Background:

Teagasc – the Agriculture and Food Development Authority – is the national body providing integrated research, advisory and training services to the agriculture and food industry and rural communities. It was established in September 1988 under the Agriculture (Research, Training and Advice) Act, 1988.

The ICT Department plays a pivotal role in supporting Teagasc to achieve its mission of providing leadership and support to Irish farmers and food companies in achieving a sustainable food system.  The department provides services to over 1,000 employees across 50 locations in addition to students and contractors throughout Ireland.  The ICT Department contains seven units – Applications Team, Technical Services, Service Delivery, Cyber Protection, Security Operations, Application Development, and Research/Innovation.

The Applications Team is responsible for  collaborating with Teagasc business units through activities such as business analysis, process improvement initiatives, procurement, vendor management, and project managing systems implementation. The Teagasc ICT Applications suite consists of over 35 business systems with a mixture of bespoke, package and SaaS applications Teagasc engages external vendors to supply many of its ICT services, including application development.

Teagasc are now looking to appoint an Applications Analyst to join our Applications Team. This position provides an exciting opportunity to join the ICT Department as Teagasc embarks on a new Digitalisation Transformation Strategy aimed at delivering transformative change in a number of areas across the organisation and involving increasing use of cloud technologies.

Basic Function:

The successful applicant will be responsible for the identification and analysis of business requirements and the design, acquisition, integration, delivery, enhancement and support of ICT application solutions, including project management. The successful applicant will work in close co-operation with other business units in order to fully understand their operations and how ICT can support them.

This position requires occasional attendance outside normal working hours and some travel between Teagasc offices.

• Work with the business units within Teagasc to understand and improve their performance through the use of Process Improvement and Information and Communication Technologies.
• Identify user requirements for Application Solutions.
• Analyse the requirements and design an optimal solution.
• Select an external service provider using public sector procurement approaches, to either build a bespoke solution or to provide package and configuration services. The external service provider will also be expected to implement the solution..
• Ensure that chosen solutions are properly integrated with other Teagasc systems and platforms.
• Oversee and manage user acceptance testing of solutions..
• Project manage the solution implementation throughout Teagasc. Project management includes communications, planning, budgeting, procurement and vendor management.
• Manage the quality, standards and work approach of project and support activities to ensure they follow Teagasc standards and industry best practice.
• Manage the on-going support and enhancement of a number of application systems, including vendor management.
• Maintain responsibility for own performance and development through active participation in Performance Management & Development System (PMDS) and ensure continuous self-development in matters relating to this post.
• Assist Teagasc in meeting the commitments of the Quality Customer Service Charter and Action Plan.
• Actively participate in the annual business planning and Performance Management Development System (PMDS) processes.
• Fully co-operate with the provisions made for ensuring the health, safety and welfare of themselves, fellow staff and non-Teagasc staff and co-operate with management in enabling Teagasc to comply with legal obligations. This includes full compliance with the responsibilities outlined in the Safety Statement.
• Any other duties as may be assigned from time to time.

* This job specification is intended as a guide to the general range of duties and is intended to be neither definitive nor restrictive.  It will be reviewed from time to time with the post holder.

 Note:  The ‘essential’ qualifications, knowledge, skills and behavioural competencies outlined above are ‘must-have’ which will be used in the selection process.

Note:  Alternative location(s) may be considered solely at the discretion of Teagasc management. Flexible working arrangements in line with the Teagasc Agile Working Programme will apply.