of contact for ethics and compliance queries, helping teams interpret definitions, boundaries and obligations.
• Strengthen organisation‑wide compliance culture, supporting consistency and trust under the One Ibec model.

 
Political Events, Briefings & Engagements
 

• Contribute to the planning, preparation and strategic alignment of Government Affairs events, briefings and political forums.
• Ensure events reflect influence objectives, stakeholder mapping priorities and Ibec’s visibility strategy.
• Promote One Ibec coherence by ensuring all political events reflect shared messages, collective priorities and organisation‑wide value.
• Support cross‑functional coordination (Corporate Affairs, Sectors, Executive Office) to ensure high‑quality engagement experiences and effective follow‑through.

 
Impact Measurement, Reporting & Strategic Insights

• Support development and refinement of a Government Affairs performance and influence measurement framework.
• Ensure reporting highlights enterprise‑wide contribution, measurable outcomes, and the value delivered under the One Ibec strategy.
• Review and provide insights and analysis on stakeholder activity, political developments, campaign performance and engagement trends.
• Provide briefing materials and insight packs to the Head of Government Affairs and Executive Director for internal and external reporting.

 
NOTE: This list is not exhaustive but serves to reflect the nature of the duties included in the role.  Given the nature of the organisation and the need to respond to members’ needs on an ongoing basis, the role is subject to change over time.  

Qualifications

• Significant experience in government affairs, public affairs, policy engagement or a related role within a complex political or stakeholder environment.
• Demonstrable experience supporting political engagement, lobbying activity or stakeholder management involving Government, the Oireachtas or public bodies.
• Strong understanding of the Irish political system, legislative processes and public policy environment.
• Experience producing political analysis, briefings and insight to support senior decision‑making and engagement planning.
• A relevant third‑level qualification in political science, public policy, economics, law, international relations or a related discipline is desirable, or equivalent professional experience.

Key Skills

• Political and stakeholder engagement support across Government and the Oireachtas
• Stakeholder mapping, prioritisation and relationship management
• Political analysis, horizon scanning and synthesis of complex developments
• Preparation of briefings, talking points and engagement materials for senior leaders
• Understanding of statutory lobbying requirements, ethical governance and compliance
• Use of stakeholder management or CRM systems to support insight and coordination
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for political and policy audiences
• Cross‑organisational coordination to ensure aligned messaging and engagement
• Ability to manage sensitive information with discretion and sound judgement

 
Personal Characteristics

• Politically astute, with strong situational awareness and professional judgement
• Confident and credible when engaging with senior stakeholders and members
• Analytical and insight‑driven, able to move from information to implications
• Calm and reliable in fast‑moving or politically sensitive environments
• Collaborative and collegiate, with a strong commitment to the One Ibec approach
• Well‑organised and responsive, balancing competing priorities effectively
• Values‑led and ethical, with a clear understanding of reputational responsibility

Ibec Core Competencies
Bias towards action

• Collaborative - work together as 'one Ibec'.
• Dynamic - approach initiatives with careful planning, energy, drive, and resilience.
• Decisive - make clear, well-informed decisions.

Member and Customer Focus

• Agile and Adaptive - embrace change and be adaptive to members' needs and in ambitious situations.
• Creative and Innovative - not afraid of dynamic thinking in finding solutions.
• Curious and Critical Thinking - open minded and proactive in gathering data in developing opinions.

Drive and Personal Leadership

• Ambitious - driven and can take responsible risks.
• Accountable - committed to highest standards and takes ownership of actions.
• Continuous Improvement - proactive on personal and professional development

 
Ibec is an equal opportunity, and inclusive employer is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for potential and existing employees with a disability. Should you wish to request a reasonable accommodation please email Kenny at Kenneth.kelly@ibec.ie