Principal

Ireland will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union from 1st July to 31st December 2026. During this six-month period, Ireland will be responsible for driving the EU policy agenda and advancing work on EU legislative and policy initiatives. This is an opportunity for Ireland to make a significant and positive contribution to the EU. Delivering a successful Presidency, including an extensive programme of meetings, events, and conferences in Ireland, is essential for Ireland’s position, influence and reputation in the EU and for advancing the European Union’s agenda against a complex geopolitical background

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• Operating in a dynamic and complex environment requiring adaptability, flexibility and innovative thinking;
  
• Working closely with Ministers, the political system and Senior Officials across Departments, including participation in high-level Steering Groups and Operational and Programme planning meetings for Ireland’s Presidency of the EU;
  
• Leading and developing high performing diverse teams (civil servants and contractors) to effectively deliver the EPC event and other significant events as part of Ireland’s Presidency programme. EPC (European Political Community) EVENT LEAD: PRINCIPAL OFFICER - STATE EVENTS MANAGEMENT UNIT IN OPW
  
• Managing public expenditure and budgets, ensuring value for money, accountability and a strong focus on outputs and outcomes;
  
• Collaborating across functional and organisational boundaries to deliver major events that require collaboration and engagement at the highest levels;
  
• Communicating effectively with a broad range of stakeholders;
  
• Driving continuous improvement in public service delivery, specifically events co‑ordination, production and delivery, to meet the changing needs and expectations of the Presidency programme.
  

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• Lead on the planning and delivery of the production and logistics for the EPC event, in line with scope laid out by the interdepartmental Steering Group.
  
• Work in close collaboration with colleagues in OPW SEMU, Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade and the Department of An Taoiseach to ensure that the event is executed to the highest standards of event production, security, health and safety and achieves the desirable presentation standards as envisaged by Government.
  
• Lead on detailing protocol, interdepartmental co‑coordination, production, contractor oversight and security liaison for EPC and other high‑level events
  
• Oversee venue readiness through the coordination of the design, planning, installation, and removal of all event infrastructure across designated venues, ancillary and contingency sites for EPC and other high‑level events as may be assigned by the Head of OPW SEMU
  
• Represent OPW SEMU at high-level strategic planning and operational meetings relating to both EPC event and other events
  
• Support the Head of OPW SEMU in the effective, safe, and efficient operational delivery across all event domains of the programme of events for Ireland’s Presidency of the EU.
  
• Profile budget estimates; co‑ordinate and monitor procurement and budget management across all elements of the EPC project.
  
• Ensure coherent cross‑departmental coordination across all work‑streams associated with EPC.
  
• Lead on the development of the Event Management Plan and Safety Strategy for the EPC event
  
• Lead the coordination of emergency response, major incident management, and crisis communication.
  
• Maintain a live, scalable command and control structure integrated across all agencies
  
• Develop and test emergency and contingency plans, including evacuation, casualty management, and command transfer protocols.
  
• Ensure interoperability of communications and situational awareness across all operational control centres.
  
• Support the Head of OPW SEMU in the effective, safe, and efficient operational delivery across all event domains of the programme of events for Ireland’s Presidency of the EU.
  
• Implement, monitor and control established governance structures in place for the EPC and EU Presidency events.
  
• Management of Civil Service staff on secondment to OPW SEMU and contractor staff from OPW State EMU frameworks.
  

The person will report to the Assistant Secretary - Head of Heritage Services and Capital Works Delivery. xcfaprz The day-to-day line management and oversight of the work programme and deliverables will be provided by Head of OPW State Events Management Unit.

Your application must be submitted to not later than 3pm, Thursday 19th March 2026.

Please find attached the following: Application form and Information Booklet

If you do not receive an acknowledgement of receipt of your application within 24 hours of applying, please email: