Job Title:  Executive Director 

Job Category:  Charities CEO, Events Management, Communications, Administration, Finance, Education, Law, EU 

Location:  Phoenix House, Trinity College Dublin, 7-9 Leinster Street, Dublin 2 (suitable for hybrid working) 

Travel Required:  On average, 3 events held outside of Dublin in Ireland per year Level/Salary Range:  €50,000 (Year 1)

Position Type:  30 hours per week 

HR Contact:  Deputy President Date

Website:  https://www.icel.ie/

About the role
The Irish Centre for European Law (ICEL) is an educational charity, a company limited by guarantee and a Centre of the School of Law in Trinity College, Dublin. ICEL is the leading organisation promoting the knowledge and the practice of European Union and European Human Rights law across the island of Ireland. Recent events in Europe and Ireland’s Council Presidency in 2026 make this more important than ever.

ICEL is looking for a highly motivated, organised, and adaptable Executive Director with the vision to forge and lead an ambitious strategy for growth.
In collaboration with and under the supervision of an expert Board of Directors, the Executive Director will be responsible for the overall management and operations of the Centre, ensuring efficient and effective delivery of services and the expansion of resources including staffing.

As a small charitable organisation, but with significant ambitions, the Executive Director will be expected to manage the day-to-day implementation of the Centre’s programme and administration, while also providing leadership in creating and achieving its strategic vision.

It is envisaged that the role will be four days per week, but with the possibility of remote working and flexibility over hours and vacations (dependent on the ICEL’s programmes).
 

About You 

• A strategic thinker with the ability to plan, prioritise and implement focused goals 
• A passion for inspiring, and building teams of, members and volunteers behind a shared agenda 
• Commercial acumen, capable of identifying and developing opportunities in Irish legal education 
• Financial acumen, capable of successfully developing and managing budgets 
• Experience in management in the charities, education, or related sectors 
• Excellent verbal and written communication, interpersonal and relationship-building skills 
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to manage a varied workload 
• The ambition to develop and expand skills and experience 
• Familiarity with working with a board of directors or similar 
• A background in hosting events or conferences, stakeholder engagement or equivalent 
• Commitment to the values and activities of the Centre, as a provider of legal education services in the areas of EU and European Human Rights law across the island of Ireland 

Key Responsibilities 

Strategic Development 

• Develop and implement a strategic plan 
• Engage with stakeholders to develop new partnerships and sustainable funding streams 

Organising Conferences and Events 

• Lead the planning and delivery of the ICEL’s programme of conferences and seminars (communicating with speakers, booking venues, flights and accommodation and overall management of the logistics of the event) ensuring all events are delivered on time and within budget 
• Managing relationships with key vendors, sponsors and volunteers 
• Securing sponsorship for major conferences and developing a pipeline of potential future grant-funders and sponsors in partnership with the Board of Directors 

Managing the Membership Programme 

• Develop and implement a membership strategy to expand membership and associated income 
• Operating all aspects of the ICEL membership programme (c. 150 corporate, institutional and individual members across the professions, judiciary and academia) including communications campaigns, retention, and acquisition of new members 
• Ensuring a high-quality member experience and responding to member queries 

Developing ICEL’s Communications 

• Shaping ICEL’s communications strategy to underpin the ICEL’s future strategy, developing the brand and profile of the ICEL 
• Acting as a representative of the Centre, and establishing and maintaining relationships with the judiciary, senior public officials and senior figures in the legal professions 
• Managing ICEL’s communications platforms (including website content management) and drafting content 
• Developing online offerings to Members across the organisation’s digital platforms 
• Developing existing, and targeting new, audiences for ICEL’s in-person events and webinars

Finances and Administration 

• Prudent financial management of the Centre, including developing and managing the annual budget, identifying risks and understanding of regulatory obligations 
• Ensuring regular financial reporting to the Board, Treasurer and Audit & Governance Committee 
• Manage the audit process and liaising with the external auditor 
• Managing internal accounting (including invoicing and receipts in Sage and Stripe) 
• Maintain current funding streams and identify relevant opportunities and calls for grants and other funding 

Board and Governance 

• Collaborating with and regular reporting to the Officers and Board, especially to achieve strategic and revenue objectives 
• Organising regular Board and Committee meetings including preparation of agenda, papers and oral presentations in consultation with the Secretary and President 
• Working with the Board and Audit & Governance Committee to ensure good governance, transparency and accountability in accordance with CRA guidelines 
• Ensuring the highest levels of regulatory compliance, including assisting the Company Secretary to manage compliance with regulatory requirements including CRO & charities filings 

Managing people 

• Lead on recruiting and managing Assistant Directors and volunteers (who may be responsible for the event programmes and event planning, including in Northern Ireland), and others to perform functions such as accounts, administration, communications and marketing 
• Co-ordinate and manage administrative support for membership and volunteer involvement 

Other Tasks 

• As the Executive Director will be the sole employee until growth permits recruitment, they will be required to become quickly proficient in MS Office, communications content management and accounting software, to contract services and may be required to perform other tasks as they arise 

Working Life  

• The role is suited to self-motivated, hard-working individual capable of working on their own, with the support of an expert Board 
• Dublin-based with partial remote working possible 
• Flexible hours possible (fluctuating according to programme of events) 
• Holidays subject to negotiation (flexible according to programme of events and legal vacations) 
• The term of the contract will be three years, with the possibility of renewal