Head of Legal Services

Who are we? The Health and Safety Authority (the Authority) was established in 1989 under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 1989. Additional functions have been conferred on the Authority since then under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, the Chemicals Acts 2008 and 2010 and other legislation. In 2014, the Irish National Accreditation Board (INAB) was included under the Authority's functions. The Authority reports to the Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail under delegated authority from the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. The Chief Executive Officer, together with the Assistant Chief Executives (ACEs), manages the implementation of strategy in line with the Authority's statutory responsibilities. Each Assistant Chief Executive has responsibility for the divisions as set out below. a) The Corporate Services Division provides the support structure of the Authority on which all other divisions and sections rely to carry out their functions and roles. The Corporate Services Division has responsibility for people and organisational development, finance, ICT, facilities, communications, legislation and corporate governance, procurement, strategic management including risk management, Freedom of Information, quality assurance and internal audit. b) The Chemicals and Industrial Products Division has responsibility for international, EU and national legislation for the safe manufacture, use, transport, import, trade and sale of chemicals and industrial products to industrial and professional users as well as consumers. c) The Occupational Safety Division has responsibility for the development and implementation of policy across specific sectors such as construction, transport as well as national inspection and investigation teams for occupational health & safety. The division also incorporates the Authority's legal team who provide legal advice and handle prosecutions via the Office of Public Prosecution. d) The Occupational Health Division has responsibility for the development and implementation of policy as well as inspections in health and social care, agriculture, and across other sectors in a range of occupational health and hygiene topics. It also has responsibility for the delivery of the Authority's Enterprise and Employee supports such as BeSmart and HSAlearning and the delivery of the Authority's new occupational medical functions. e) The Irish National Accreditation Board (INAB) provides the national accreditation service for Ireland. INAB was established in 1985 and is a Committee of the Health and Safety Authority under legislation (Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, as amended by the Industrial Development (Dissolution of Forfas) Act 2014. Accreditation is the formal recognition that an organisation is competent to perform specific processes, activities, or tasks in a reliable credible and accurate manner. INAB reports directly to the CEO of the Health and Safety Authority. Further information about the Authority, including current structure, publications and key documents, is Further information about INAB is Our commitment to supporting our Staff: The Authority is committed to embracing opportunities for blended working, to build a dynamic, agile and responsive organisation while sustaining strong standards of performance and high levels of productivity. A healthy work-life balance is important to us and we recognise this by offering a comprehensive range of work-life balance options and a wide variety of special leave options. We also provide access to the Cycle to Work Scheme and the Tax Saver Scheme. We have a comprehensive staff occupational health and wellbeing programme including an Employee Assistance Programme, health screening, health and nutrition advice and wellbeing talks. We are committed to providing ongoing learning and development opportunities so that you can develop to your full potential. Staff are actively encouraged to pursue further education opportunities through our Refund of Fees Scheme. Our commitment to Diversity and Inclusion: As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to implement equal opportunities in all our employment policies and procedures. The Health and Safety Authority values and welcomes diversity and is committed to creating a truly inclusive workplace. We aim to develop colleagues to enable them to make a full contribution to meeting the Authority's objectives, and to fulfil their own potential on merit. Diversity and inclusion is reflected in and embedded across our employment policies and practices and is reflected in our current workforce demographic. We welcome and encourage job applications from candidates of all backgrounds. The Role: Head of Legal Services (Principal Officer) The HSA is a dynamic State Agency charged with the promotion and enforcement of workplace health and safety legislation. It has significant enforcement powers in both the civil and criminal courts including preparing criminal investigation files for the DPP, the issuing of civil enforcement notices and the power to seek High Court injunctions to close dangerous places of work. Heading up the Legal Unit, the Head of Legal Services is charged with: Managing the relationship and the ongoing provision of external legal advice and relationships with external legal advice providers, whilst monitoring the service quality and cost effectiveness; Monitoring legislative changes and relevant case law and updating affected business areas on these changes and developments; Providing high quality, clear and timely legal advice on all aspects of the Authority's statutory functions including policy, investigations and enforcement action; Providing practical legal advice on regulatory and workplace safety matters to the Authority's multidisciplinary team of inspectors; Working closely with Inspectors who are conducting investigations and inspections in a range of diverse workplaces; Managing the Authority ' s prosecution case load including liaison with the Office of the DPP and regular consultations with prosecuting and advisory Counsel; Building strong relationships with key stakeholders including other regulatory agencies and the legal profession; Advising on civil matters including appeals of enforcement notices, injunction applications, third party discovery motions and judicial review; Operating and developing systems for effective case management; Devising and deploying strategies on emerging workplace safety issues; Managing the Legal Unit ' s staff and budget; Advising in relation to statutory and legislative developments in the area of occupational safety and health; Participating in the Authority ' s senior management team; Representing the Authority externally; The above is not, and does not purport to be, a comprehensive list of all duties involved and consequently, the successful candidate may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post which may be assigned from time to time; Essential Requirements In addition to demonstrating that you possess the required competencies, the ideal candidate must be able to demonstrate: A qualified solicitor or barrister with at least four years post qualification experience in legal practice, whether in the private or public sectors or as in-house counsel Relevant litigation experience Desirable Requirements: In addition to the above essential requirements, it would be a decided advantage for candidates to have one or more of the following: Experience of criminal and regulatory law as well as judicial review is highly desirable; Knowledge of the legislative process, at national and EU level is also desirable. Experience of judicial review is highly desirable as is knowledge of the legislative process, at national and EU level. Experience and knowledge of data protection law and practice. Experience and knowledge of occupational health and safety law, environmental or product legislation. Have acquired experience in one of more of the following areas of law/practice: - regulatory/enforcement law and procedure, - administrative law and procedure. - data protection/privacy law, - protected disclosures and whistle-blower law, - discovery, disclosure and/or legal professional privilege, How to Apply Forvis Mazars have been retained on behalf of the Authority to assist with the appointment of the Principal Officer role. Forvis Mazars, on behalf of the Authority, invites applications from suitably qualified candidates, and will be undertaking a comprehensive recruitment process as part of this recruitment campaign. Forvis Mazars will be managing all aspects of this recruitment project on behalf of the Authority. No enquiries or canvassing should be made directly to the Authority. Applications should be submitted online and must include: A CV and cover letter outlining why you wish to be considered for the role and why you believe your skills and experience meet the requirements of the role and; A completed comprehensive Application Form, clearly showing your relevant qualifications, achievements and experience in your career to date. Only applications fully submitted online will be accepted into the campaign. Closing Date Deadline for application: 1pm, Monday 27th January 2025. Applications will not be accepted after the closing date/time. An acknowledgement email will be issued for all applications received. If you do not receive acknowledgement of your application within two working days of submission, please contact the Forvis Mazars Executive Recruitment Team by email () to ensure your application has been received. To apply for this role, visit To be considered for this role you will be redirected to and must complete the application process on our careers page. To start the process click the Apply button below to Login/Register.