Head of International Protection and Integration Division

Job title: Head of International Protection and Integration Division

Employer: Department of Justice, Home Affairs & Migration

Location: Dublin

Closing Date: 3pm, Thursday, 13th August 2026

Starting Salary: €171,517

About the Employer:

The Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration has overall responsibility for public policy at a national level in respect of criminal justice, public safety, civil and family law, national security, immigration issues including international protection processing and accommodation, cyber security and data protection policy. Its vision is for a safe, fair and inclusive Ireland achieved through the organisation’s values which are to operate in an open, collaborative and professional manner.

The Department is a diverse organisation with a gender pay gap in 2025 of 1.27% and 14.65% of staff reporting having a disability. There is increasing ethnic diversity, and a vibrant LGBT+ network. It also has an international reach, with more than 50 officers posted in 11 Irish embassies and missions across four continents, working on a broad range of immigration services and international policy issues. Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2026 will involve officials in leading more than 20 Working Groups across both the Justice and Home Affairs, and the Telecommunications Ministerial Councils. Producing high quality and timely legislation to support and drive change is a key responsibility and the Department annually manages the largest volume of legislation drafted across Government.

International Protection and Integration Division

The division is responsible for operating significant systems of procurement and provision of accommodation and services to persons seeking international protection (IP), in a context of unprecedented recent growth in demand. The division currently accommodates in the region of 33,000 people at 300 centres and has a budget of €1.2bn in 2026.

It is responsible for developing and implementing IP accommodation policy, including transitioning to a new model of accommodation and related supports for persons in the IP process, centred around the Comprehensive Accommodation Strategy which was approved by Government in April 2024. The division is also playing a key role in delivering the Migration Pact in 2026 and beyond.

About the Role:

Reporting to the Deputy Secretary General Migration, the successful candidate appointed to this Assistant Secretary post will be a key member of the Management Board, contributing to the overall mission and strategic direction of the Department. This high-level strategic role will have six direct reports at Principal Officer level and will have lead responsibility for:

• Working with the Deputy Secretary Migration Pillar and other Management Board members to develop and deliver effective end to end international protection processing.

• Delivery of International Protection (IP) accommodation services with a view to developing the State’s capacity to provide a sustainable response to current and future demand.

• Delivering on the commitment to provide for 14,000 State owned beds under the Comprehensive Accommodation Strategy (CAS) by 2030.

• Ensuring the State’s delivery of the Migration Pact (including promoting the take-up of Voluntary Return), working across the Department and more broadly across the sector.

• Continuing Value for Money initiatives and overseeing delivery of the Programme for Government commitment to introduce a Contribution to Costs model for IP applicants in accommodation.

• Working with colleagues across government in developing and implementing policy proposals aimed at ensuring more efficient use of available IP accommodation capacity, including supporting those with status to progress out of the IP accommodation system.

• Ensuring services, incident response systems, operational policies and supports are in place in respect of a wide and growing network of IP accommodation centres, including emergency centres.

• Developing and implementing workable contingency plans in respect of accommodation availability shortfalls.

• Overseeing arrangements for proactive communication and engagement to promote community acceptance of planned IP accommodation arrangements.

• Ensuring delivery of the targets set by oversight structures for the CAS and Pact delivery, including securing new forms of accommodation and supports, and managing the transition process.

• Leading the delivery of new State provided accommodation capacity for international protection, including the development and commissioning of plans for related capital developments.

• Overseeing inspection systems for IPAS accommodation and ensuring that accommodation centres comply with national standards.

• Ensuring that a formal needs assessment process and appropriate review mechanism is in place for conducting vulnerability assessments of international protection applicants.

• Ensuring appropriate referral pathways for applicants to services from relevant State and non governmental service providers.

About You:

Essential Criteria

The person appointed will have:

• Excellent organisational skills with an ability to lead and manage a high-performance division in a fast-paced environment.

• Experience in managing large scale operations and overseeing system and organisational change.

• Experience of managing large budgets and capital delivery programmes.

• Experience of delivering modernisation projects while ensuring business as usual is continually improved.

• A proven track record in policy development and operational delivery in a complex area where Government policy envisages substantial further service improvement and change.

• Political awareness, sound judgment, adaptability and flexibility, with a capacity to find innovative solutions in a challenging environment.

• Excellent leadership and people management skills including networking and influencing, enabling constructive and direct engagement with a mix of stakeholder groups.

• A demonstrated ability to lead and co-ordinate cross-cutting action across Departments and agencies in both policy and operational spheres.

• Experience in relation to the governance and oversight of multiple agencies and groups.

• Demonstrated commitment, drive, energy, enthusiasm and strong communication skills.

Further information including details on how to apply for this position is available on www.publicjobs.ie.

The closing date for receipt of completed applications is 3pm on Thursday, 13th August, 2026.

We are committed to a policy of equal opportunity and encourage applications under all nine grounds of the Employment Equality Act.