Chief Executive Officer MFHEA

Remuneration and benefits

The annual salary attached to this appointment shall be €47,922 in 2025 and pegged to Salary Scale 2 in the Public Administration, inclusive of the cost-of-living allowance. Statutory mid-year and end-of-year bonuses are paid over and above this amount.

Additional benefits will be as follows:

• Reimbursement of the sum of €5,500 (Euro five thousand and five hundred) per annum as an expense allowance.
• An annual performance bonus of up to 15% (fifteen percent) of the basic salary.
• Entitlement to a fully expensed car, which however, will be subject to a maximum fuel consumption of 150 litres per month or alternatively to an allowance of €4,659 (Euro four thousand, six hundred and fifty-nine) per annum.
• Entitlement to a training allowance of the sum €2,500 (Euro two thousand, five hundred) per annum.
• Entitlement to a communication allowance of the sum €2,800 (Euro two thousand, eight hundred) per annum.

Role Description

The Chief Executive Officer shall be responsible for the management of the Authority’s resources in an efficient and effective manner, and the achievement set in its work programme in line with government's policies, reform programme and national and international targets.

The Chief Executive Officer shall be accountable to the Board of the Authority.

Key responsibilities

Planning and budgeting

• Oversee the coordination and preparation of MFHEA’s annual financial estimates and conduct preliminary analysis of estimate proposals.
• Coordinate the setting of the strategic direction and the administration of MFHEA’s budget.
• Coordinate the preparation and delivery of MFHEA’s strategic and business plans.
• Coordinate the provision of senior policy direction on the preparation and implementation of operational plans and budgets within MFHEA.

Management and technical

• Design, plan, implement, manage and monitor all activities as outlined in MFHEA’s work programme.
• Develop the necessary strategies for the implementation of MFHEA’s objectives.
• Manage day-to-day operations ensuring that staff and financial resources are managed in accordance with the law and government policies.
• Ensure organisational coherence and the avoidance of overlapping work areas.
• Support the performance of staff members by providing feedback and pointing out areas for improvement, as well as contributing towards improved and efficient performance at MFHEA.
• Provide direction in managing the office environment, including the procurement and use of equipment, materials and supplies, and other required technical resources.
• Ensure the implementation of approved and agreed initiatives, in part by maintaining an implementation record log.
• Advise on the utilisation of resources.
• Provide direction on the development of a management information systems where required.
• Ensure that goals and objectives for staff assigned to them via EU-funded projects are achieved.
• Ensure that the work assigned to staff meets the deadlines and required standards.
• Ensure that the work guidelines and budgets are adhered to.
• Liaise with directorates within the ministry where necessary.
• Develop the progressional relationships with other public sector entities and further and higher education institutions.
• Provide direction to the research function within MFHEA, the validation of informal and non-formal learning as well as MQRIC.
• Supervise activities of staff involved as project managers/leaders of EU-funded projects.
• Keep abreast of overseas trends and developments in referencing, validation of informal and non-formal learning, and qualifications framework and evaluate their local applicability.
• Oversee the coordination of any media and communications related to MFHEA.
• Ensure that information sessions are organised as required with a view to ascertaining that all MFHEA stakeholders are fully informed and conversant with regulations, procedures and policies.
• Ensure the delivery of MFHEA’s strategic and operational plans within approved budgets.
• Provide leadership to the staff and manage their performance, in part by agreeing personal performance plans with them, evaluating their performance, providing regular feedback, and pointing out areas of improvement.
• Review at a strategic level the utilisation of MFHEA’s resources, and ensure that these are used fully and effectively in a manner encouraging client confidence.
• Alert MFHEA’s Chairperson to any issues, problems and unmet administrative requirements that require attention, and make appropriate recommendations.
• Advise MFHEA’s Chairperson on the operational implication of new administrative policies or changes to existing policies.
• Undertake longer-term policy and operational planning and carry out any research as may be required.
• Establish standards of performance and implement performance reviews and performance improvement plans.
• Ensure visibility of MFHEA’s work, and foster community participation, rapport with stakeholders and educational institutions.
• Foster MFHEA’s sustainable growth through the promotion of increased services.
• Make proposals to MFHEA’s Chairperson to enable the Authority to achieve better performance and to improve accountability.

Consultation

• Develop and maintain contacts with senior officials in the Ministry for Education, other ministries, parastatal bodies and the private sector to ensure a cross-cutting approach to policymaking and service delivery, and the identification and resolution of problems in a fully co-ordinated way.
• Represent the MFHEA and, where and as appropriate, exercise a strategic role on inter-ministerial or inter-governmental policy development or planning teams.
• Liaise with officials in foreign jurisdictions to ensure that, where necessary, agreements or protocols are established.

Continuous professional development

• Keep well informed and updated on all matters and in all areas related to further and higher education, and on any national or international obligations affecting this area.
• Take every opportunity to acquire new leadership and management skills.

Other

Manage or discharge such other responsibilities as may, from time to time, be assigned by the MFHEA Chairperson.

Internal relations

1. Maintain a professional relationship with the Board of the Authority and all MFHEA employees.
2. Work in close cooperation with the Board of the Authority, heads, senior managers and managers at MFHEA.
3. Support and sustain the Authority’s overall efficiency and effectiveness.

External relations

Represent and work in the best interest of the organisation.

Key areas of competence

Strategic management and as per key responsibilities listed above.

Eligibility requirements and personal qualities: The qualifications, experience, skills, and other attributes required of the applicant.

Minimum qualifications and experience required

A full recognised degree at MQF Level 7 (subject to a minimum of 90 ECTS credits).

Five years strategic level managerial experience.

Skills required

• Excellent supervisory and leadership skills.
• Excellent managerial skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and negotiation skills.
• Assertive and with excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent organisational/administrative skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent time management skills and demonstrable ability to meet deadlines.
• Good computer skills.

Required personality

• Clean criminal record.
• Reliable nature and loyal disposition.
• A team player.
• Able to manage sensitive situations and information with confidentiality, tact and empathy, professionalism and diplomacy.
• Discernment and discretion are essential.
• Analytical mindset and gives attention to detail.

Documents required upon application

• An expression of interest.
• Copy of the applicant’s Identity Card (Original to be presented at the interview).
• Curriculum Vitae (CV).
• Police Conduct Certificate (Not issued more than 30 days before application date).
• Copies of qualifications - foreign certificates are to be covered by an MQRIC statement (Original certificates are to be presented at the interview).
• Any other pertinent documents (Originals to be presented at the interview).

All documents are to be uploaded in one document.

Jobsplus Permit 774/2025.