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Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment
https://www.epa.ie/
24/10/2025
Wexford
13/11/2025, 15:00
Director General
Fixed Term
Public Sector
The role of Director General is to lead and strategically manage the EPA, offering the opportunity for the successful candidate to carry out purposeful work in a dynamic organisation, that positively impacts on our society and people.
The Director General serves as Chair of the Executive Board and operational chief executive of the EPA and is responsible for the overall running of the Agency. The Director General is accountable to the Oireachtas through the Public Accounts Committee.
This senior position requires the Director General to take responsibility for the overall stewardship and strategic leadership of the EPA. As well as a clear focus on delivering on the EPA’s mandate of protecting, improving, and restoring the environment through regulation, scientific knowledge, and collaboration with others, the Director General will have to lead a process of change and renewal to meet the new operational challenges set by the forthcoming revisions to its governing legislation, as well as ensuring efficient and appropriate decision making processes for interested stakeholders.
The Director General will also set the tone, leading the organisation with a strong culture and values. This includes promoting and demonstrating the organisation’s key values of professional, trustworthy, customer & stakeholder focussed, collaborative and innovative. They will strive to consistently present the EPA, along with its mission, work programmes, and services, in a strong and positive manner to stakeholders.
The Director General is required to:
• As a Board Member, chair and participate in meetings of the EPA Board and Advisory Committee. • Discharge the functions reserved to the Board including decisions relating to Environmental Licence applications and other statutory obligations.• Set a clear vision for the EPA through development of strategy, policy, objectives and targets for each of the EPA’s main areas of activity.• Lead and support Directors, senior management and staff in a programme of ongoing change continuing to develop innovative solutions and programmes of work to deliver operational excellence and the delivery of customer focussed services.• Organise structures in the EPA to ensure maximum efficiency and value for money in the deployment of its human and financial resources in the context of strategic priorities. • Represent the EPA in national and international forums including leading and participating in committees and working groups as required. • Oversee the operations of the EPA and manage its compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.• Ensure the organisation behaves ethically and in a manner that accords with the core values of the EPA.• As Accountable Officer the Director General has particular financial responsibilities and is accountable to the Oireachtas through the Public Accounts Committee.
Essential Requirements Summary• Applicants must demonstrate significant experience as an effective leader of change and development in an organisation.• Applicants must have significant experience leading operational improvements as a senior manager in a medium/large complex organisation, including through digitisation and have a knowledge of, or capacity to quickly acquire, a broad understanding the EPA’s wide-ranging responsibilities.
For a full list of duties and requirements please refer to the candidate information booklet.
The EPA is an independent public body, established under the Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1992. Its sponsor in Government is the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment (DCEE) and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH) also has responsibility for a number of areas of direct relevance to the EPA’s remit.
The purpose of the EPA is “to protect, improve and restore our environment through regulation, scientific knowledge and working with others”. This reflects its three core roles - as an environmental regulator; as a key source of trusted scientific evidence and knowledge; and as a voice for the environment through leadership, advocacy and collaborating and partnering with others to deliver better environmental outcomes.
See information Booklet.
The closing date for receipt of completed applications is 3pm on Thursday 13th November 2025.
If you feel you would benefit from a confidential discussion about any aspect of this significant opportunity, please contact Ms. Aoife Lyons by email at aoife.lyons@publicjobs.ie
We are committed to a policy of equal opportunity and encourage applications under all nine grounds of the Employment Equality Act.
This vacancy is closed to applications.
