Galway City Council has an exciting opportunity for the role of Executive Architect and is inviting applications from suitably qualified persons for the above competition. The Executive Architect works as part of a multi-disciplinary team within Galway City Council’s Architects’ Section to deliver key local authority services which include social housing, recreation and amenity provision and community development. 

The role affords a unique opportunity to work on large City Scale Planning (The Galway Charter) while also working on the design of key capital projects. The role requires a clear understanding of the role of the Architect in the Local Authority to deliver high quality compact growth while projecting the existing environment. The successful candidate will help design and delivery Social and Affordable housing along the principles of Galway City’s Sustainable Urban agenda (New European Bauhaus).

The Architectural Services Department is a cross-Directorate structure that deliver architectural support services to all Galway City Council Directorates. This allows for a varied and interesting body of work. These roles include Conservation Projects, Public Realm, Cultural and Infrastructural. The Executive Architect shall operate under the direction of and report to the Senior Executive Architect/Senior Architect.

The Architect’s Section work as a Practice and design work ‘in-house’. The successful candidate will be working with a team of RIAI Architects and Architectural Technicians. We are very much a design office and are interested in the quality of our work. We also project manage Architectural Led Design teams that are procured with quality as an important factor. We have employed/are employing TAKA, Hall McKnight, A2, 7L, Coady’s and O'Briain Beary to supplement the services that we provide ‘in-house’. This affords the opportunity to gain vast experience while also providing a rich legacy of work for the city.

The role requires a clear knowledge and understanding of local authority services and its key stakeholders and relationships, local government structures and its democratic role and mandate, current local government issues, future trends and strategic direction of the sector, management and implementation of change, and Public Works Contracts.
 

The key duties and responsibilities of the post of Executive Architect include, but are not limited to:

• The planning, design, procurement and construction of new housing, infrastructure and the maintenance of existing/new housing infrastructure by direct labour and / or by contract;
• The carrying out of regulatory and enforcement duties for the Local Authority;
• The provision of architectural and other advices to the Local Authority;
• The supervision and contract administration and procurement of construction/operations/maintenance schemes;
• The preparation and management of elements of the revenue and capital budgets and ensuring that works are implemented within allocated budgets;
• Ensuring that staff are trained and operate within the relevant skill sets;
• Maintain and proactively develop a culture of Health & Safety in the workplace;
• Ensuring compliance with Health & Safety legislation and regulations, and the Local Authorities Corporate Health & Safety systems;
• Ensuring works are implemented in compliance with all relevant legislation and regulations concerning procurement, planning, etc.;
• Ensuring an efficient and effective response to all stakeholders;
• Carrying out such other duties as may be assigned from time to time.