Executive, External Affairs (Engagement & Initiatives) Specified Purpose Contract

JOB DETAILS

The Executive, External Affairs (Engagement & Initiatives) is a key supporting role in delivering high‑quality thought‑leadership outputs, engagement initiatives and coordinated communication flows that reinforce Ibec’s enterprise positioning.

Operating within the Strategic Engagement, Thought Leadership & Initiatives team, the role contributes to research, content development, stakeholder coordination and the delivery of strategic forums and initiatives.

Blending insight gathering, narrative support, coordination and operational delivery, the Executive helps ensure Ibec’s thought‑leadership activity, strategic engagement work and external initiatives are timely, accurate and aligned.

The role strengthens Ibec’s capacity to communicate a clear, coherent and trusted voice across audiences and supports the organisation’s strategic ambitions, reputational priorities and external influence.

The closing date for applications will be 5pm on Wednesday the 29th of July.

ABOUT THE ROLE

• Thought Leadership Support
• Contribute to the development of thought‑leadership content including summaries, articles, draft reports, speeches and opinion pieces
• Support translation of complex policy, business and economic themes into clear, accessible content
• Assist in preparing materials for flagship outputs that reinforce Ibec’s visibility and authority
• Monitor emerging themes, debates and issues to identify opportunities for new thought‑leadership activity
• Maintain version control, alignment materials and content documentation for thought‑leadership initiatives
• Strategic Engagement & Initiatives Support
• Support coordination of strategic engagement initiatives across External Affairs and internal teams.
• Assist with planning and delivering external forums, round tables and platforms that deepen engagement with key audiences
• Support the preparation of agendas, briefing notes, participant lists and supporting materials for engagement events
• Ensure engagement initiatives are aligned with Ibec’s narrative direction, strategic themes and positioning
• Maintain trackers, schedules and structured coordination tools for cross‑organisational engagement work
• Content Creation & Editorial Support
• Draft and refine short‑form content including talking points, event notes, summaries, blogs, statements, briefing notes and supporting copy
• Assist in editing and improving content developed across External Affairs, Policy and other teams, ensuring clarity and alignment
• Help maintain editorial consistency with Ibec’s tone, narrative framework and brand guidelines
• Prepare structured documentation for leadership briefings and strategic communication flows
• Research, Insight & Analysis
• Conduct horizon scanning on business, economic, labour‑market and public‑discourse trends relevant to strategic engagement and thought leadership
• Gather and synthesise insights from policy work, economic data and sector intelligence into clear, concise summaries
• Produce insight briefs, thematic trackers and contextual updates to inform narrative development and engagement planning
• Maintain organised logs, research summaries and monitoring tools to support evidence‑based content
• Stakeholder & Cross‑Team Coordination
• Coordinate information and inputs across Policy, Lobbying& Global Affairs, Media & Issues, Marketing & Brandand Sectors
• Build constructive internal relationships to gather insights, sourceexpertiseand support aligned communication flows
• Assistteams with content preparation and engagement materials to support cross‑organisational initiatives
• Coordinate supporting documentation for engagement forums, ensuringtimelyand structured delivery
• Contribute to effective information flow and narrative alignment across divisions
• Operational Excellence & Delivery
• Ensure all outputs are delivered with high standards of clarity, accuracy and consistency
• Maintain trackers, shared folders, logs, calendars and governance tools to support disciplined execution
• Assist with logistics, workflow processes, approvals and version control across engagement and content workstreams
• Support continuous improvement of operational processes related to initiatives, engagementand thought‑leadership activity

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.

ABOUT YOU

Qualifications

• Qualification in a relevant discipline such as communications, public policy, economics, events, politics, business, international relations or journalism
• Additional postgraduate qualifications are an advantage
• Ideally 1–2 years’ professional experience in a communications, public affairs, policy, research, external engagement or related role
• Experience supporting thought‑leadership activity, strategic engagement initiatives, research or policy‑informed content development
• Demonstrated ability to contribute to structured, high‑quality written outputs for senior stakeholders and external audiences
• Key Skills
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex policy, economic or business themes into clear, accessible and compelling content
• Proven drafting and editing capability across thought‑leadership outputs, briefing notes, summaries, talking points, event materials and short‑form commentary
• Research and insight‑gathering skills, including horizon scanning and synthesis of policy, economic and sector‑level information
• Ability to support strategic engagement initiatives, including preparation of agendas, briefing packs, participant materials and supporting documentation
• Strong coordination and organisational skills, with experience maintaining trackers, schedules, logs, shared folders and version control
• Ability to ensure narrative alignment, editorial consistency and tone discipline across cross‑organisational content
• Familiarity with content management systems, monitoring tools or digital platforms (e. g. Sitecore) is an advantage
• Personal Characteristics
• Highly organised, detail‑focused and methodical, with a strong commitment to accuracy and quality
• Curious and intellectually engaged, with a genuine interest in thought leadership, public discourse and enterprise‑focused debate
• Collaborative and team‑oriented, with the ability to build constructive relationships across diverse internal teams
• Proactive and adaptable, comfortable managing multiple workstreams and supporting time‑sensitive initiatives
• Disciplined and reliable, with a strong sense of accountability and follow‑through
• Strong organisational awareness and appreciation of how insight, engagement, narrative and reputation interact

Why us?

• 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

About us

Working in Ibec

Join Ibec and further your career.

Working in Ibec means you are part of an overall effort to deliver on a vision for Ireland to be a balanced, growing and prosperous society.

We look to the workplace of the future with the changing needs of our members as well as our workforce to create a dynamic and exciting working environment.

We hire people from many backgrounds who are highly knowledgeable, engaging, professional and, most importantly, passionate about business.