Head of Children and Young People’s Arts (Open Competition)

A.         Details           

Position: Head of Children and Young People’s Arts

Grade: Higher Executive Officer (HEO)

Whole time equivalent: Full-time (35 hours per week)

Reports to: Director of Combined Arts

Duration: 2 Years Fixed Term Contract

Role Closing Date: 12 noon, Monday 13th January 2025

B.         Department & Role Overview

The Arts Council is the Irish Government’s agency for supporting and promoting the arts in Ireland. We work in partnership with artists, arts organisations, public policy makers and others to build a central place for the arts in Irish life. Children and Young People are a policy priority the Arts Council’s Strategy Making Great Art Work (2016 to 2025)

The Children and Young People’s team is within the Combined Arts Department, working alongside other teams who work with multiple and multidisciplinary artforms and practices, across a wide range of contexts, partnerships and public facing initiatives. The team created the Arts Council’s policy Ag Fás leis na hEalaíona / Growing with the Arts: Arts Council Policy for Children and Young People's Arts | The Arts Council | An Chomhairle Ealaíon

The Children and Young People’s team manage a range of funding schemes for artists and organisations, work in partnership with a range of other public bodies, advocate for and contribute to the professional development of the arts for young people and ensure that the right of young people to participate in and make decisions about the arts is central to growing up in Ireland.  

C.         Key Responsibilities

• Manage all elements of the Arts Council’s policy formulation, development initiatives, grant and relationship management in the area of Children and Young People’s, Arts;

• Manage and motivate the Children and Young People’s Arts (including advisers);

• Collaborate with the Arts Director, other art form and arts practice teams, senior management team and other staff in the implementation of specific cross-organisational projects to deliver the priorities and objectives set out in  Arts Council’s strategy and its policy on Children and Young People’s Arts

• Build a positive and strategic relationship with other organisations working in the area of children and young people, from art organisations to government bodies and agencies.

• Ensure that the rights of children and young people to participate in the arts and to participate in related decision making is embedded in Arts council policy and practice. Support and collaborate with others to advance these rights in the wider arts sector also.

D. Role Deliverables (including but not limited to):

• Develop and deliver relevant policy and appropriate initiatives and strategies for the development of Children and Young People’s Arts   in line with Arts Council Strategy and policies;

• Design, develop and manage a work programme which implements the Arts Council’s overall strategic goals for Children and Young People’s Arts;

• Advise on and customise the Arts Council’s funding programmes and development initiatives to meet the evolving needs of organisations and individuals central to the success Children and Young People’s Arts in Ireland;

• Work collaboratively with the Arts Council’s Creative Schools Department;

• Gather, maintain and contribute to key intelligence and insights on Children and Young People’s Arts, the rights of children, national policies and initiatives and maintain excellent two-way communication internally and externally;

• Lead and manage the on-going development of relationships with relevant funded organisations and the wider arts community as it relates to children and young people’s arts; 

• Develop in collaboration with the Arts Director an annual budget and manage performance against this budget with assistance from Finance as required;

• Ensure that all deliverable’s from funding management to relevant research projects are well designed and brought to fruition to a high standard and in a timely manner;

• Contribute to the development of relevant Arts Council strategy and policy including by enabling the voice of children and young people to be including in consultation and development.

D.        Skills Knowledge and Experiences

• A minimum of five years' relevant experience in arts management

• A proven track record in and demonstrable commitment to the development of Children and Young People’s arts across a range of art forms;

• A keen understanding of the policy environment for arts development, national policy environment and rights in particular for Young People and Children and its related areas;

• A detailed knowledge and understanding of the key strategic issues relevant to arts development in the current environment;

• An ability to think analytically and communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively;

• Good interpersonal skills, including an ability to listen and negotiate;

• Evidence of experience in strategy development and implementation;

• Evidence of experience in managing funding and other client relationships;

• Excellent standards of written and oral communication;

• A commitment to high standards of public service;

• Experience in management and administration. 

 E.         Qualifications

•  The post holder will have a third level qualification (or equivalent).

 Note:  Arts Council roles and responsibilities are subject to change as per on-going and future organisational requirements and developments.