Vacancy: Head of Unit –  Accessibility (Assistant Principal)

Job Title: Head of Unit – Accessibility

General information

Starting Salary: *€83,113

*Point of entry on this salary scale may differ from the minimum point of the scale if the successful candidate is a current public or civil servant.

Employing Authority: Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC)

Office Location: Bloom House, Railway Street, Dublin 1, D01 C576

Working Hours: 35 hours per week

Hybrid / Agile / Remote Working: You will be required to attend the office for at least 40% of your time and can avail of remote working up to 60% of your time. This is subject to business requirements. The CCPC generally operates on a fully remote basis during the month of August and over the Christmas period. This arrangement is subject to business requirements.

Annual Leave: 30 days per annum

Tenure: Wholetime, Permanent

Job description: Please see detailed job description for this role below

Required competencies: The required competencies for this role can be found here.

Terms and conditions: Please see terms and conditions linked to the recruitment process here.

Closing date: 3.00pm, Monday 13 July 2026

Apply here

About the role

Division overview

The Market Surveillance Division (MSD) delivers the CCPC’s product safety and accessibility functions, playing a critical role in protecting consumers and ensuring compliance across a wide range of sectors.

The CCPC is the designated Market Surveillance Authority and Competent Authority in Ireland, responsible for the safety and enforcement of non-food consumer products. These include toys, low-voltage electrical products, domestic gas appliances, personal protective equipment in consumer contexts, and products covered by the EU General Product Safety Regulation. In addition, the CCPC is the Market Surveillance and Compliance Authority for all products under the European Accessibility Act (EAA), as well as certain services, including e-commerce and e-books and their associated software. The EAA has been transposed into Irish law and is now in effect, representing a significant expansion of the CCPC’s remit.

MSD currently comprises 26 staff, led by a Director and supported by two Deputy Directors. The Division is organised into five Units: Customs, Recalls, and two Market Surveillance Units, and a newly established Accessibility Unit.

The Accessibility Unit has been established to lead the implementation and enforcement of the EAA and is now entering a critical phase of development. The Unit will play a central role in ensuring that products and services meet EU accessibility requirements, supporting greater inclusion for consumers, and contributing to a consistent and effective regulatory framework in Ireland. It will also engage with key national and international stakeholders to promote compliance, provide guidance, and support the development of regulatory practice in this evolving area.

The role

The CCPC is seeking to recruit a Head of Unit at Assistant Principal (AP) grade for its Accessibility Unit. This is a senior leadership role with responsibility for shaping, developing and leading the unit as it becomes fully operational within MSD.

As part of the Division’s senior management team, the Head of Unit will contribute to the strategic direction and overall leadership of MSD, ensuring a coordinated and effective approach to market surveillance. The role involves addressing complex and evolving regulatory issues, with a strong emphasis on delivering outcomes that protect consumers and promote compliance.

This position offers a unique opportunity to lead in a developing regulatory area of significant public importance, helping to shape how accessibility requirements are implemented and enforced in Ireland. It represents an opportunity for an adaptable and forward-thinking professional to lead in a new and important area of regulation, contributing directly to the CCPC’s mission and to improved outcomes for consumers.

Key responsibilities

• Lead, develop and manage the Accessibility Unit, ensuring the effective delivery of all regulatory, compliance and enforcement activities under the European Accessibility Act (EAA).
• Establish and embed robust operational structures, processes and policies to support the effective functioning and ongoing development of the Unit.
• Oversee and direct all cases, investigations, inspections and enforcement actions, ensuring they are progressed in a timely, proportionate and risk-based manner.
• Provide authoritative guidance to team members on legislative interpretation, technical standards and complex regulatory issues, supporting high-quality decision-making.
• Build, lead and motivate a high-performing team, including setting clear objectives, managing performance, and identifying learning and development needs.
• Contribute as a member of the MSD senior management team to the strategic direction, governance and continuous improvement of the Division.
• Develop and implement a strategic and operational plan to deliver the CCPC’s obligations under the EAA, ensuring alignment with organisational priorities.
• Apply risk-based approaches to prioritisation, resource allocation and regulatory interventions, ensuring the effective use of available resources.
• Build and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with key internal and external stakeholders, including representing the CCPC at national and international fora.
• Promote compliance through engagement, guidance and outreach, supporting stakeholders in understanding and meeting accessibility requirements.
• Support accurate, timely and effective reporting, including the delivery of work plans, corporate reporting obligations and performance metrics.
• Champion the CCPC’s Vision, Mission and Values, fostering a culture of integrity, collaboration, innovation and public service.
• Undertake any additional duties as required to support the achievement of the objectives of the Division and the CCPC.

