Engineer Grade 2 – Climate Adaptation

Engineer Grade 2 – Climate Adaptation

Salary:                             €70,368 - €90,198

 Background

The Network Management Division is responsible for the management of the national road network, comprising approximately 5,300km of Ireland’s principal roads, including approximately 1,300km of motorways and dual carriageways. The Network Operations section of Network Management comprises three regions and is responsible for the operation and maintenance of national roads within each region. Each region comprises a MMaRC contract managed by a motorway contractor / operator along with a number of motorway PPP concessions. In general, non-motorway sections on the national road network within each region are managed by the local authorities, overseen by TII.

Climate change is causing extreme weather events to become more frequent and severe, as well as contributing to sea level rise and coastal erosion. TII’s national road and motorway assets and activities are increasingly vulnerable to weather events. Flooding, storms, and heatwaves can damage assets and cause service disruption, resulting in significant safety, financial, and reputational impacts.

TII is intent on adopting a climate adaptation approach, anticipating the adverse effects of climate change and taking appropriate action to prevent or minimise the damage they can cause. Taking this proactive approach means TII will be prepared for the increasingly frequent

and extreme weather events that are projected to occur in the future. The seven key Strategic

Objectives in TII’s Climate Adaptation plan are:

·      Observe fewer network disruptions during climate-related events

·      Rapidly recover from any climate-related events

·      Have a robust, flexible, and equitable organisation that responds effectively during climate events

·      Enhance the climate resilience of lifeline roads in order to maintain community

accessibility

·      Engage with the wider adaptation efforts across Ireland through partnerships and

wider research

·      Embed climate adaptation within TII’s operations, policies, and procedures in order to ensure a safe and resilient network

·      Adopt a low-carbon approach in TII’s designs, standards, and processes when considering climate adaptation, while also considering wider social and environmental benefits.

Role and Responsibilities

·      Develop effective operational relationships with key stakeholders in in TII’s Climate Adaptation activities, including state agencies, local authorities and technical advisors

·      Coordinate and liaise effectively with colleagues engaged in TII’s Network Management Division’s asset management and operational activities and with colleagues responsible for the development of policy and strategic direction in relation to broader sustainability, decarbonisation and climate action policy

·      Manage annual and multi-year budgets and  allocations for climate adaptation activities in accordance with TII requirements and implement appropriate programme management and control measures

·      Coordinate with TII Standards Section in the development and updating of standards and guidance relating to climate change policy and climate adaptation

·      Assist in the framing of risk management and governance policies dealing with climate adaptation and resilience on the national road network

 Climate Adaptation and Network Resilience

•        Assist in the development and delivery of TII’s climate adaptation and severe weather vulnerability and risk assessment projects for the national road network

•        Assist in the implementation of TII’s actions addressing the impacts of climate change and severe weather on the national road network

•        Coordinate the development of TII’s climate adaptation planning activities, including the development of costed climate adaptation programmes, to achieve appropriate levels of investment delivering long term network resilience

•        Building on existing initiatives, and working with asset managers in TII’s Network Management Division,  integrate new analysis processes for carbon reduction in TII’s asset management programmes, with a view to minimising carbon and energy usage in line with TII’s obligations

•        Working with Regional Managers, prioritise and implement flood resilience measures on both the motorway and non-motorway national roads network,

•        Working with TII’s bridges and structures team engage with National Parks and Wildlife Service and Inland Fisheries Ireland to develop protocols for prioritising and delivering capacity and resilience enhancements to national roads bridges and culverts

•        Engage with TII Regional and Tunnel managers on identification and implementation of measures designed to enhance operational resilience of TII’s motorway and tunnels contracts

•        Undertake such tasks, activities or other duties as may be required or assigned appropriate to the grade.

All of the divisions within TII have inter-dependant responsibilities and close cooperation and teamwork is required across the organisation.

Note:   The functions and responsibilities assigned to this position are based on the current stated role and may be changed from time to time. The person appointed will be required to demonstrate the flexibility necessary to fulfil other roles and responsibilities at a similar grade within TII and may be assigned to other such roles as business needs arise.

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

Character

Each candidate must be of good character.  

Health

A candidate for and any person holding the role must be fully competent and capable of undertaking duties attached to the role and be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service

Education & Experience

The successful candidate will be required to demonstrate the key competencies for an Engineer Grade 2 position as identified in TII’s Competency Directory, as well as the following job-specific requirements:

·      Degree or 3rd level professional qualification (NFQ Level 8 or equivalent) in an engineering, transport or relevant discipline.

·      A minimum of five years’ relevant post graduate experience in one of the following areas;

o  Operation and maintenance of road networks including the management of drainage assets. 

o  Design, construction or operation/maintenance of road/transport infrastructure projects, at least three of which should relate to the design and/or supervision and/or contract administration of new build or road projects.

·      Ideally be a Chartered Engineer with Engineers Ireland or be professionally registered at an equivalent level with an equivalent organisation, or commence the chartership process on appointment to the position.

·      Demonstrate a proven track record with stakeholder management.

·      A proven track record in the effective operation and management of road infrastructure

·      Have a familiarity with road maintenance and operations together with asset maintenance and management systems.

·      Possess a good understanding of programme and project governance, project and contract management.

·      Possess good risk, financial, technical, contract and stakeholder management capabilities as they relate to both local authority and contractor delivered works programmes.

·      Possess an ability to engage with and manage specialist technical advisors in the field of climate adaptation and road network resilience.

·      Have a strong commitment to road user safety, to staff safety, and to the safety of those working on behalf of TII.

·      Have a strong commitment to the successful integration of sustainability, decarbonisation and climate adaptation principles into TII’s operational and maintenance programmes.

·      Excellent communications skills – verbal and written.

·      Currently hold and maintain a full driving licence.

 Note:

In order to assure the shortlisting panel that you satisfy these requirements you must explicitly reference how you meet the requirements in your application. Failure to demonstrate these may prevent your application progressing to future shortlisting stages.

Candidates who come under consideration following the final selection stage will be required to provide documentary evidence of their eligibility, including qualifications and evidence of fluency in the English language. 

Candidates who are unable to show that they hold the required qualifications may be withdrawn from the competition at any stage.  An invitation to interview or any element of the selection process is not acceptance of eligibility.

To apply for, or to locate further information on, these posts please visit our website: https://www.tii.ie/careers/

The closing date for applications is 12pm Monday 28^th April at 12pm. 

Transport Infrastructure Ireland is committed to a policy of equal opportunity.