Circular Bioeconomy Education Centre Programme Manager (Kerry Campus) The Circular Bioeconomy Education Centre (CBEC) is funded by the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine through a consortium led by MTU with National University of Ireland Maynooth and Trinity College Dublin.
CBEC will provide a coordinated approach to integration of the bioeconomy into all levels of the Irish education system, from primary to university level, including lifelong learning and continuous professional development.
CBEC Ireland will establish a bio-based education, training and skills network and will develop a National Education and Upskilling roadmap for the bioeconomy identifying current education and skills gaps and how to address these needs, engaging with policy makers to provide policy recommendations.
This will be achieved by: Establishing an Irish bio-based education training and skills network: that can be leveraged in subsequent phases of the project to validate research and analysis, provide input into focus groups, collaborate on piloting and implementation phases and participate in knowledge transfer and dissemination of project outputs.
Mapping and assessing the current trends and upskilling needs across the Irish bioeconomy.
CBEC will build on existing work on skills gap analysis and training needs to map the status quo of the Irish bioeconomy education landscape, then leverage the stakeholder network created to validate this mapping, thus providing information on current trends, offerings, skills gaps, upskilling and retraining needs.
Co-creating transformational pilot programmes and trial and implementation of these for three key audiences: (1) schools (2) primary producers and (3) biobased industry.
The objective of this co-creation exercise is to test different pedagogies, provide forums for feedback and optimisation and to initiate the implementation phase.
Development will be required of a roadmap for bioeconomy education and upskilling in Ireland and develop coordinated feedback into the development of the primary and secondary schools curricula and their specifications to support integration of bioeconomy.
Ensuring effective knowledge transfer throughout the network created and communication and dissemination of project outputs to the wider Irish bioeconomy community.
Munster Technological University is now recruiting for a Programme Manager to join the Circular Bioeconomy Education Centre team.
Role: The Programme Manager will be responsible for the establishment and management of the Circular Bioeconomy Education Centre.
This position will oversee the mapping and assessment of the current bioeconomy trends, upskilling needs, and pilot initiatives across schools, primary producers, and biobased industries.
The role will also involve developing a national education roadmap for the bioeconomy, facilitating knowledge transfer, and coordinating various projects and initiatives within the programme.
MTU seeks to appoint a Programme Manager to work continuously throughout the 2 years of the project to ensure that the 6 defined tasks of the project are completed.
These tasks are as follows: Establishment of an Irish bioeconomy, education, training and skills network Map and assess the current trends and upskilling needs across the Irish bioeconomy Piloting and implementation of transformational initiatives within schools, primary producers and biobased industry Develop a national education and upskilling roadmap for the bioeconomy Knowledge transfer activities Project management and coordination This is a senior appointment as a highly skilled and experienced individual is needed to successfully complete the multidisciplinary work involved across all tasks within the project and work with project partners, the national stakeholder network and international stakeholders and advisory board members.
The Programme Manager will be expected to work in a dynamic, fast-paced environment and will play a key role in shaping the future of circular economy education nationally.
This position requires a blend of strategic thinking, programme management expertise and experience, stakeholder engagement and a passion for sustainability and circular education.
Duties and responsibilities: Establishment of bioeconomy education, training, and skills networko Lead the creation and development of a national network focused on bioeconomy education, training, and skills.
Engage key stakeholders across government, industry, academia, and training organisations to foster collaboration and partnerships.
Develop and implement strategies to ensure network sustainability and growth.
Mapping and assessment of bioeconomy trends and upskilling needso Conduct comprehensive research to map current trends within the Irish bioeconomy and identify emerging sectors and technologies.
Analyse existing educational resources, programmes and skills gaps within the bioeconomy sector.
Develop reports outlining upskilling needs and propose targeted education and training interventions.
Piloting and implementation of transformational initiativeso Lead the design and pilot implementation of transformative educational and training initiatives targeting schools, primary producers and biobased industries.
Ensure the alignment of initiatives with industry needs and future trends in the bioeconomy sector.
Monitor and evaluate the impact and effectiveness of piloted programs, ensuring continuous improvement.
Development of national education and upskilling roadmap for the bioeconomyo Create a comprehensive national roadmap outlining the strategy for bioeconomy education and upskilling across Ireland.
Collaborate with stakeholders to define key education pathways, skillsets and qualifications needed to support the bioeconomy.
Provide recommendations to policymakers on effective implementation strategies for the roadmap.
Knowledge transfer activities Facilitate the dissemination of best practices, research findings and new knowledge to stakeholders across the bioeconomy sector.
o Organise workshops, webinars and events to promote knowledge exchange between academia, industry and policymakers.
Ensure that the knowledge transfer activities contribute to the continued development of skills and innovation within the bioeconomy.
Project management and coordinationo Oversee the planning, execution and monitoring of all bioeconomy education-related projects within the programme.
Manage project timelines, budgets and resources to ensure successful delivery of initiatives.
Coordinate and lead cross-functional teams, ensuring clear communication and collaboration among project members and stakeholders.
Prepare regular progress reports for internal and external stakeholders.
It would be a distinct advantage to applicants to be able to deliver teaching on a range of sustainability modules, including climate action, carbon management and sustainability practices, and to develop and update course content, ensuring alignment with emerging trends and best practices in sustainability.
Applicants must have: Strong background/third-level qualification (Level 9 desirable) in bioeconomy, environmental science or a related field.
Proven experience in project management, including planning, implementation and evaluation.
Knowledge of education and training frameworks within the bioeconomy and sustainability sectors.
Excellent communication, networking and stakeholder engagement skills.
Ability to analyse complex data and trends to inform strategy development.
Experience in facilitating knowledge transfer and capacity-building initiatives.
Desirable attributes: Leadership and team coordination skills.
Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
Passion for sustainability and advancing the circular bioeconomy.
Salary: €52,715 - €57,332 per annum to 31 January 2027.
Application Procedure: All applications to be made online.
Informal Enquiries: Informal enquiries ONLYmay be addressed to Helena McMahon, email: Location:This post is based in Munster Technological University Kerry Campus and ongoing national visits will be essential to collaborate with academic partners.
Citizenship Requirement:Candidates should note that eligibility to compete for posts is open to citizens of the European Economic Area (EEA) or to non-EEA nationals with a valid work permit.
The EEA consists of the Member States of the European Union, United Kingdom along with Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
Swiss citizens under EU agreements may also apply.
It is an offence under the Employment Permits Acts 2003 and 2006 for both an employer and an employee if a non-EEA National is in employment without an appropriate employment permit.
Employment permit holders can only work for the employer named on the permit.
Closing date for applications is 1.00pm Wednesday, 26th February 2025 Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted.
The Human Resources Office, Munster Technological University, Tralee, Co Kerry MTU is an Equal Opportunities Employer Skills: strong background in bioeconomy excellent communication skills strong problem-solving abilities