The successful candidate

The successful candidate will be a high-calibre senior manager with relevant experience who can bring strong leadership, sound judgement and a structured approach to a growing regulatory function within a dynamic organisation.

They will play a key role in operationalising the Unit, including establishing effective structures, processes, policies and ways of working. As the Unit becomes fully resourced, the focus will shift to delivering a robust programme of regulatory oversight and enforcement under the EAA.

The successful candidate will have a strong ability to understand, interpret and apply legislative and regulatory frameworks, and to translate these into practical compliance and enforcement actions. This includes the ability to assess complex issues, interpret statutory provisions and technical standards, and apply them effectively to progress cases, investigations and compliance activities.

They will be comfortable working in a developing and evolving legislative environment, with the ability to navigate ambiguity, make evidence-based decisions and provide clear, reasoned guidance to staff and stakeholders. In addition to the immediate appointment from this campaign, an order of merit may be established. This may be used to fill any future vacancies at the same level within this or other Divisions of the CCPC where roles have similar responsibilities and/or similar skills are required.

Essential

• A Level 7 or higher qualification on the National Framework of Qualifications (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline such as law, regulation, public policy, engineering, science, business, or compliance; or significant comparable professional experience.
• A minimum of 4 years’ experience successfully leading and managing teams, with a proven ability to motivate, develop and deliver through others.
• Strong leadership and organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and deliver results in a complex and fast-paced environment.
• Proven experience working in a regulatory, compliance, enforcement or similar environment, including the evaluation and analysis of complex issues.
• Demonstrable ability to understand, interpret and apply legislation, regulations and/or technical standards, and to translate these into practical actions to progress cases, investigations and enforcement activities.
• Experience exercising sound judgement in interpreting legislative or policy frameworks, including making evidence-based decisions and providing clear, reasoned recommendations.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to assess risk and determine proportionate regulatory responses.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and influencing skills, with the ability to clearly explain legal or technical concepts to a range of audiences.
• Proven ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Desirable

• Practical experience in a regulatory, compliance, accessibility, disability or market surveillance environment.
• Experience progressing enforcement actions, including investigations, administrative measures and/or prosecutions.
• Experience carrying out inspections, audits or compliance assessments.
• Familiarity with the European Accessibility Act (EAA), market surveillance frameworks or related EU legislation.
• Experience interpreting technical documentation, standards or conformity requirements.
• Strong understanding of risk-based approaches to regulation and the application of risk management principles.
• Experience developing and implementing strategy, operational plans or change initiatives.
• Project management and/or case management experience, including managing complex or high-profile cases.
• Experience of working collaboratively across agencies, and/or within national or international regulatory networks.
• A full clean Irish driving licence with access to a car.

Application process

Please apply using the button below, which will take you to our recruitment partner. Please submit an up-to-date CV and a cover letter (maximum two pages) clearly demonstrating how your skills, experience and achievement meet the essential criteria for the role. Applicants should note that canvassing will result in your exclusion from the process.

Apply here

Shortlisting

Shortlisting of candidates will be based on the information provided in their application. In order to satisfy the shortlisting panel, you need to clearly highlight within your application how your skills and experience meet the essential criteria. If this is not clearly displayed, it may prevent your application progressing to the shortlisting stage.

Interview process

There will be two interviews for this role that are likely to take place in late July/early August. During the first-round interview, the CCPC will conduct competency style interviews based on the Assistant Principal Officer competencies below:

• Leadership
• Analysis and Decision Making
• Management and Delivery of Results
• Interpersonal and Communication Skills
• Specialist Knowledge, Expertise and Self-Development
• Drive and Commitment

Full details of these competencies can be found on this page. The second-round interview will involve an assessment using practical methods such as presentation skills, writing assignments or role play.

Equal opportunities

The CCPC is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to championing an inclusive and diverse workforce that reflects modern Ireland and the people we serve. We strive to create a culture where everyone has equal access to opportunity and feels comfortable and confident to be themselves at work. Reasonable Accommodations will be provided, if required, during this process. To discuss and request reasonable accommodations in confidence please contact recruit@ccpc.ie.

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